NewsHillsborough County

Actions

Impact of gas prices on your wallet compared to last month

gas prices
Posted at 11:17 AM, Mar 14, 2022
and last updated 2022-03-14 14:02:29-04

TAMPA, Fla. — Gas prices haven't shown any signs of dropping anytime soon as AAA says the average price of a gallon of gas in Florida stands at $4.34 a gallon as of Monday morning. But how much does that translate to you paying at the pump? The answer may surprise you.

ABCActionnews.com looked at the price jump from one month ago to Monday, March 14. According to AAA, a month ago, a gallon of gas cost $3.45 in Florida on average, compared with the $4.34 mentioned above.

Next, we decided to look at the prices at each time for gas tank sizes of 12 gallons (an average small car), 15 gallons (an average medium-sized car), and 25 gallons (a large truck or large SUV).

In February, at $3.45 a gallon, here's what a driver's costs would have been:

  • 12-gallon tank = $41.40
  • 15-gallon tank = $51.75
  • 25-gallon tank = $86.25

Moving to Monday's prices, here's what a drive would pay:

  • 12-gallon tank = $52.08
  • 15-gallon tank = $65.10
  • 25-gallon tank = $108.50

The difference in the prices came out to the following:

  • 12-gallon tank = $10.68
  • 15-gallon tank = $13.35
  • 25-gallon tank = $22.25

For comparison purposes, the 12-gallon tank difference is just a couple of dollars more than a Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich meal ($7.39) or about $1.30 than two large cups of cafe latte at Starbucks ($4.65).

Overall, if a driver fills up an average of 2.5 times per month, here's the total difference in price they would pay with gas prices jumping in the last month.

  • 12-gallon tank = $26.70
  • 15-gallon tank = $33.38
  • 25-gallon tank = $55.63

With an annual switch to a summer blend gasoline, and the increase expected in travel over the coming months, the high demand could push prices even higher. Adding in the uncertainty surrounding Russia's invasion of Ukraine, gas prices may not slow down as they climb towards $5 a gallon.