LOS ANGELES, October 26 -
Gas prices California vs Texas
In the EIA survey week of October 26, 2026, California regular averaged $5.89 per gallon and Texas $3.63 per gallon. Both states carry their own weekly federal series, so the $2.26-per-gallon gap is measured, not inferred. [EIA · 26 Oct 2026]
What the federal survey settles here. Both states have their own EIA weekly retail series (EMM_EPMR_PTE_SCA_DPG, EMM_EPMR_PTE_STX_DPG), so the difference below is a measured one from the week of October 26, 2026.
Why California costs $2.26 more
- CARB summer blend: ~20-30 cents/gal premium over conventional gasoline.
- State excise 63.4 c/gal vs Texas 20 c/gal: ~43 cents/gal difference.
- Cap-and-trade plus LCFS: ~25-40 cents/gal.
- Sales tax (CA applies general sales tax to fuel): ~25-35 cents/gal at this price.
- Refining margin: PADD 5 cracks structurally wider than PADD 3.
- No pipeline from Gulf to California: every gallon comes from in-state refineries or tanker imports.
Per-tank difference
For a 26-gallon pickup, the per-fill difference is $58.76. For a 15-gallon sedan, $33.90. Annual cost (15,000 miles, 25 mpg): $1,356 more in California.
The gap this week
Series EMM_EPMR_PTE_SCA_DPG and EMM_EPMR_PTE_STX_DPG are the two figures above; the $2.26/gal difference is what the federal survey recorded in the week of October 26, 2026. Climate fees and CARB-blend costs are the structural reason the gap persists.
Related
California · Texas · state excise · env fees · tank-fill calc