California gas prices to spike ‘just before Memorial Day.’ What you’ll pay
If you’re planning a road trip for Memorial Day weekend, be ready for higher prices at the pump.
Gas experts say drivers could face some of the most expensive fuel prices of the year as summer travel season begins.
In 2026, Memorial Day falls on Monday, May 25, marking the unofficial start of summer across California, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.
Though gas prices have already been rising across the country — especially in California — since the start of the war in Iran, the “next gas price spike could arrive just before Memorial Day,” according to price-tracking website GasBuddy.
Global oil supply remains tight, meaning gas prices could rise even more if tensions worsen or supplies are disrupted, according to Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.
“As a result, gasoline and diesel prices are likely to remain volatile, and with Memorial Day approaching, any sustained increase in oil prices could begin pushing retail fuel prices higher again in the weeks ahead,” Da Haan said in a Monday, May 18, news release.
How much can California drivers expect to pay for gas?
Here’s what to know:
What are current gas prices in California?
California drivers are paying the highest gas prices in the nation as the busy summer travel season ramps up ahead of Memorial Day weekend.
As of Monday, May 18, the average price for a gallon of regular gas in California was about $6.15, according to AAA.
That’s roughly $1.63 more than the national per-gallon average of $4.52.
“The national average is at the same range as it was in 2022, the year gas prices hit record highs,” AAA said in a May 14 news release.
In May 2022, California’s average price for regular gasoline climbed to $5.87 per gallon before continuing to rise later that summer, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
“Travelers are preparing to hit the road in record numbers next week, and drivers will be facing the highest Memorial Day gas prices in four years,” AAA said in the news release.
How much does gas cost in my California city?
As of Monday, May 18, these were the average per-gallon prices for regular gas at metropolitan areas around California:
- Bakersfield: $6.09 per gallon
- Chico-Paradise: $5.95
- El Centro: $5.83
- Fresno: $6.09
- Hanford-Corcoran: $6
- Los Angeles-Long Beach: $6.21
- Madera-Chowchila: $6.17
- Merced: $6.07
- Modesto: $6
- Napa: $6.37
- Oakland: $6.22
- Orange County: $6.17
- Redding: $5.93
- Riverside: $6.07
- Sacramento: $6.10
- Salinas: $6.31
- San Bernardino: $6.12
- San Diego: $6.17
- San Francisco: $6.31
- San Jose: $6.15
- San Luis Obispo-Atascadero-Paso Robles: $6.30
- San Rafael: $6.31
- Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc: $6.08
- Santa Cruz-Watsonville: $6.25
- Santa Rosa: $6.30
- Stockton-Lodi: $6.02
- Vallejo-Fairfield: $6.10
- Ventura: $6.12
- Visalia-Tulare-Porterville: $6.06
- Yolo: $6.03
- Yuba City: $5.88
How to find cheapest gas stations
GasBuddy is designed to help motorists find the cheapest gas prices in their areas.
You can search for the most affordable gas stations in your area on the GasBuddy website.
Why is gas so expensive in California?
California gas prices have been steadily rising since late February as tensions in the Middle East increased and concerns about global oil supplies grew.
On March 2, the average price for regular gas in California was about $4.66 per gallon.
Since then, prices have climbed by nearly $1.50 a gallon, bringing the state close to the record-breaking fuel prices seen in 2022.
California hit its highest average gas price on record in June 2022, when regular gasoline reached $6.44 per gallon statewide.
Diesel prices have also surged.
On April 9, California’s average diesel price hit a record $7.75 per gallon.
This story was originally published May 18, 2026 at 2:03 PM with the headline "California gas prices to spike ‘just before Memorial Day.’ What you’ll pay."
