As the price of fuel continues to climb, travelers and businesses in the Mountain West are feeling the pinch, some more so than others.
The national average for a gallon of gas is $3.85, up 25 cents from a week ago. But in Nevada and Arizona drivers are paying much more: $4.62 and $4.46, respectively. Many Mountain West states are in line with the national average, while Utah and Wyoming are paying less. That’s according to GasBuddy, the gas price comparison website.
The cost of gas from state to state is dependent on regional refineries but the war in Iran is exacerbating prices. A Trump administration plan to release 172 million barrels from its reserves to ease prices will likely be minimal, said Patrick deHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy.
“While the size of that amount of oil sounds significant, it still pales in comparison to what that 20 million barrels a day of blockage is and it adds up to over time, via the Strait of Hormuz.”
Consumers will also see higher prices when purchasing products ranging from food to electronics, because shipping costs are on the rise with diesel fuel reaching new highs.
“Certainly that is going to be very much a pinch when consumers are shopping because diesel is the fuel that drives the U.S. economy,” said deHaan.
Average price per gallon in the Mountain West as of 3/18/2026. Source: Gas Buddy
Nevada $4.62
Arizona $4.42
Idaho $3.87
Colorado $3.83
New Mexico $3.80
Utah $3.69
Wyoming $3.54
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Northern Colorado, KANW in New Mexico, Colorado Public Radio, KJZZ in Arizona and NPR, with additional support from affiliate newsrooms across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Eric and Wendy Schmidt.
