Cambodia’s fuel import spending reaches $2.82 billion through September

Gasoline costs rose fastest, while diesel accounted for the biggest bill

Cambodia spent $1.47 billion on imported diesel in the first nine months, 48% more than a year earlier. Gasoline expenditure climbed 76% to $1.04 billion, making it the fastest-growing category in the reported breakdown. Imports of gas used as fuel cost $314 million, an increase of 23%.

The pace stands out against Cambodia’s wider trade figures. According to the Ministry of Commerce data reported by the state news agency AKP on October 8, total merchandise imports reached $31.01 billion over the same nine months, up 26% year on year. Spending on the three fuel categories therefore increased much faster than the country’s overall merchandise import bill.

Several forces can push import values higher at once. Cambodia may pay more per unit, purchase a greater quantity, or experience both changes together. The published figures do not separate those effects. In particular, the 76% increase in gasoline expenditure should not be mistaken for a 76% rise in litres imported.

A researcher quoted by Xinhua pointed to expanding industrial activity, transport networks, logistics and electricity demand, alongside higher global fuel prices linked to the Middle East conflict. That assessment offers context, but it does not quantify how much each factor contributed to the increase.

For practical context, see Cambodia market and country comparisons. This development also connects with Cambodia tyre exports hit $1.72bn in first nine months of 2026.

Pump prices matter more directly to residents’ monthly budgets

Xinhua, citing Ministry of Commerce figures, put regular gasoline at 5,150 riels per litre and diesel at 5,650 riels per litre on October 9. Those are dated retail prices, not fixed rates for the rest of the month. They offer a more immediate reference point for people paying for commuting, road travel or deliveries than a national import total does.

Someone comparing rental homes in Phnom Penh may find that commute distance matters as much as the headline rent. A cheaper apartment requiring frequent long journeys can leave less room in a monthly budget, particularly when fuel prices are unsettled. Businesses dependent on transport face a similar exposure, although the import figures do not establish how much they will raise their prices.

Electricity bills, fares and supermarket prices should not be assumed to rise by the same 53.8%. Their pricing arrangements and cost structures differ, and the new data do not document any uniform pass-through to consumers. For a household planning a longer stay, current pump prices and actual travel patterns are the numbers worth tracking.