Q COSTARICA — Drivers face a new increase in fuel costs following the adjustment approved by the Regulatory Authority, the Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (ARESEP).
The current costs per liter for October are ¢677 for premium gasoline, ¢662 for regular gasoline, ¢556 for diesel, and ¢253 for natural gas. Click here for official pricing of all fuels.
Before the end of the month, possibly as early as mid-week next week, fuel prices at the pumps nationwide, based on this approval, will increase by ¢14 for premium and by ¢13 for regular gasoline. Diesel will decrease by ¢9, and natural gas will decrease by ¢5.
The adjustment responds to international fluctuations in oil prices, import costs, and the dollar exchange rate.
Added to this is the single fuel tax, equivalent to between 28% and 40% of the value per liter, whose resources are transferred to the State to supposedly finance institutions such as the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation (MOPT) and local governments.
The Refinadora Costarricense de Petróleo (RECOPE), the Costa Rican refinery that refines nothing, stated that the current pricing model aims to ensure transparency in pricing and guarantee that each colon paid by users is backed by the real costs of the energy system.