Gas Price Change Calculator
Pump prices fell from May’s $4.48 peak to about $3.94 — but fighting resumed in July and the Strait of Hormuz is functionally closed again, so where they go next is an open question. Enter any two prices and see what the change is worth for your driving, per week, month, and year.
Example: with 250 miles/week · 28 MPG · $4.48 → $3.94 per gallon → Annual gas spend change: −$251.
- Gallons per week8.9
- Weekly change−$4.82
- Monthly change−$21
Computed by the calculator below using its default values. Change any input to see your own numbers.
Your monthly gas bill, then vs. now
The 2026 fuel crisis, second act
The conflict that began in late February shut in as much as 11.2 million barrels a day of global oil supply in May and pushed the U.S. average pump price to $4.48. A June 18 memorandum of understanding reopened the Strait of Hormuz — the channel that carries roughly a fifth of the world’s oil — and Brent slid from an April peak near $117 to under $70 by July 1. That truce has since collapsed: U.S. strikes resumed on July 8, the two sides have traded attacks for days, tanker transits have fallen to a small fraction of normal — the strait is functionally closed — and Brent closed at $88.10 on July 17, up 4.6% on the day. The pump average, $3.94 and falling through early July, follows crude with a lag of a week or two; whether it keeps falling now depends on how long this phase lasts.
Prices at your station will differ — state taxes, blends, and local competition move the number by more than a dollar between states. Use your own two prices above; the defaults just frame the national story.
How it’s calculated & sources
Gallons/week = miles ÷ MPG. Change = gallons × (price then − price now), shown per week, per month (×52÷12), and per year (×52). The 10¢ line is gallons × $0.10 × 52.
Price history and forecasts: EIA Short-Term Energy Outlook, July 2026 (May average $4.48/gal; pre-escalation H2 forecast ≈$3.60/gal; April Brent peak near $117; shut-ins 11.2M b/d May → 8.3M b/d June); AAA national average $3.94, July 17, 2026; CNBC, July 17 (Brent $88.10, +4.6%; strait tanker throughput ≈2%); Al Jazeera, July 8–13 (renewed U.S.–Iran strikes).
Results update as you type. Forecasts are forecasts — EIA revises monthly.
Frequently asked questions
Will gas really hit $3.60?
That was EIA’s July 7 forecast — published the day before fighting resumed. With the strait functionally closed again, the near-term risk is to the upside. Watch the AAA daily average and enter today’s local price for a firmer number.
Why did prices spike in the first place?
The February conflict eventually shut in 11.2 million barrels a day of supply — roughly a tenth of world production — and disrupted the Strait of Hormuz, which carries about a fifth of global oil. Less supply, same demand, higher price.
Why is my state so different from the average?
State gas taxes alone range from about 9¢ to almost 78¢ a gallon, and California-blend fuel costs more to refine. The national average is a benchmark, not your pump.