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Driving home for Christmas? Here are the cheapest spots to fill up
The average price of petrol rose by 1.4p last month to hit 129.6p a litre – the highest it has been since April 2025 while diesel prices saw an even sharper climb, jumping by 3.6p to 138.1p, the most expensive since the start of March 2025
The rise in prices at the pumps is an added blow to many household budgets. Photo credit: iStock.com SolStock
Reporter:
Staff Reporter
16 Dec 2025 3:30 PM
Email:
news@derrynow.com
With this weekend expected to bring travel chaos to Northern Ireland’s roads, drivers have been shown the most budget-friendly places to fill up their fuel tanks ahead of Christmas.
Frantic Friday – the last Friday before Christmas – is historically the busiest day on the roads during the festive period, with motorists facing long queues and disruption as they visit family and friends, sort out last-minute shopping or head off to office parties.
As motorists prepare for their seasonal journeys, the car insurance experts at CompareNI.com have looked at fuel prices in towns and cities across NI, ranking the cheapest locations to fill up.
The average price of petrol rose by 1.4p last month to hit 129.6p a litre – the highest it has been since April 2025. Diesel prices saw an even sharper climb, jumping by 3.6p to 138.1p, the most expensive since the start of March 2025.
This rise in prices at the pumps is an added blow to many household budgets that are already feeling the squeeze this festive season.
A recent survey by CompareNI.com highlighted that over a third adults in Northern Ireland will struggle with the cost of Christmas this year, while a fifth will push themselves into debt to fund their spending.
But by planning ahead and using CompareNI’s Petrol and Diesel Price Index, drivers can find out which locations offer the best value for money at the pumps and make savings on their fuel bills.
Topping the rankings as the cheapest town for petrol is Cookstown, where the average price is 127.8p – 1.6p lower than the current NI average of 129.4p.
Taking second place is Belfast at 128.1p, closely followed by Ballymena and Carrickfergus at 128.2p.
At the other end of the scale, the most expensive place to fill up with petrol is Magherafelt, where prices are 8.2p above average at 137.6p. This is followed by Banbridge and Newtownards, with average prices of 130.9p.
For diesel drivers, Cookstown comes in cheapest at 3.8p below average at 133.5p. Dungannon is a close second place at 133.9p, with Derry in third spot at 134.9p.
The most expensive prices for diesel can be found in Magherafelt at 141.9p, which is 4.6p above the current NI average of 137.3p. This is followed by Newry at 141.4p and Enniskillen at 140.2p.
Ian Wilson, car insurance expert and Managing Director at CompareNI.com said: “As households across Northern Ireland continue to grapple with rising food costs and soaring energy bills, any opportunity to save money can make a big difference, especially leading up to Christmas when financial strain can be even higher.
“With our roads becoming busier every day as people travel home for the holidays, we’ve compiled this useful list of the most cost-effective places to fill up your vehicle.
“While it may be tempting to refuel at a motorway service area due to the convenience factor, drivers should be aware that they could be paying a significant mark-up compared to using supermarket or independent forecourts.
“That is why, if drivers are preparing for a road trip to spend Christmas with loved ones, it pays to plan ahead and find out now which locations offer the best value for money at the pumps.
“There are also other small changes motorists can make to their driving habits that could help them save even more money on fuel. This includes making sure their tyres are correctly inflated, not carrying any more weight than is necessary in the vehicle and driving as economically as possible – climbing the gears quickly and watching the queues ahead to try and minimise stop-start braking.
“Even these simple tweaks can add up over time and help drivers cut the cost of their fuel bills.”
As Northern Ireland’s largest price comparison site, CompareNI.com helps hundreds of thousands of drivers every year find savings on their car insurance.
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