Road trippers can benefit greatly from checking gas prices in different states, according to a recent study from GasBuddy. The study showed that travelers this summer could be wasting upwards of $1 per gallon, or over $10 every fill up, by failing to check gas prices before crossing state lines.
With inflation continuing to affect travel costs, and 64% of Americans planning to take a road trip this summer, saving money on gas is especially important in 2023. Gas prices between states vary due to factors such as state taxes and proximity to oil refineries and resulting transportation costs. GasBuddy created a list of the top 10 “high risk” state borders where travelers could potentially be losing money.
The top 10 “high risk” states:
(State | Bordering State | Price Difference)
- Arizona | California | $1.05 per gallon
- Idaho | Washington | $1.00 per gallon
- Idaho | Oregon | $0.67 per gallon
- Nevada | California | $0.64 per gallon
- Oklahoma | Colorado | $0.64 per gallon
- Kentucky | Illinois | $0.58 per gallon
- Missouri | Illinois | $0.57 per gallon
- Kansas | Colorado | $0.52 per gallon
- Iowa | Illinois | $0.49 per gallon
- Indiana | Illinois | $0.48 per gallon
“Crossing state lines is often an exciting time for summer road trippers, signaling progress and new experiences. However, these milestones should also serve as a red flag to drivers,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. “The difference in gas prices among two bordering states can add up to over $10 on a single tank of gas, potentially costing American travelers hundreds on long road trips in some parts of the country. All it takes is 10 seconds to check gas prices on both sides of the border to avoid burning up more money on fuel than you need to. Why pay more?”
To save more money on travel costs, American drivers can search along their route for the best gas prices in the GasBuddy app. Additionally, drivers can save up to 25 cents per gallon more by signing up for the free Pay with GasBuddy card.
GasBuddy is a fuel savings platform providing North American drivers with ways to save money on gas. GasBuddy has delivered more than $3.5 billion in cumulative savings to its users through providing real-time gas price information at 150,000-plus stations.
