KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 — Malaysia’s government-subsidised petrol prices make it one of the cheapest places in the world to fill up a car. But how does it compare with other countries?
In this article, we explore the cost of filling up three popular cars: the Toyota Camry, Honda Civic and Malaysian-made Perodua Bezza, and how far each car can travel on a full tank of petrol.
A full tank in some cars can cover about 800km, enough for a round trip from Kuala Lumpur to Penang. — Picture by Hari Anggara
Malaysia: Driving on a budget
- Price per litre: RM2.05
- Toyota Camry (60-litre tank): RM123
- Honda Civic (47-litre tank): RM96.35
- Perodua Bezza (36-litre tank): RM73.80
Distances:
Toyota Camry: With a 60-litre tank and fuel efficiency averaging 13–14km/l, a full tank covers about 800km, enough for a round trip from Kuala Lumpur to Penang.
Honda Civic: At approximately 15–16km/l, a full tank covers 723km, ideal for a drive from KL to Kuala Perlis for the Langkawi ferry.
Perodua Bezza: Known for its fuel efficiency (21km/l), the Bezza can travel up to 765km on a full tank, covering a trip from KL to Penang and back.
Singapore: Small island, big costs
- Price per litre: RM7.70
- Toyota Camry: RM462
- Honda Civic: RM361.90
- Perodua Bezza: RM277.20
Although Singapore is a small country where driving distances are short from one end to the other, the cost of filling up a tank is nearly four times higher than in Malaysia.
While a Toyota Camry can still cover long distances, the hefty price tag of RM462 makes Singapore an expensive place to drive compared to its neighbours.
Hong Kong: The world’s most expensive petrol
- Price per litre: RM13 to RM14.20
- Toyota Camry: RM780 to RM852
- Honda Civic: RM664.40 to RM726.20
- Perodua Bezza: RM511.20
A full tank of petrol in Hong Kong costs nearly seven times more than in Malaysia, even though it covers the same distance.
This aerial photograph taken on April 26, 2024 shows people playing football on a court at a pocket park next to a busy main road as evening rush-hour traffic drives past in Bangkok. A full tank here is more than double the cost of Malaysia’s petrol prices. — AFP pic
Thailand: A regional comparison
- Price per litre: RM4.60
- Toyota Camry: RM276
- Honda Civic: RM216.20
- Perodua Bezza: RM165.60
Thailand offers a more reasonable comparison to Malaysia, with a Camry fill-up costing RM276.
The Camry can still cover roughly the distance from Bangkok to Phuket, but at more than double the cost of Malaysia’s petrol prices.
Indonesia: Similar prices, different landscape
- Price per litre: RM4.50
- Toyota Camry: RM270
- Honda Civic: RM211.50
- Perodua Bezza: RM162
In Indonesia, petrol prices are comparable to Thailand’s.
A Toyota Camry can travel approximately the distance from Jakarta to Surabaya — but Indonesian drivers pay over twice the price that Malaysians would for the same journey.
A man wearing a face mask crosses a road in Beijing February 15, 2020. China’s fuel prices are rising but remain more affordable than Hong Kong’s. — Reuters pic
China: Petrol on the rise
- Price per litre: RM4.90
- Toyota Camry: RM294
- Honda Civic: RM230.30
- Perodua Bezza: RM176.40
China’s fuel prices are rising but remain more affordable than Hong Kong’s.
A full tank in a Toyota Camry can cover about two-thirds of the 1,200km journey from Beijing to Shanghai, though drivers still pay more than twice the cost in Malaysia.
Russia: Low prices, long drives
- Price per litre: RM2.60
- Toyota Camry: RM156
- Honda Civic: RM122.20
- Perodua Bezza: RM93.60
Russia boasts some of the most affordable petrol in the world.
At RM156, the cost of filling up a Toyota Camry in Russia is comparable to Malaysia’s low prices, covering the drive from Moscow to Saint Petersburg.
Eighteen-wheelers cross the Nevada landscape in Mineral County near Walker Lake outside of Hawthorne, travelling the north-south US Route 95 highway linking Reno with Las Vegas on October 16, 2024. A full tank in the US is more than double the cost in Malaysia.— AFP pic
USA: Land of long highways and higher fuel prices
- Price per litre: RM4.10
- Toyota Camry: RM246
- Honda Civic: RM192.70
- Perodua Bezza: RM147.60
In the US, a Toyota Camry on a full tank can cover 800km, enough for a trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco, though it costs RM246 — more than double the cost in Malaysia.
File photo of shoppers crossing the road at Oxford Circus, in the centre of London’s retail shopping area in London October 19, 2020. The UK is among the costliest places to fill up. — Reuters pic
United Kingdom: High costs for highways
- Price per litre: RM9.52
- Toyota Camry: RM571.20
- Honda Civic: RM447.50
- Perodua Bezza: RM342.72
The UK is among the costliest places to fill up.
A Toyota Camry will take you roughly the distance from London to Edinburgh — but at a staggering RM571.20, nearly five times the cost of filling up in Malaysia.
Malaysia’s fuel subsidies offer drivers exceptional value at the pump.
Whether driving a Perodua Bezza, Honda Civic or Toyota Camry, a full tank in Malaysia allows for significant travel distances at a fraction of the cost seen in other countries.
Meanwhile, in places like Hong Kong and the UK, drivers pay steeply to cover distances that Malaysians can travel for much less.