How Many Gallons of Gas Does an Ounce of Gold Buy?
Today an ounce of gold buys about 940 US gallons (3,560 litres) of regular gasoline: gold at $4,028.92 an ounce and gas at $4.28 a gallon (US average, week of October 19). Since 1990 the average is 426 gallons; the high was 1,781 (January 26, 2026) and the low 145 (September 5, 2005). Today's ratio is higher than 95% of weeks since 1990.
Gallons of gasoline per ounce of gold, weekly since 1990
US regular gasoline, all formulations, incl. taxesDiesel
An ounce of gold buys about 642 gallons of on-highway diesel today ($6.28 a gallon, week of Oct 19), against an average of 392 gallons since 1994.
Gold and Gas Prices by Year
Yearly averages of the weekly figures; the ratio's high and low within each year.
| Year | Gold (avg, $/oz) | Gas (avg, $/gal) | Gallons per ounce (avg) | High | Low |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026to date | $4,529 | $3.86 | 1,211 | 1,781 | 934 |
| 2025 | $3,470 | $3.10 | 1,124 | 1,573 | 869 |
| 2024 | $2,399 | $3.30 | 730 | 895 | 618 |
| 2023 | $1,952 | $3.52 | 557 | 668 | 486 |
| 2022 | $1,804 | $3.95 | 463 | 584 | 366 |
| 2021 | $1,801 | $3.01 | 606 | 866 | 527 |
| 2020 | $1,777 | $2.17 | 827 | 966 | 602 |
| 2019 | $1,392 | $2.60 | 537 | 593 | 442 |
| 2018 | $1,269 | $2.72 | 469 | 564 | 408 |
| 2017 | $1,256 | $2.41 | 521 | 547 | 484 |
| 2016 | $1,248 | $2.14 | 585 | 719 | 490 |
| 2015 | $1,161 | $2.43 | 483 | 626 | 395 |
| 2014 | $1,267 | $3.36 | 381 | 514 | 337 |
| 2013 | $1,407 | $3.50 | 402 | 509 | 353 |
| 2012 | $1,669 | $3.62 | 463 | 522 | 416 |
| 2011 | $1,570 | $3.52 | 447 | 527 | 376 |
| 2010 | $1,225 | $2.78 | 440 | 490 | 390 |
| 2009 | $972 | $2.35 | 418 | 521 | 342 |
| 2008 | $874 | $3.25 | 286 | 542 | 204 |
| 2007 | $698 | $2.80 | 251 | 297 | 204 |
| 2006 | $603 | $2.57 | 237 | 284 | 198 |
| 2005 | $445 | $2.27 | 199 | 242 | 145 |
| 2004 | $410 | $1.85 | 223 | 281 | 187 |
| 2003 | $364 | $1.56 | 234 | 281 | 195 |
| 2002 | $311 | $1.34 | 232 | 271 | 213 |
| 2001 | $271 | $1.42 | 194 | 262 | 156 |
| 2000 | $279 | $1.48 | 189 | 236 | 170 |
| 1999 | $278 | $1.14 | 249 | 317 | 201 |
| 1998 | $294 | $1.03 | 286 | 310 | 255 |
| 1997 | $331 | $1.20 | 276 | 298 | 251 |
| 1996 | $387 | $1.20 | 324 | 383 | 297 |
| 1995 | $384 | $1.11 | 346 | 367 | 319 |
| 1994 | $384 | $1.07 | 358 | 395 | 324 |
| 1993 | $360 | $1.07 | 337 | 389 | 308 |
| 1992 | $344 | $1.09 | 317 | 358 | 296 |
| 1991 | $361 | $1.10 | 329 | 357 | 309 |
| 1990 | $386 | $1.30 | 298 | 342 | 273 |
Gold-to-Gas Ratio: FAQ
How many gallons of gas does an ounce of gold buy?
Today an ounce of gold buys about 940 US gallons (3,560 litres) of regular gasoline: gold at $4,028.92 an ounce and gas at $4.28 a gallon (US average, week of October 19). Since 1990 the average is 426 gallons; the high was 1,781 (January 26, 2026) and the low 145 (September 5, 2005). Today's ratio is higher than 95% of weeks since 1990.
What is the gold-to-gas ratio?
It is the price of one troy ounce of gold divided by the price of one US gallon of regular gasoline, so it shows how much fuel gold can buy. A rising ratio means gold has gained purchasing power against gasoline; a falling ratio means gas has become relatively more expensive.
When was gold worth the most gasoline?
The highest weekly reading since 1990 was 1,781 gallons per ounce in the week of January 26, 2026, when gold was $5,082.50 and gas $2.85 a gallon.
When was gold worth the least gasoline?
The lowest was 145 gallons per ounce in the week of September 5, 2005 (gold $444.20, gas $3.07).
How many gallons of diesel does an ounce of gold buy?
About 642 gallons of on-highway diesel at $6.28 a gallon (US average, week of October 19), against an average of 392 since 1994.
Where do these numbers come from?
Gasoline and diesel: the US Energy Information Administration's weekly survey of retail prices including taxes, published every Monday and taken from FRED. Gold: this site's daily US-dollar closing price (COMEX futures from 2000, the London price before). Each week uses the gold close on or just before the survey date.
Sources: EIA Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update (public domain) via FRED; gold: this site's daily closes. Today's figure uses the live gold price and the latest weekly gas survey. Not investment advice. See also: gold adjusted for inflation · oil price history.