Gas in California averaged $3.48 in 2018 — $4.47 in today’s money
Average, that year
$3.48
In 2025 dollars
$4.47
The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in California across 2018, shown both as it was at the pump and adjusted for inflation to constant 2025 dollars (CPI-U).
Across the year
How California prices moved through 2018
Weekly average for regular gasoline. The year’s high was $3.71 the week of October 22, 2018; the low was $3.15 the week of January 1, 2018 — a swing of 17.8%.
View the weekly data (53 weeks)
| Week of | Nominal | 2025 $ |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2018 | $3.15 | $4.07 |
| January 8, 2018 | $3.20 | $4.14 |
| January 15, 2018 | $3.20 | $4.13 |
| January 22, 2018 | $3.21 | $4.15 |
| January 29, 2018 | $3.30 | $4.26 |
| February 5, 2018 | $3.37 | $4.35 |
| February 12, 2018 | $3.36 | $4.33 |
| February 19, 2018 | $3.35 | $4.32 |
| February 26, 2018 | $3.36 | $4.34 |
| March 5, 2018 | $3.36 | $4.33 |
| March 12, 2018 | $3.39 | $4.38 |
| March 19, 2018 | $3.43 | $4.43 |
| March 26, 2018 | $3.49 | $4.50 |
| April 2, 2018 | $3.54 | $4.56 |
| April 9, 2018 | $3.52 | $4.53 |
| April 16, 2018 | $3.55 | $4.57 |
| April 23, 2018 | $3.57 | $4.59 |
| April 30, 2018 | $3.61 | $4.64 |
| May 7, 2018 | $3.63 | $4.66 |
| May 14, 2018 | $3.60 | $4.62 |
| May 21, 2018 | $3.62 | $4.64 |
| May 28, 2018 | $3.64 | $4.67 |
| June 4, 2018 | $3.63 | $4.66 |
| June 11, 2018 | $3.62 | $4.64 |
| June 18, 2018 | $3.59 | $4.61 |
| June 25, 2018 | $3.56 | $4.57 |
| July 2, 2018 | $3.55 | $4.54 |
| July 9, 2018 | $3.55 | $4.55 |
| July 16, 2018 | $3.54 | $4.53 |
| July 23, 2018 | $3.51 | $4.50 |
| July 30, 2018 | $3.50 | $4.49 |
| August 6, 2018 | $3.50 | $4.48 |
| August 13, 2018 | $3.49 | $4.47 |
| August 20, 2018 | $3.46 | $4.43 |
| August 27, 2018 | $3.47 | $4.44 |
| September 3, 2018 | $3.50 | $4.47 |
| September 10, 2018 | $3.51 | $4.49 |
| September 17, 2018 | $3.52 | $4.49 |
| September 24, 2018 | $3.53 | $4.50 |
| October 1, 2018 | $3.62 | $4.62 |
| October 8, 2018 | $3.71 | $4.72 |
| October 15, 2018 | $3.71 | $4.72 |
| October 22, 2018 | $3.71 | $4.72 |
| October 29, 2018 | $3.68 | $4.69 |
| November 5, 2018 | $3.64 | $4.64 |
| November 12, 2018 | $3.58 | $4.57 |
| November 19, 2018 | $3.53 | $4.49 |
| November 26, 2018 | $3.48 | $4.43 |
| December 3, 2018 | $3.40 | $4.33 |
| December 10, 2018 | $3.32 | $4.23 |
| December 17, 2018 | $3.27 | $4.17 |
| December 24, 2018 | $3.25 | $4.14 |
| December 31, 2018 | $3.22 | $4.10 |
Year over year
How 2018 compares, adjusted for inflation
2018 was California’s 15th-most-expensive year for gas on record, adjusted for inflation — equivalently, the 13th-cheapest of 27 years (2000–2026).
Every grade
California fuel prices by grade in 2018
Year-average price per grade, including diesel. Premium figures are the spread drivers paid for higher-octane fuel that year.
| Grade | Avg / gal | 2025 $ | vs. regular |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | $3.48 | $4.47 | — |
| Midgrade | $3.66 | $4.69 | +17.3¢ |
| Premium | $3.77 | $4.83 | +28.6¢ |
| Diesel | $3.87 | $4.97 | +39.1¢ |
Common questions
California gas prices in 2018, answered
- What was the average price of gas in California in 2018?
- The average price of regular gasoline in California in 2018 was $3.48 per gallon — about $4.47 in 2025 dollars after adjusting for inflation, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration weekly data.
- How high did gas prices get in California during 2018?
- California's weekly average for regular gasoline peaked at $3.71 the week of October 22, 2018 and bottomed out at $3.15 the week of January 1, 2018 — a swing of 17.8% across the year.
- Were gas prices in California higher in 2018 than in 2017?
- Adjusted for inflation, regular gasoline in California was more expensive in 2018 than in 2017, up 12.5% year over year.
- How does 2018 rank for gas prices in California history?
- Adjusted for inflation, 2018 was the 15th-most-expensive year for regular gasoline in California out of the 27 years EIA has published weekly prices (2000–2026).