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Lower ethanol prices have changed the calculation for flex-fuel car drivers in various regions of the country, while gasoline remains pressured at the pumps. The difference between fuels requires attention to vehicle performance before deciding which option is lighter on the wallet.
Ethanol has regained competitiveness in a significant part of the country and is already appearing as a more advantageous option than gasoline in at least 199 municipalities surveyed by the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels.
In the week of June 14 to 20, 2026, the ANP found a national average price of R$ 6.62 per liter for regular gasoline and R$ 4.13 for hydrated ethanol.
With this difference, the biofuel was at 62.4% of the average gasoline price, below the 70% reference used by many drivers to decide on refueling flex-fuel cars.
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Even so, this rule does not replace the individual calculation, because consumption varies according to model, maintenance, route, and driving style.
Ethanol gains ground at the pumps
At the pumps, the change appears in a scenario of opposing movements between the fuels.
According to the ANP’s weekly summary, regular gasoline rose by 0.15% in retail, while hydrated ethanol fell by 0.48% in the same period analyzed by the regulatory agency.
Besides the difference recorded at the pump, the behavior of ethanol is also related to the sugarcane cycle, as the Brazilian harvest tends to increase the supply of biofuel.
The ANP’s own summary, based on information from Cepea, mentions an expectation of high supply throughout the 2026/27 harvest, despite occasional fluctuations in the São Paulo market.
In the refueling decision, however, the lower price per liter is not enough to determine the best choice.
Since ethanol usually yields less than gasoline, the driver needs to compare how much each fuel costs in relation to the mileage delivered by the vehicle.
70% rule helps in decision
For a quick estimate, the most used reference is to multiply the gasoline price by 0.7.
When the ethanol price is equal to or below this result, refueling with the biofuel tends to be financially rewarding for many flex-fuel cars.
This calculation is based on the idea that ethanol has a lower average yield than gasoline.
The real difference, however, is not the same in all vehicles, because more modern engines can better utilize renewable fuel.
For this reason, the most accurate calculation depends on the car’s own average consumption.
The driver can divide the kilometers driven by the amount of liters refueled, repeating the measurement separately for gasoline and ethanol.
From this information, the comparison no longer depends solely on the general rule.
The most important value becomes the cost per kilometer driven, which shows how much the driver pays to cover the same distance with each fuel.
Capitals where ethanol is more advantageous
Among the capitals, ANP data indicates an advantage for ethanol in São Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Cuiabá, Campo Grande, Goiânia, Brasília, Salvador, and Florianópolis, considering the reference of up to 70% of the gasoline price.
In the São Paulo capital, for example, ethanol was found at R$ 3.94 per liter, while regular gasoline was R$ 6.46.
This ratio places the biofuel at around 61% of the gasoline price, a comfortable margin within the competitiveness rule.
Belo Horizonte also appears with a favorable ratio, with ethanol at R$ 3.92 and gasoline at R$ 6.02.
In Cuiabá, the biofuel was surveyed at R$ 3.91, compared to R$ 6.71 for regular gasoline, according to the average resale prices by capitals released by ANP.
The advantage repeats in Campo Grande, where ethanol cost R$ 4.01 and gasoline R$ 6.44.
Goiânia also fell below the reference, with R$ 4.48 for ethanol and R$ 6.87 for gasoline, while Brasília recorded R$ 4.24 against R$ 6.63.
Capitals where gasoline is still worthwhile
In other capitals, the calculation changes and reduces the attractiveness of biofuel.
Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba, Fortaleza, and João Pessoa appear above the 70% reference, indicating greater advantage for gasoline in the average price comparison informed by ANP.
In Rio de Janeiro, ethanol was found at R$ 4.83 per liter, while gasoline was R$ 6.59.
In Curitiba, the difference was tighter, but still above the reference limit, with ethanol at R$ 4.87 and gasoline at R$ 6.94.
Fortaleza recorded ethanol at R$ 4.99 and gasoline at R$ 6.75, while João Pessoa had biofuel at R$ 4.69 and regular gasoline at R$ 6.41.
In these cases, the proportion exceeds 70%, making gasoline the more recommended alternative by the general rule.
The same logic applies to Recife, Natal, Belém, Porto Alegre, Vitória, Palmas, Teresina, São Luís, Aracaju, Manaus, Porto Velho, Rio Branco, Boa Vista, and Macapá.
In these capitals, the relationship between ethanol and gasoline also exceeded the reference level used by many drivers.
How to calculate before refueling
For those who do not yet know the exact consumption of the car, the 70% rule works as a quick approximation at the station.
The calculation only requires multiplying the gasoline price by 0.7 and comparing the result with the ethanol price.
Taking the national average as a reference, if gasoline costs R$ 6.62, ethanol needs to be up to R$ 4.63 to be competitive by this rule.
As the national average surveyed by ANP was R$ 4.13, the biofuel was below this limit in the country as a whole.
Even with this result, the national average price does not reflect all local realities.
The final decision should consider the price charged at the chosen station, the real performance of the vehicle, and the type of use, especially in urban routes with higher consumption.
In cars that display range on the dashboard, the comparison can be made by observing how many kilometers the vehicle estimates to travel with each fuel.
In models without this function, manual measurement per refueling remains the safest way to assess the real cost.
The difference between ethanol and gasoline, therefore, is no longer just a price per liter comparison.
To save money, the driver needs to cross-check the pump price with the car’s performance and repeat the calculation whenever there is a significant change at the stations.
