dailynewsnblog
After nearly four months of war, does your wallet feel lighter?
Subscribe to read this story ad-free
Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.
Since the war started, Americans have spent an additional $33 billion on gasoline, according to a Brown University estimate. Increased gas prices have resulted in higher monthly expenses for individuals — anywhere from less than $20 to more than $300 for a driver who fills up twice a month, according to an NBC News analysis of AAA’s average national gas price data.
Just how much has the spike in gas prices bitten into your budget? Use our calculator to estimate your additional expenses at the pump since the start of the war in Iran. The calculator updates with the latest data daily.
The cost model used in the calculator takes a sample of the average daily gas price in the U.S. since the start of the war, simulating how gas prices vary depending on which day you fuel up. The results you get will fall in a range of average costs and change slightly as you use the tool.
Since Feb. 28, when the U.S. first struck Iran, average gas prices nationally have risen 34%. A recent peace deal announcement and subsequent memorandum of understanding have indicated the war could finally be close to the finish line.
Gas prices hit the 10th-highest weekly rate in the past 10 years the week of May 11, at an average of $4.63 per gallon nationally, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The average gas price last topped $4 in 2022, after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Faced with higher prices, some Americans are driving less, or at least filling up less often. An analysis by the location analytics company Placer.ai found gas station visits across the U.S. were down 5% in May compared with May 2025.
Consumers’ spending habits are also changing; April data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found consumers expect to spend more on transportation and utilities over the next 12 months and less on vacations, homes and electronics.
At the state level, an NBC News analysis finds Wyoming residents are feeling the greatest strains since the start of the war, with gas prices up more than 50% since February, averaging $4.70 per gallon Wednesday.
Utah and Wisconsin, in addition to Wyoming, have experienced the highest rates of change, with prices up at least 50% from four months ago. Indiana’s gas prices have remained the most resilient, up only 57 cents since February.
