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Direct answer: At EIA's U.S. average for regular gas, $4.331 a gallon (week of Oct. 12, 2026), driving 12,000 miles a year in a 25 MPG car uses 480 gallons and costs about $2,079 a year, or $173 a month. A year earlier, regular averaged $3.061.
By the numbers: BLS CPI gasoline index: up 34.2% from September 2025 to September 2026 (U.S. city average, not seasonally adjusted). Source: BLS CPI-U, series CUUR0000SETB01
“Every Monday, retail prices for all three grades of gasoline are collected mainly by telephone and email from a sample of approximately 1,000 retail gasoline outlets.” — EIA: Definitions, Sources and Notes
Updated 2026-10-17
Divide the miles you drive by your car's MPG to get gallons, then multiply by the price per gallon. For example, 12,000 miles ÷ 25 MPG = 480 gallons; at $4.331 that's about $2,079 a year, or about $173 a month.
EIA's weekly U.S. average for the week of Oct. 12, 2026 was $4.331 a gallon for regular and $4.471 for all grades, including taxes. EIA's next weekly release is Oct. 20, 2026.
EIA's U.S. regular average was $4.331 for the week of Oct. 12, 2026 vs $3.061 for the week of Oct. 13, 2025. On 12,000 miles at 25 MPG that's about $610 more a year. BLS's CPI gasoline index was up 34.2% from September 2025 to September 2026.
EIA doesn't publish a weekly Tennessee price. Tennessee is in EIA's Midwest region (PADD 2), where regular averaged $4.145 for the week of Oct. 12, 2026, vs $2.812 a year earlier.
FHWA's table of average annual miles per driver shows 13,476 miles across all drivers, from its 1995 Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey. FHWA's 2024 Highway Statistics show 10,787 miles per light-duty vehicle. EPA's fuel economy label assumes 15,000 miles a year.
Your own, if you track fill-ups. Otherwise use the EPA combined MPG on fueleconomy.gov; EPA weights it 55% city and 45% highway. EPA notes your mileage will differ with how you drive, weather, road conditions, load and accessory use.
Work out each car's fuel cost with the same miles and price, then subtract. For example, at 12,000 miles and $4.00 a gallon, a 21 MPG truck uses about 571 gallons ($2,286) and a 36 MPG sedan about 333 gallons ($1,333), a $952 difference in fuel. That ignores purchase price, insurance and upkeep.
As of Oct. 17, 2026 · EIA week of Oct. 12, 2026
Fuel cost = miles ÷ MPG × price per gallon. Divide by 12 for a monthly figure.
The math:
Sources: EIA weekly prices · FHWA miles per driver · FHWA VM-1 (2024)
A best fit for the situation described, not financial advice or a buy/sell recommendation. Partner links never change a pick.
Defaults: FHWA's average miles per driver, FHWA's 2024 light-duty fleet MPG and EIA's latest U.S. regular price. Change any of them. Nothing you type leaves your phone.
Regular gasoline averaged $4.331 a gallon in the U.S. for the week of Oct. 12, 2026, and all grades $4.471, including taxes. A year earlier (week of Oct. 13, 2025) regular was $3.061. EIA released these on Oct. 14, 2026; its next weekly release is Oct. 20, 2026.
| Region (regular unless noted) | Week of Oct. 12, 2026 | Week of Oct. 13, 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. average | $4.331 | $3.061 | +$1.270 |
| East Coast (PADD 1) | $4.118 | $2.952 | +$1.166 |
| Midwest (PADD 2), incl. Tennessee | $4.145 | $2.812 | +$1.333 |
| Gulf Coast (PADD 3) | $3.851 | $2.623 | +$1.228 |
| Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) | $4.439 | $3.049 | +$1.390 |
| West Coast (PADD 5) | $5.639 | $4.213 | +$1.426 |
| U.S. all grades | $4.471 | $3.193 | +$1.278 |
Tennessee is in PADD 2 (Midwest) in EIA's regional definitions; EIA doesn't publish a weekly Tennessee average. EIA surveys about 1,000 stations each Monday (8:00 a.m. cash self-serve price). BLS's CPI gasoline index was up 34.2% from September 2025 to September 2026 (383.182 vs 285.595, not seasonally adjusted). Sources: EIA weekly prices · EIA definitions · BLS CPI gasoline.
| Vehicle | Combined MPG | Fuel cost at 13,476 mi and $4.331 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Honda Civic 4-door, 2.0L, automatic (CVT) | 36 | $1,621.24 |
| 2026 Honda Civic 4-door Hybrid | 49 | $1,191.11 |
| 2026 Toyota RAV4 2WD, 2.5L hybrid | 43 | $1,357.32 |
| 2026 Ford F-150 2WD, 2.7L turbo V6 | 21 | $2,779.26 |
Examples only, not picks. MPG from fueleconomy.gov's vehicle records; costs are this page's arithmetic. Sources: fueleconomy.gov label guide · FHWA VM-1 (2024).
Sources: FHWA miles per driver · FHWA VM-1 (2024).
Arithmetic only. VaultRubric doesn't forecast gas prices or recommend buying or selling a vehicle.
EIA prices update from EIA's weekly series; the current figures are for the week of Oct. 12, 2026 (EIA release Oct. 14, 2026).
Divide the miles you drive by your car's MPG to get gallons, then multiply by the price per gallon. For example, 12,000 miles ÷ 25 MPG = 480 gallons; at $4.331 that's about $2,079 a year, or about $173 a month.
EIA's weekly U.S. average for the week of Oct. 12, 2026 was $4.331 a gallon for regular and $4.471 for all grades, including taxes. EIA's next weekly release is Oct. 20, 2026.
EIA's U.S. regular average was $4.331 for the week of Oct. 12, 2026 vs $3.061 for the week of Oct. 13, 2025. On 12,000 miles at 25 MPG that's about $610 more a year. BLS's CPI gasoline index was up 34.2% from September 2025 to September 2026.
EIA doesn't publish a weekly Tennessee price. Tennessee is in EIA's Midwest region (PADD 2), where regular averaged $4.145 for the week of Oct. 12, 2026, vs $2.812 a year earlier.
FHWA's table of average annual miles per driver shows 13,476 miles across all drivers, from its 1995 Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey. FHWA's 2024 Highway Statistics show 10,787 miles per light-duty vehicle. EPA's fuel economy label assumes 15,000 miles a year.
Your own, if you track fill-ups. Otherwise use the EPA combined MPG on fueleconomy.gov; EPA weights it 55% city and 45% highway. EPA notes your mileage will differ with how you drive, weather, road conditions, load and accessory use.
Work out each car's fuel cost with the same miles and price, then subtract. For example, at 12,000 miles and $4.00 a gallon, a 21 MPG truck uses about 571 gallons ($2,286) and a 36 MPG sedan about 333 gallons ($1,333), a $952 difference in fuel. That ignores purchase price, insurance and upkeep.
Estimates, not financial advice. Taxes, insurance, PMI and fees vary by lender, county and city; confirm with your lender, dealer and state agency before acting.