Montana Gas Prices Take a Dip Heading Into 2026

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - For the first week of 2026, average gas prices in Montana have dropped. Patrick De Haan is the head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, and he provided the current numbers.          

“Average gasoline prices in Montana have fallen 3.4 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.75 per gallon today,” De Haan said. “Prices in Montana are 19.2 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 2.0 cents per gallon lower than a year ago."   

As of Monday morning, most stations in Missoula had their prices set to around $2.75 per gallon. According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Montana was priced at $2.50 per gallon yesterday, while the most expensive was $3.09 per gallon.  

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Montana is currently ranked 25th in the U.S. when it comes to the average price of gas, which is four spots lower than last week.  

"The national average price of gasoline has fallen 1.2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.74 per gallon today,” De Haan said. “The national average is down 21.2 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 29.2 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has decreased 2.3 cents compared to a week ago and stands at $3.50 per gallon.”              

For the sixth straight week, De Haan said the national average price of gasoline has fallen as seasonality continues to drive trends at the pump. 

“While more states did see prices rise this week, most of those increases were in ‘price-cycling’ markets, where routine jumps often follow larger declines,” De Haan said. “Elsewhere, a majority of states saw prices inch lower again. And with GasBuddy’s 2026 Fuel Outlook set for release this week, we’ll soon have a clearer sense of what drivers may face next year— particularly as new developments in Venezuela put fresh attention on the global oil market.” 

READ MORE: How Montana's Gas Prices Compare To National Trends

De Haan said some Americans believe gasoline prices could be impacted in a significant way, but he is here to throw a bit of cold water on that.  

“Even under the most optimistic outcomes, it could take years of positive developments for additional supply to meaningfully move the needle, and the impact on U.S. gasoline prices may ultimately be limited,” De Haan said. “For now, I expect gas prices to bottom out in the weeks ahead before beginning their seasonal climb toward March.”