Guide
Gas Costs $1.19 More a Gallon Than Last Year. Here's What That Costs You
By the Coinage team · October 29, 2026
Regular gas averaged $4.23 a gallon on October 29, according to AAA. A year earlier it was $3.04. That’s $1.19 more for every gallon, and at 12 gallons a week it adds up to about $740 a year for exactly the same driving.
The government’s own forecast expects prices to ease next year, but not all the way back. Here’s what the jump costs at your mileage, the driving changes that win the most back, and a way to have your money help cover the pump.
What $1.19 more a gallon costs you
| You buy | Extra each week | Extra each year |
|---|---|---|
| 8 gallons a week | $9.50 | $494 |
| 12 gallons a week | $14.25 | $741 |
| 16 gallons a week | $19.00 | $988 |
| 20 gallons a week | $23.75 | $1,235 |
Not sure how much you buy? Add up last month’s gas station charges and divide by about $4.23. Coinage’s spend tracking, on the free plan, lists your top merchants for the month with what you spent at each, so any gas stations among them show up on their own line.
Will gas get cheaper?
Probably somewhat, but no one knows how much. The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s October outlook expects regular gas to average $3.91 a gallon for 2026 and $3.56 in 2027. Both are below today’s price, and both were raised from the month before.
The EIA says gas averaged $4.35 in September, driven by higher crude oil prices and wider refining margins, with constrained Middle East oil flows pushing crude up. Prices have already eased about 23 cents in the past month, from $4.46 to $4.23, by AAA’s count. Forecasts change, so it’s safer to plan for today’s price than to wait for next year’s.
The driving changes that win the most back
| Change | Worth per gallon |
|---|---|
| Drive calmly: no speeding, hard starts or hard braking | 43 cents to $1.71 |
| Slow down 5 to 10 mph above 50 mph | 30 to 60 cents |
| Take the cargo box off the roof | 9 to 73 cents |
| Use the motor oil your car calls for | 4 to 9 cents |
| Clear 100 pounds of extra weight | 4 cents |
| Keep tires at the right pressure | 3 cents on average |
Idling costs too: 2 to 3 cents a minute with the AC off, and 3 to 5 cents with it on.
The first two are the big ones. On 12 gallons a week, the low end of DOE’s calm-driving range is worth about $268 a year, and slowing down 5 mph above 50 is worth about $187, if you drive that way now and your miles fit those patterns. The two overlap, since driving calmly includes not speeding, so don’t add them up. Either one wins back a real share of the $741 the price jump costs at that mileage.
Pay less for each gallon you do buy
Compare the posted prices at nearby stations before you fill up, and check whether a station posts a separate, lower price for cash. And if you already pay for a warehouse club membership, check its pump before you fill up anywhere else.
Let your money help cover the pump
Coinage Premium ($5.99 a month) can point a Nest at your Transportation spending, which covers gas along with things like parking, tolls and rideshares. During the month, Coinage weighs what you’ve spent so far against how much your money has grown and, when your rule’s test is met, places a sale: just the growth, or original money too once it has grown past your mark. The cash stays in your investing account for you to put toward the bill.
When the test isn’t met, nothing sells, and your balance can still be worth less than you put in. It’s built for money you can leave invested through a bad month, not the money for this week’s tank.
The pump price isn’t yours to set
How much you buy is. Drive calmly, ease off above 50, check the roof and the tires, and the same tank goes further. At $1.19 more a gallon, every gallon you don’t buy is worth more than it was a year ago.
Questions people ask
How much more does gas cost than last year?
Regular gas averaged $4.23 a gallon on October 29, 2026, against $3.04 a year earlier, according to AAA: $1.19 more a gallon. At 12 gallons a week, that’s about $740 more a year.
Will gas prices go down?
The EIA’s October 2026 outlook expects regular gas to average $3.91 a gallon for 2026 and $3.56 in 2027, below today’s $4.23. Forecasts change, and the EIA raised both figures from its previous outlook.
What’s the best way to save money on gas?
Drive calmly and slow down. The Department of Energy estimates that aggressive driving costs the equivalent of 43 cents to $1.71 a gallon, and that each 5 mph over 50 mph is like paying about 30 cents more a gallon.
Sources
- National average gas prices, AAA, Oct 29, 2026 (regular $4.2258 today, $4.4558 a month ago, $3.0384 a year ago)
- Short-Term Energy Outlook, U.S. Energy Information Administration, released Oct 6, 2026 (September average $4.35; 2026 forecast $3.91, up from $3.84; 2027 forecast $3.56, up from $3.35)
- Driving more efficiently, U.S. Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov (calm driving, speed, roof cargo, weight, idling; dollar values at $4.28 a gallon)
- Keeping your vehicle in shape, U.S. Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov (tire pressure, motor oil)
The math: $4.2258 minus $3.0384 = $1.1874 a gallon. Extra a year = $1.1874 x gallons a week x 52: 8 gallons $494, 12 gallons $741, 16 gallons $988, 20 gallons $1,235. Calm driving $0.43 x 12 x 52 = $268; slowing down $0.30 x 12 x 52 = $187; the two overlap and aren’t added.