Fuel Prices in Haiti: What You Pay at the Pump and Why
Haiti's pump prices sit close to the global middle. A liter of gasoline costs about $1.412, which works out to roughly $5.35 per gallon and about 184.3 HTG per liter in local currency. Diesel is a touch pricier at $1.593 per liter. Against a world average of $1.484 per liter, that places Haiti at rank 73 of 170 countries surveyed — cheaper than wealthy importers like the nations of Europe, but well above oil-rich exporters.
Why Haiti Pays What It Pays
Haiti produces no crude oil of its own. Every drop of gasoline and diesel is imported, refined abroad and shipped in, so the landed cost of fuel is set by international markets and freight rates long before it reaches a Port-au-Prince filling station. That import dependence is the single biggest force behind the price you see at the pump.
The second force is the Haitian gourde (HTG). Because fuel is bought in U.S. dollars but sold in gourdes, any slide in the currency immediately makes imports more expensive in local terms. The 184.3 HTG-per-liter figure reflects an exchange rate that has weakened sharply over the past decade, steadily pushing the gourde price of fuel higher even when the dollar price holds steady.
For most of its modern history, Haiti held retail prices down through heavy government subsidies. Those subsidies became unaffordable, and the politically painful unwinding of them — most notably the steep price hikes announced in 2022 — is a large part of why today's prices look closer to the world average than they once did. Removing a subsidy doesn't just raise the price; it exposes consumers to the full volatility of global oil, which is why diesel commanding a premium over gasoline here mirrors the international pattern rather than any local quirk.
How Haiti Compares
Haiti's mid-table ranking is easier to read alongside neighbors and peers. Subsidized or export-driven economies sit far cheaper — see how prices look in Syria or oil-and-gas exporters, where state support keeps pumps below a dollar. At the other extreme, currency-stressed importers can swing wildly; Argentina is a useful case study in how inflation and exchange-rate moves whipsaw fuel costs. Resource-rich but small markets such as Namibia and transit economies like Georgia round out the spectrum. To see exactly where Haiti lands among all of them, browse the full world fuel prices table.
The Trend
With domestic production absent and subsidies largely dismantled, Haitian drivers are now directly exposed to two moving parts: the global price of crude and the value of the gourde. When the dollar oil price rises or the currency weakens, prices climb quickly; relief comes only when both move in the driver's favor. Security disruptions to fuel terminals and distribution — a recurring problem in recent years — can also create local shortages that push street prices well above the official figures, so the $1.412 benchmark is best read as the regulated reference rather than a guarantee at every station.
FAQ
How much does gas cost in Haiti?
Gasoline costs about $1.412 per liter, or roughly $5.35 per U.S. gallon. In local currency that is approximately 184.3 HTG per liter. Diesel is higher, at around $1.593 per liter.
Why is fuel so expensive in Haiti if it's a developing country?
Haiti imports all of its fuel and produces no oil, so prices track international markets plus shipping. A weak gourde makes those dollar-priced imports costlier in local terms, and the removal of long-standing government subsidies has pushed retail prices up toward the global average.
Is fuel cheaper in Haiti than in the rest of the world?
Slightly. At $1.412 per liter Haiti ranks 73rd of 170 countries and sits just below the world average of $1.484 per liter, making it cheaper than most of Europe but far more expensive than subsidized oil exporters.