We’re seeing gas prices soar compared to last year or even at the beginning of 2022. However, the cost of getting around depends a lot on your mileage, gas prices in your state as well as your car’s fuel efficiency.
How does the new cost of gas translate into filling up your car’s tank or budgeting monthly for fuel?
We dive into the data on gas costs, comparing average mileage and gas prices in each state. We also look at gas costs in major metropolitan areas as well as the cost to fill up 50 popular car models.
Current gas prices are over 92% higher than in 2020
You probably don’t wish to go back to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, except maybe for its gas prices.
Throughout the first quarter of 2022, gas prices averaged $3.42 and topped $4.17 in March, based on daily gas price information from Statista.
To put those numbers in perspective, we show you the cost to fill up a RAV4’s 14.5-gallon tank across the last 10 years.
Next, we based the fill-up costs for the 2022 Toyota RAV4 on a 14.5-gallon tank. We did not adjust costs for inflation within each year.
Gas prices by state: Average monthly cost of gas
Check out how you’ll fare in monthly gas costs based on your state. Californians pay the most per gallon at the pump at over $5 per gallon, according to Statista as of March 2022.
Yet, based on how much people drive, Arizona drivers have the highest monthly gas costs. Arizonans shell out $253 per month to keep themselves running on the roads. Meanwhile, Minnesota drivers pay $250 and Californians pay $239 monthly for gas.
We based this information on Statista’s weekly prices of gasoline report, which is current as of March 7, 2022. We also figured the average monthly mileage using daily mileage data given by the Bureau of Transportation.
To calculate the monthly gas costs, we considered a vehicle that gets 24 miles per gallon, based on the US Department of Energy’s average mpg for cars.
Gas prices in the 20 most popular US cities
Out of all the metropolitan hubs, Los Angeles drivers pay the most for gas by the gallon at $6.02, followed closely by San Diego and San Francisco.
These cities also have the highest monthly gas costs. For example, Los Angeles drivers average $308 monthly and San Diego drivers pay $306 monthly.
By contrast, New York City drivers average $130 per month because they don’t drive as much as in other metro spots. We found average gas prices reported by AAA as of April 1, 2022.
Then, we figured the monthly mileage and gas costs, using each state’s daily mileage for urban areas given by the Bureau of Transportation. We calculated the monthly gas costs on a 24-mpg vehicle based on the average miles per gallon reported by the US Department of Energy.
Gas costs for 50 popular US vehicles
To give an idea of how much you’ll pay to fill up your car, we ran the numbers on these 50 sought-after makes and models. We used average gas prices reported by Statista as of March 2022.
The most expensive model to fill up is a Ram 2500, costing you some $109.44 at the pump. Last year, you could have topped off the tank with $96.
The most costly SUVs to fill up are the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Toyota 4Runner. Both set you back $79 at the gas station, while you could have filled up with $69 a year ago.
The most expensive sedan at the pump is a Toyota Camry. The Camry costs you $54 to fuel up in 2022, although sedans cost much less than other vehicles. Last year’s cost: $48.
How much can an electric vehicle save you at the pump?
You could save between $105 to $138 per month on fuel costs by choosing a fully electric vehicle over a gas-powered one. However, the exact amount you’ll spend on charging an electric car depends on where you charge it.
The cost of charging an electric vehicle
Charging at home may cost you in the ballpark of $40 per month, if you drive 14,000 miles per year and get four miles per kilowatt-hour (kWh). We base the at-home cost on the average home electricity cost of 14 cents per kWh, according to the Energy Information Administration.
However, a Level 3 fast-charging station might run closer to $73 per month, based on EVgo’s fee of $0.25 per kWh. At this price point, EVgo also charges a $7 monthly subscription fee.
Compare your savings to the average monthly gas cost across the 50 US states, which is $177.85. That cost is based on 2022 gas prices and each state’s average monthly mileage according to the Bureau of Transportation.
If you’re considering an electric vehicle, keep other electric vehicle costs and incentives in mind, such as installing an at-home battery charger or getting federal tax credits.
Popular EVs: Example costs of a one-time charge
Get an idea of how much you’ll pay each time you charge these popular electric models. Charging at home typically costs you two to three times less than charging at a Level 3 fast-charging station.
Electric car model
Range
Battery capacity
Cost per charge at home
Cost per charge at charging station
Ford Mustang Mach-E
230 miles
68 kwh
$7.89
$17 at $0.25/kwh
Nissan Leaf
149 miles
40 kwh
$5.11
$10 at $0.25/kwh
Tesla Model 3
272 miles
75 kwh
$9.33
$18.75 at $0.25/kwh
Tesla Model Y
330 miles
75 kwh
$11.32
$18.75 at $0.25/kwh
Gas prices by month, historical
Historically, the most expensive months to hit the road are the summer months between May and July, according to Statista’s historical price of gasoline report. Meanwhile, you’ll pay the least in gas from December to February.
During a normal year, planning road trips during the winter and spring would save you the most on gas. We used the 10-year average for gas prices from 2012 to 2021.
Tips for saving on car costs to offset high gas prices
When gas prices stay high, try these tips to stretch your fuel dollars and limit how much you drive.
Plan for carpooling or public transportation. Why not try the old-school saving habit of riding with coworkers, family or friends? You may save gas by dropping family members off at multiple stops in one car.
Tone down aggressive driving. Hard braking and quick starts could lower your gas mileage by 10% to 40%, according to the US Department of Energy.
Try pay-per-mile car insurance. If you drive under 10,000 miles per year, you could lower your car insurance by paying a few cents per mile plus a monthly flat rate. See how different pay-per-mile companies compare.
Staycation, anyone? You could opt to vacation at home or in town in lieu of your usual road trip.
Shop and compare your car insurance. Shopping around for car insurance that helps you save can offset your monthly costs. The surest way of knowing that you’re getting the best deal is to get car insurance quotes from multiple companies once or twice a year. You want to balance the cheapest price for the most coverage that you can get.
Sarah George is a personal finance writer at Finder who’s spent the last four years wielding her digital pen on all things banking and insurance. Her know-how has been featured in such publications as CBS, CNET and Reviews.com, and she was a panelist in Finder’s 2020 money-saving webinar. Sarah earned an English education degree and is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance.
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