Gas Prices Drop in Montana as Christmas Approaches

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - Average gas prices in Montana have increased in 25 out of 50 weeks, but haven’t increased since September 2, 2025. Patrick De Haan is the head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, and he provided the current numbers for this week.        

“Average gasoline prices in Montana have fallen 10 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.85 per gallon today,” De Haan said. “Prices in Montana are 13.9 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 8.3 cents per gallon higher than a year ago." 

As of Tuesday morning, most stations in Missoula had their prices set to $2.83 per gallon. According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Montana was priced at $2.60 per gallon yesterday, while the most expensive was $3.19 per gallon.

Montana is currently ranked 21st in the U.S. when it comes to the average price of gas, which is the same spot as last week.

Get our free mobile app

"The national average price of gasoline has fallen 4.5 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.85 per gallon today,” De Haan said. “The national average is down 22 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 12.6 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has fallen 5.3 cents compared to a week ago and stands at $3.62 per gallon.”               

For the third straight week, De Haan said the national average price of gasoline has fallen, once again setting a new multi-year low. 

“Just ahead of Christmas, the national average stands at its lowest level since March 12, 2021, delivering weekly savings of nearly $400 million compared to this time last year,” De Haan said. “Gas prices are now lower in a majority of states, and the good news is that the downward trend may continue into the closing innings of 2025, with further declines likely across much of the country. That’s being driven by refineries wrapping up maintenance and boosting output to near summer highs, increasing fuel supply, while additional oil production from OPEC has pressured crude prices lower as well.”

READ MORE: Montana Gas Prices Remain Steady as Winter Approaches

GasBuddy expects the national average on Christmas Day to land near $2.79 per gallon, below last year’s price of $3.00, saving motorists over half a billion dollars during the Christmas week compared to last year. 

The softer holiday pricing comes as refinery maintenance winds down and gasoline supplies rise, easing some of the pressure that typically builds earlier in the year. In addition, OPEC has been increasing oil production for much of 2025, pushing crude prices to multi-year lows in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

“Christmas is often when gas prices settle near the lowest levels of the year, and 2025 is no exception,” said De Haan. “Refinery maintenance has wrapped up, supplies are rising, and winter demand is much lower than in summer — all of which help keep a lid on prices. Provided there are no surprises; holiday travelers should see pump prices that come in a bit lower than last Christmas. We’re also seeing encouraging early trends as we prepare to release our 2026 Fuel Outlook in January, with signs that lower prices could continue into next year.” 

For those traveling across state lines, keep in mind the extreme volatility in prices that can occur between states and save yourself 20-80 cents per gallon by filling up on the cheaper side.