Premium unleaded 98 (SP98) price in 1999
How much did a litre of SP98 petrol cost in 1999?
In 1999, a litre of SP98 petrol cost on average €0.96 in mainland France, according to Insee's average retail prices. Before the switch to the euro, that was about 6.30 francs (at the fixed rate of 6.55957 F per €1).
What would this price be worth today?
Adjusted for inflation, the 1999 price is equivalent to €1.48 in 2025 euros. With the 2025 average at €1.80, a litre of SP98 petrol is 22% more expensive than in 1999 in constant euros.
In constant euros, 1999 ranks number 7 out of 33 among the cheapest years for a litre of SP98 petrol between 1992 and 2025.
A litre in working time
With an average gross hourly minimum wage of €6.17 in 1999, it took 9.3 minutes of work to pay for a litre of SP98 petrol. In 2025, with a minimum wage of €11.88, the same litre represents 9.1 minutes, i.e. 3% less working time.
Trend around 1999
Compared with 1998 (€0.93), the price rose by 3.2%, while consumer prices changed by +0.5% over the same period.
Premium unleaded 98 (SP98) prices month by month in 1999
In 1999, the average monthly price ranged from €0.90 (January) to €1.04 (December), a gap of €0.14 over the year.
| Month | Current price (€/L) |
|---|---|
| January | 0.90 |
| February | 0.90 |
| March | 0.90 |
| April | 0.93 |
| May | 0.94 |
| June | 0.94 |
| July | 0.95 |
| August | 0.98 |
| September | 0.99 |
| October | 1.00 |
| November | 1.00 |
| December | 1.04 |
Premium unleaded 98 (SP98) prices from 1994 to 2004
| Year | Current price (€/L) | In 2025 euros (€/L) | Minutes of gross minimum wage per litre | Change over one year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 0.82 | 1.34 | 9.2 | +3.8 % |
| 1995 | 0.87 | 1.40 | 9.4 | +6.1 % |
| 1996 | 0.92 | 1.45 | 9.6 | +5.7 % |
| 1997 | 0.96 | 1.49 | 9.8 | +4.3 % |
| 1998 | 0.93 | 1.44 | 9.2 | -3.1 % |
| 1999 | 0.96 | 1.48 | 9.3 | +3.2 % |
| 2000 | 1.11 | 1.68 | 10.6 | +15.6 % |
| 2001 | 1.05 | 1.56 | 9.6 | -5.4 % |
| 2002 | 1.03 | 1.50 | 9.2 | -1.9 % |
| 2003 | 1.04 | 1.49 | 8.9 | +1.0 % |
| 2004 | 1.09 | 1.53 | 8.8 | +4.8 % |
How to read these figures
Current price: the average pump price in the year concerned. Constant euros: the same price converted into 2025 euros using Insee's consumer price index (all households). Minutes of minimum wage: the price per litre divided by the average gross hourly minimum wage (SMIC) of the year, times 60.
Other fuels in 1999
Sources and method
Average monthly retail prices in mainland France: Insee, series 000442589; the annual average is computed over the twelve months. Consumer price index (base 2015, all households) and gross hourly minimum wage: Insee, macroeconomic database. Day-by-day current prices are in our fuel price history.