Compare your rising gas costs to groceries since the Iran war began

June 16, 2026 at 6:00 a.m. EDTToday at 6:00 a.m. EDT

Surging gas prices have pushed Americans to dig deeper into their wallets, skip purchases and pull back on savings.

President Donald Trump has dismissed Americans’ economic concerns amid the Iran war as “peanuts” compared with the threat of Iran having a nuclear weapon.

But to workers, the higher costs are hardly peanuts, with the price of gas surging about 50 percent since the war began. Plus, inflation has spread to many other items throughout the economy.

Economists caution that energy prices are unlikely to drop quickly, despite the preliminary deal between the U.S. and Iran.

Below, see how much extra money you’re spending on gas, compared with when the war began — and what you could have bought instead.

For 38 gallons of regular gas, the average cost was about $113.32 at the end of February. Now, it is $154.47.

That is a difference of $41.15.

(The Washington Post)

We didn’t have the right data to definitively say how many peanuts you could have bought. But with the extra money you are spending on gas this month, you could have purchased:

The makings of a good breakfast

With the price of eggs and coffee easing somewhat, you could have bought:

(The Washington Post)The fixings for a summer picnic

Tomatoes have also gone up in price this year because of crop issues, tariffs and the increased cost of diesel to transport the fruit. Still, you could have picked up:

(The Washington Post)The essentials of a good barbecue

Beef prices have spiked over the past year, as demand remains strong and ranchers deal with smaller cattle herds. Yet, with your gas money, you could have purchased:

(The Washington Post)Sweets to end the day

Most everyone likes a sweet treat, but some families skip such a luxury when money gets tight. The extra money you spent on gas could have bought:

(The Washington Post)

About this story

The average fuel consumption cited is based on the 2024 mean fuel consumption figures for light-duty vehicles compiled by the Federal Highway Administration. The average fuel prices are from AAA. February fuel prices are from the 28th of that month; the current prices are from June 15. The number of goods that can be purchased with the difference in gas prices was calculated by dividing the difference by the latest monthly average prices published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The nine-gallon limit in the calculator is based on the 2022 Chevrolet Spark tank capacity.

The BLS does not publish state-level data, using regions instead. Where regional data is available, the interactive displays figures based on the state’s corresponding region. Where it is not, calculations use the national average. The BLS reports ice cream prices per half gallon; figures have been adjusted to reflect full gallons.

Editing by Maureen Linke and Jennifer Liberto. Copy editing by Alli Hausman.