Houstonians rethink spending, travel as US.-Iran war causes gas prices to surge
The Shell gas station at 11639 Katy Freeway sold gasoline at nearly $3.90 per gallon as of Thursday, May 7, 2026. Gas prices have increased during the U.S.-Iran conflict. (Octavia Johnson/Houston Chronicle)
Houstonians are feeling the sting of rising gas prices, with drivers switching vehicles or seeking ways to cut fuel costs as uncertainty over the U.S.-Iran conflict persists.
During a recent road trip, Jacob Carver said he tries to avoid eating at restaurants and has scaled back trips in his Chevrolet Tahoe. This week, he stopped at a Shell gas station on Katy Freeway in west Houston and filled up his more fuel-efficient Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck as he headed toward his family's property in Ledbetter, with a stop in Brenham to meet his dad.
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It would normally cost around $70 or $80 to fill up his Tahoe. Now it costs more than $100.
"That's why I'm driving this right now, not the Tahoe," he said of his smaller pickup truck.
The U.S.-Iran conflict escalated earlier this year after the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran prompted retaliatory attacks and major disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz - a key shipping route that handles about a fifth of the oil consumed worldwide.
Gas prices rose statewide, including in Houston. The average fuel price in Harris County is at $4.01 per gallon as of Friday, according to the Houston Chronicle's gasoline price tracker. That's nearly a dollar more than the average of $3.08 per gallon in early March.
Oil tankers and cargo ships line up in the Strait of Hormuz as seen from Mina Al Fajer, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri) (Altaf Qadri/Associated Press)
The turmoil in the region has disrupted the world's oil supply, pushing prices higher, said Steven Craig, an economics professor at the University of Houston. With Iran also attacking energy facilities in the United Arab Emirates and other producers unable to quickly ramp up production, the world hasn't been able to make up the shortfall.
"Gasoline is not a local commodity," he said. "It's an international commodity."
How are Houstonians adjusting to the rising gas prices?
At the Chevron gas station on Southwest Freeway in the Highland Village area, 24-year-old makeup artist Jocquail Alexicia said she went from paying $30 to $50 to fill up her white Nissan Sentra. With gas and rent increasing, it feels like nothing is on the side of younger adults starting out in life, she said.
"It's kind of irritating and frustrating, but we're trying our best," she said.
The Chevron gas pumps on 4002 Southwest Freeway Thursday, May 7, 2026. Gas prices have increased during the U.S.-Iran conflict. (Octavia Johnson/Houston Chronicle)
As a makeup artist, Alexicia travels to her appointments. She told the Chronicle that her car would have to be refueled about three to four times a week. Alexicia said she had to cut back on expenses but didn't want to disclose specifics.
"I've got God on my side," she said. "I'm going to be OK. We're all gonna be OK."
Houston resident Kevon Sells said filling up her metallic blue Honda Civic used to cost around $30 to $35, and now it's $45 to $50. She stopped at an Exxon gas station on Pease Street in East Downtown. Exxon is one of the few gas stations she'll use to help cut costs by earning points through the ExxonMobil app.
"I wish it could go back to at least about $3.25 a gallon," Sells said. "We can at least work with that."
The Exxon gas pumps on 2350 Pease Street shows $4.09 per gallon as of Thursday, May 7, 2026. Gas prices have increased during the U.S.-Iran conflict. (Octavia Johnson/Houston Chronicle)
As an Uber and Lyft driver, Sells filled up her car in the mornings to avoid stopping while taking passengers around Houston. Despite gas prices being at an "all-time high," she said she hasn't had to cut other expenses yet.
"My car is fuel-efficient, so a full tank could last me an entire day," Sells said.
Why are gas prices high in Houston?
When global prices rise, gas stations in Houston have to charge more, and drivers in both the suburbs and the city are seeing about the same increase, Professor Craig explained.
"The pain is equally distributed across the city," he said. "We're all suffering."
But Houston is different from many other places, Craig said. Companies based in the city makes a lot of the equipment used to drill for oil. If high oil prices continue, companies may drill more, which could boost demand for oilfield equipment and bring more money into Houston.
The Chevron gas pumps on 4002 Southwest Freeway shows $4.19 per gallon as of Thursday, May 7, 2026. Gas prices have increased during the U.S.-Iran conflict. (Octavia Johnson/Houston Chronicle)
For now, the professor said it's too soon to know when the spike will end, and the next six to eight weeks will be crucial in determining whether Houstonians are facing a short-term shock or a long-term problem at the gas pumps.
"Is it time to look for a new apartment closer to work? Probably not yet," Craig said.
