Oil prices by year and in 2026: how much butter and sunflower oil cost
A kilogram of butter in Russia currently costs an average of 1,103.80 rubles, and a liter of sunflower oil 159.51. These are Rosstat data as of October 19, 2026. A standard 200-gram pack of butter comes to 220.76 rubles, while a year ago it cost 238.13. Butter has become 7.3% cheaper, while sunflower oil has become 5.9% more expensive over the same year. Below are oil prices by year since 2000, weekly dynamics since 2022, a comparison with margarine, and a calculation of how much oil costs a family per year. Each chart has an interactive version at roschart.ru.
How much oil costs in October 2026
Rosstat collects prices once a week, on Mondays. As of October 19, 2026, the picture is as follows:
| Product | Price | Compared to Dec 22, 2025 | Compared to Oct 20, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butter, per kg | 1,103.80 ₽ | −6.0% | −7.3% |
| Sunflower oil, per l | 159.51 ₽ | +4.8% | +5.9% |
| Margarine, per kg | 293.11 ₽ | +1.5% | +3.1% |
Butter is 6.9 times more expensive than sunflower oil, if calculating per kilogram versus per liter, and 3.8 times more expensive than margarine. Each of the three products moves in its own way, and this is the most interesting thing in the table: butter is going down, while the other two are quietly growing.
In 2026, butter reached two marks. In mid-January (January 19) it cost 1,176.00 rubles, and by August 10 it dropped to 1,093.47. This is the lowest price for 2026. Since August, the price has rebounded slightly upward, by 0.9%: on October 5 it was 1,102.96, and on October 19 it was 1,103.80.
Sunflower oil, on the contrary, has been rising all autumn. In March it cost 151.59 rubles (March 2), in August 155.58, and on October 12 it reached 159.69. This is the highest value in the series for 2026. Since spring, sunflower oil has gained 5.2%.
Oil and butter prices by year
The Rosstat annual series shows the price at the end of December. Here are the key points, in rubles:
| Year | Butter, per kg | Sunflower oil, per l |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 69.12 | 23.20 |
| 2005 | 102.42 | 40.06 |
| 2010 | 239.55 | 72.60 |
| 2015 | 397.75 | 107.62 |
| 2020 | 638.69 | 124.94 |
| 2021 | 719.21 | 136.33 |
| 2022 | 835.77 | 132.94 |
| 2023 | 862.87 | 129.59 |
| 2024 | 1,198.05 | 146.37 |
| 2025 | 1,174.57 | 152.18 |
Over the 25 years from 2000 to 2025, butter prices increased 17 times, and sunflower oil 6.6 times. Since 2010, the picture is the same: butter increased 4.9 times, sunflower oil 2.1 times. In 2000, a kilogram of butter cost three times more than a liter of sunflower oil; by 2025, the difference grew to 7.7 times.
Butter grew in spurts. The most notable jumps:
- 2007: plus 41.4%, from 109.71 to 155.10 rubles;
- 2016: plus 20.0%, from 397.75 to 477.13;
- 2022: plus 16.2%, from 719.21 to 835.77;
- 2024: plus 38.8%, from 862.87 to 1,198.05 rubles.
The 2024 jump is the most recent and most noticeable. In one year, a kilogram became 335 rubles more expensive, and a 200-gram pack by almost 67. In 2025, the series moved downward for the first time in a long time: 1,174.57 rubles, 2.0% less than a year earlier.
Sunflower oil behaved more calmly, but also with spurts. In 2015, it became 37.8% more expensive (from 78.09 to 107.62 rubles), and in 2020 by 26.8%. In 2022 and 2023, the price decreased slightly, by 2.5% each year, and in 2024 it went up again by 12.9%. Over the five years from 2020 to 2025, sunflower oil added 21.8%, and butter 83.9%.
A full table of average prices, including other products, is in the set of average consumer prices 1991-2025. There, you can compare butter with bread, sugar, and meat on one chart.
Butter by the week: peak and decline of cream butter
Annual data points hide what happened within the year. Rosstat's weekly series since January 2022 shows this in more detail.
Cream butter in January 2022 cost 725.09 rubles per kilogram, and this is the lowest price for the entire weekly series. Until the end of 2023, it stayed in the 820-870 ruble range, but in 2024 it went up: 873.18 on January 22, 937.62 on July 22, and 1,219.32 on January 27, 2025. The maximum occurred on March 24, 2025: 1,234.78 rubles.
From the March 2025 peak, the price fell by 10.6%. A 200-gram pack lost about 26 rubles: from 246.96 to 220.76. This is not a return to 2022 prices; compared to January 2022, cream butter is still 52.2% more expensive, but the downward movement is noticeable.
Rosstat does not publish the reasons for price changes, so one can only guess about them. However, the data show that the decline is occurring without sharp drops: throughout 2026, cream butter lost an average of about three rubles per week, and in August the descent stopped.
Sunflower oil and margarine
Sunflower oil became more expensive at a steadier rate. In January 2022, a liter cost 125.88 rubles. The lowest price for the entire series occurred on July 24, 2023: 122.67. The highest was on October 12, 2026: 159.69. From the 2023 minimum, sunflower oil grew by 30.0%.
Margarine gained more over the same period: from 177.82 rubles per kilogram in January 2022 to 293.11 in October 2026, which is an increase of 64.8%. In the last year alone, since October 20, 2025, it has become 3.1% more expensive.
Margarine and sunflower oil are growing together in 2026, while cream butter is moving in the opposite direction. For the buyer, this means that the gap between cream butter and "vegetable" fats is gradually narrowing: in 2025, a kilogram of cream butter was 7.7 times more expensive than a liter of sunflower oil, now it is 6.9 times.
How much butter costs a family per year
Let's take two simple examples. They are calculated based on Rosstat prices and show the order of magnitude, not your actual receipt.
A pack of butter per week. If a family buys 200 grams of butter every week, over 52 weeks it adds up to about 11,480 rubles at the price on October 19, 2026. At the price of the March 2025 peak, the same purchase would have cost about 12,840. The annual savings amount to about 1,360 rubles.
A liter of sunflower oil per week. At a price of 159.51 rubles, this is 8,295 rubles per year. In January 2022, at 125.88 rubles per liter, it came to 6,546. The difference over four years and a bit is 1,749 rubles per year for the same liter per week.
Butter is more noticeable for the budget because it costs more, but sunflower oil is currently getting more expensive, while butter is getting cheaper. If you need a lot of fat in the kitchen and the taste of butter is not essential, margarine costs 3.8 times less than a kilogram of butter. To calculate for your own budget, use the inflation calculator: it will show how the purchasing power of the ruble has changed over a selected period.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a kilogram of butter cost in 2026?
According to Rosstat data, as of October 19, 2026, the average price of a kilogram of butter in Russia is 1,103.80 rubles. In January 2026, it cost about 1,176 rubles, and in August it dropped to 1,093.47.
Why is butter getting cheaper while sunflower oil is getting more expensive?
There are no reasons in the Rosstat data, only prices. The figures show that butter peaked in March 2025 (1,234.78 rubles) and has since decreased by 10.6%, while sunflower oil and margarine have increased in price over the same period and over the last year.
Which is more expensive, butter or sunflower oil?
If you compare a kilogram and a liter, butter is 6.9 times more expensive: 1,103.80 rubles versus 159.51. Since 2000, the gap has grown: back then a kilogram of butter cost 69.12 rubles, and a liter of sunflower oil cost 23.20, meaning the difference was threefold.
How have oil prices changed by year?
From 2000 to 2025, butter increased in price from 69.12 to 1,174.57 rubles per kilogram (17 times), and sunflower oil from 23.20 to 152.18 rubles per liter (6.6 times). The sharpest jumps for butter occurred in 2007 (plus 41.4%) and 2024 (plus 38.8%).
Where can I see the price dynamics for other products?
The general picture for products is analyzed in the article "Food prices in 2026", and you can read about the dairy group in the material "Milk prices by year".
In brief
- Butter as of October 19, 2026, costs 1,103.80 rubles per kilogram, sunflower oil 159.51 per liter, and margarine 293.11 per kilogram.
- Over the year, butter has become 7.3% cheaper, sunflower oil has become 5.9% more expensive, and margarine 3.1%.
- From 2000 to 2025, butter increased in price 17 times, and sunflower oil 6.6 times.
- The peak for butter occurred on March 24, 2025 (1,234.78 rubles), and since then it has lost 10.6%.
- For a family that buys a pack of butter a week, the decrease from the peak saves about 1,360 rubles per year.
Data: Rosstat, annual and weekly average consumer prices.