US Fuel Bills Surge Amid War on Iran

By Staff, Agencies

US households are paying substantially more for fuel and utilities than a year ago, with newly released data showing the rising cost of energy.

The average driver now spends $66.86 more per month on gasoline than in October 2025, according to national averages released Monday.

Diesel costs have risen even more sharply, with drivers paying $139.32 more per month than a year ago, based on data from AAA and Electric Choice.

AAA figures show gasoline prices have increased by $1.23 per gallon and diesel by $2.83 over the past year.

Meanwhile, household utility bills have also climbed. Natural gas prices rose $1.01 per thousand cubic feet year-on-year in July, translating to about $44 more per month for a typical household, according to the Energy Information Administration.

Electricity rates were also around 5% higher in October 2026 than a year earlier, Electric Choice reported.

Energy Innovation, a nonpartisan energy and climate think tank, said last week that rising energy costs are worsening the affordability crisis, while projecting that Trump administration energy policies could cost households $6,500 over the next 14 years.

The higher bills come amid the war on Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Tehran, a key oil shipping route, following US aggression against Iran.

US President Donald Trump has argued that Americans should accept higher gasoline prices as the cost of US war targeting Iran's nuclear program, saying the increase was a relatively small price to pay.

He also argued that even significantly higher gas prices could be justified by the prospect of a more peaceful Middle East.

However, the rising costs could carry political consequences. Republican strategist Chris Wilson said the price increases are highly visible to voters, particularly working- and middle-class Americans.

Discontent has also surfaced among some Trump supporters. Dan Lloyd, an Arizona resident who voted for Trump in 2024, told the Associated Press that Americans repeatedly bear the costs of the administration's policies, citing interest rates, food and gasoline prices.