Florida gas prices go up 15 cents in a week

The price of gasoline across the Sunshine State is going up again.

The average cost of a gallon of regular unleaded fuel in Florida went up 15 cents last week, reaching $3.41, a new high for 2023, according to a statement from AAA, The Auto Club Group. The price around the Tampa Bay metropolitan area hit $3.39 on Monday.

Gas prices across the country and the state were trending downward in the last half of 2022, with Tampa Bay gasoline averages dipping below $3 in December for the first time in 15 months. Now, local prices are being affected by global oil prices as the market expects China will reopen its economy more, along with its vast supply of oil.

“During the past two weeks, oil prices have made strong gains on the belief that fuel demand will ramp-up as China reopens its economy. China is the largest oil importer in the world, and since oil is a globally traded commodity, global fluctuations in supply and demand have a direct affect (on) local prices — just as they always have,” AAA spokesperson Mark Jenkins said in a statement.

While statewide gas prices have fallen nearly $1.50 per gallon from the record set in June, the average is still 18 cents higher than it was a year ago.

In the Tampa Bay area, a gallon of midgrade fuel was selling for around $3.76, premium for $4.09 and diesel for $4.78.

The Tampa Bay Times has a team of reporters focusing on rising costs in our region. If you have an idea, question or story to tell, please email us at costofliving@tampabay.com.

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