In the adjustment session last week on February 26, 2026, gasoline prices simultaneously increased sharply compared to the price adjustment period last week. In which, E5 RON 92 gasoline is priced at 19,523 VND/liter (an increase of 889 VND/liter). RON 95-III gasoline is priced at 20,151 VND/liter (an increase of 999 VND/liter).
Meanwhile, the prices of oil products fluctuated in opposite directions. Diesel oil 0.05S is priced at 19,279 VND/liter (up 754 VND/liter); kerosene has a new price of 19,469 VND/liter (up 854 VND/liter); mazut oil 180CST 3.5S is priced at 15,689 VND/kg (down 173 VND/kg).
The big problem of an increase of nearly 1,000 VND/liter does not lie in the absolute number, but in the fact that fuel is a cost that "runs every km", and in a few days or weeks it will spread to the level of transportation - service - goods prices.
For road transport businesses, fuel is the "touch point" to the fastest profit margin. According to information provided by the transport industry management agency, fuel costs can account for about 40-45% of road transport costs (significantly higher than in the low price period). At the vehicle fleet level, just 20-30 vehicles is enough to increase to tens of millions to nearly hundreds of millions per month, forcing businesses to choose one of two: increase fares/fuel surcharges according to the contract; or accept profit shortening, cutting other costs. The second scenario sounds "less shocking" for customers but easily pushes risks into service quality and employee income (drivers, loaders, assistants).
The next obvious impact lies in the group of technology motorbike taxis, delivery, where each trip is a "micro-problem" between revenue - discount - gasoline costs. With gasoline increasing by 889-999 VND/liter, just one driver driving 120-180 km/day, consumption of 2.5-4 liters/day (depending on vehicle, urban road, traffic jam), gasoline costs increase by another 2,000-4,000 VND/day.
Looking at this alone, many people will say "not worth much", but drivers' lives are not only about gasoline, they are also subject to platform discounts, waiting times, empty trips and demand fluctuations. When variable costs increase, drivers often have to extend running hours to compensate, i.e. "sell" more health. That is why gasoline and oil fluctuations often directly hit informal workers on the same working day, net income is eroded.
For workers working far away, the impact lies in "compulsory costs" and the chain reaction effect on living expenses. For example, a worker going to work and returning home 30-40 km/day, motorbike consumption 1-1.5 liters/day, gasoline increases by nearly 1,000 VND/liter, causing costs to increase by about 1,000-1,500 VND/day, equivalent to 26,000-39,000 VND/month (26 working days). This figure does not immediately "break" the budget, but it is worrying in that it is compounded with many other increasing expenses such as food, parking, essential expenses. Some workers also return to their hometowns weekly/month or have to work overtime; just a few more long trips makes the cost "increase" more clearly. And when income does not increase correspondingly, they are forced to cut "soft" expenses such as nutrition, extra classes for children, or medical prevention, things that determine the long-term quality of social security.
What is more worrying is the spillover effect on commodity - service prices. Vietnam still has high logistics costs; some assessments show that by 2024, logistics costs are equivalent to about 16-18%. When fuel costs increase, the chain of impacts usually follows 3 steps: freight transport adjusts surcharges; wholesale - retail "adds" costs to prices; consumers tighten spending, causing service businesses (eating, tourism, passenger transportation) to bear revenue pressure. The most sensitive goods are often fresh food, fast-moving consumer goods, and final-stage delivery, because transportation costs account for a significant proportion of the cost to buyers.
In that context, it is important not to let the cost shock completely shift to workers and consumers, and at the same time prevent the situation of "following the tide".
