CNG averaged $3.10 per gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE) in the DOE's July 2026 Alternative Fuel Price Report, $0.74 less than regular gasoline at $3.84 a gallon. Diesel averaged $4.86; CNG on a diesel-equivalent basis was $3.50 per DGE. At public stations alone the CNG average was $3.16. Regional averages ran from $2.52 in the Rocky Mountain region to $4.16 in New England. The report was published October 15, 2026, and no agency publishes per-station CNG prices, so treat every figure here as a dated snapshot.
National averages, with dates
The U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities program publishes the Alternative Fuel Price Report four times a year, about three months after the month it surveys. It averages prices that coalition directors collect from stations in each region and reports CNG per GGE alongside gasoline, diesel, LNG, propane, E85 and biodiesel. It is the source for every price figure on this page. Latest edition: the July 2026 report, published October 15, 2026, prices collected July 1 to 30, 2026.
| Fuel | July 2026 | April 2026 | Change | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNG | $3.10 | $3.08 | +$0.02 | per GGE |
| CNG, diesel equivalent | $3.50 | $3.48 | +$0.02 | per DGE |
| Gasoline (regular) | $3.84 | $4.09 | −$0.25 | per gallon |
| Diesel | $4.86 | $5.55 | −$0.69 | per gallon |
| LNG | $4.78 | $4.81 | −$0.03 | per DGE |
National averages include public and private stations, with federal and state taxes, as DOE reports them. This edition averages 431 CNG prices that coalitions submitted voluntarily: a benchmark that skews toward stations that respond, not a quote for any one station.
CNG prices by region
The report groups prices by region: the EIA's Petroleum Administration for Defense Districts, with the East Coast split in three. In the July 2026 report CNG was cheaper than diesel in all 7 regions and cheaper than gasoline in 6 of 7. The exception was New England, where CNG cost $0.16 more per GGE than gasoline.
| Region | CNG per GGE | Gasoline per gallon | CNG vs gasoline | Public stations only | CNG prices sampled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $4.16 | $4.00 | +$0.16 | $4.28 | 9 |
| Central Atlantic | $3.16 | $3.76 | −$0.60 | $3.33 | 51 |
| Lower Atlantic | $2.58 | $3.72 | −$1.14 | $2.66 | 52 |
| Midwest | $2.88 | $3.50 | −$0.62 | $2.87 | 119 |
| Gulf Coast | $3.30 | $3.47 | −$0.17 | $3.29 | 53 |
| Rocky Mountain | $2.52 | $3.78 | −$1.26 | $2.62 | 39 |
| West Coast | $3.59 | $5.23 | −$1.64 | $3.66 | 108 |
| National average | $3.10 | $3.84 | −$0.74 | $3.16 | 431 |
For trucks the comparison is per diesel gallon equivalent (DGE), the unit truck stops post:
| Region | CNG per DGE | Diesel per gallon | CNG vs diesel |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $4.70 | $5.26 | −$0.56 |
| Central Atlantic | $3.57 | $5.21 | −$1.64 |
| Lower Atlantic | $2.92 | $4.82 | −$1.90 |
| Midwest | $3.26 | $4.54 | −$1.28 |
| Gulf Coast | $3.72 | $4.40 | −$0.68 |
| Rocky Mountain | $2.85 | $4.46 | −$1.61 |
| West Coast | $4.05 | $6.17 | −$2.12 |
Regions with few CNG prices in the sample (New England: 9) swing more from one report to the next. The report also charts state-level differences, but its tables stop at the region.
Which region is my state in?
| Region | CNG per GGE, July 2026 | States |
|---|---|---|
| New England | $4.16 | Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont |
| Central Atlantic | $3.16 | Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania |
| Lower Atlantic | $2.58 | Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia |
| Midwest | $2.88 | Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin |
| Gulf Coast | $3.30 | Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Texas |
| Rocky Mountain | $2.52 | Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming |
| West Coast | $3.59 | Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Washington |
CNG price history
Across the last 11 reports (January 2024 to July 2026) the national CNG average stayed between $2.90 and $3.10 per GGE, while regular gasoline ranged from $2.89 to $4.09. CNG was cheaper than gasoline in 10 of the 11 (the exception: January 2026, when gasoline averaged $2.89).
| Report | Published | CNG per GGE | Gasoline | CNG vs gasoline | Diesel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | October 15, 2026 | $3.10 | $3.84 | −$0.74 | $4.86 |
| April 2026 | July 15, 2026 | $3.08 | $4.09 | −$1.01 | $5.55 |
| January 2026 | April 15, 2026 | $3.04 | $2.89 | +$0.15 | $3.57 |
| October 2025 | January 16, 2026 | $2.96 | $3.14 | −$0.18 | $3.74 |
| July 2025 | October 7, 2025 | $3.01 | $3.19 | −$0.18 | $3.75 |
| April 2025 | July 21, 2025 | $3.08 | $3.23 | −$0.15 | $3.64 |
| January 2025 | April 21, 2025 | $2.99 | $3.06 | −$0.07 | $3.55 |
| October 2024 | December 9, 2024 | $2.91 | $3.25 | −$0.34 | $3.64 |
| July 2024 | October 2, 2024 | $2.92 | $3.53 | −$0.61 | $3.87 |
| April 2024 | May 15, 2024 | $2.90 | $3.65 | −$0.75 | $4.07 |
| January 2024 | February 22, 2024 | $2.95 | $3.06 | −$0.11 | $3.94 |
Why CNG is usually cheaper, and steadier
- Different commodity. The gas comes from the U.S. natural gas market, which has been cheap since shale production expanded, and does not move with crude oil. Gasoline spikes when oil does; CNG mostly does not. Between the April 2026 and July 2026 reports gasoline moved −$0.25 a gallon and CNG +$0.02.
- Delivered by pipe. There is no tanker truck. The station pays a utility rate for gas and electricity to run the compressor.
- Tax parity. The federal excise tax is 18.3 cents per GGE, the same per-energy rate as gasoline; some states tax CNG below gasoline per GGE.
- What pushes it up. Compression electricity, compressor maintenance, and low throughput. A station that sells little gas spreads its fixed costs over few GGE, so rural and single-fleet sites tend to price higher than busy truck stops.
What a fill costs
| Vehicle | Usable capacity | At the Rocky Mountain average ($2.52 / GGE) | At the national average ($3.10 / GGE) | At the New England average ($4.16 / GGE) | Approximate range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda Civic GX / Natural Gas | about 8 GGE | $20 | $25 | $33 | 200 to 250 miles |
| Bi-fuel pickup (F-150, Silverado 2500HD) | about 17 GGE | $43 | $53 | $71 | 250 to 350 miles on CNG |
| Class 8 tractor, back-of-cab package | about 120 DGE (136 GGE) | $342 | $420 | $564 | 600 to 700 miles |
Prices are the July 2026 regional and national averages; the tractor line uses the per-DGE figure. A CNG fill rarely reaches the rated capacity. The gas heats as it compresses into the cylinder, and a warm cylinder holds less at 3,600 psi than a cool one, so a fast fill on a hot day can stop at 80 to 90 percent. The fueling guide explains temperature compensation.
Cost per mile: CNG vs gasoline and diesel
| Vehicle and fuel | Assumption | Cost per mile | 15,000 miles a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civic on CNG | 30 miles per GGE at $3.10 | $0.103 | $1,550 |
| Civic on gasoline | 30 mpg at $3.84 | $0.128 | $1,920 |
| Pickup on CNG | 15 miles per GGE at $3.10 | $0.207 | $3,100 |
| Pickup on gasoline | 15 mpg at $3.84 | $0.256 | $3,840 |
| Class 8 on CNG | 5.5 miles per DGE at $3.50 / DGE | $0.636 | $9,550 |
| Class 8 on diesel | 6.5 mpg at $4.86 | $0.748 | $11,220 |
Our arithmetic from the DOE July 2026 national averages and the stated efficiencies, which are typical figures rather than tests. A natural gas engine gets a little less distance per unit of energy than a diesel; the tractor line uses 5.5 miles per DGE for that reason, and tractors run 100,000 miles a year or more. Fleet contracts and RNG credits can move the CNG figure substantially.
Finding the price at a particular station
There is no CNG equivalent of GasBuddy with reliable coverage, and this site does not collect prices. Networks such as Clean Energy and Kwik Trip post prices on their own station pages or apps, truck stops post them at the pump, and fleet cards show them on receipts. Utility-hosted stations sometimes post a fixed monthly price. The networks page tells you who runs the station; from there, the operator's site is the place to look.
FAQ
How much does CNG cost per gallon?
CNG is sold per gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE), the amount with the energy of a gallon of gasoline. The DOE's July 2026 Alternative Fuel Price Report put the national average at $3.10 per GGE ($3.50 per diesel gallon equivalent), against $3.84 for regular gasoline. Regional averages ran from $2.52 in the Rocky Mountain region to $4.16 in New England.
Is CNG cheaper than gasoline?
Yes in the July 2026 report: $0.74 less than gasoline per GGE nationally, and cheaper in 6 of 7 regions. Over the last 11 reports CNG was cheaper in 10; the gap mostly follows gasoline, because the CNG price barely moves.
What does CNG cost in my state?
The DOE report's tables give seven regional averages rather than state ones. In the July 2026 report: New England $4.16; Central Atlantic $3.16; Lower Atlantic $2.58; Midwest $2.88; Gulf Coast $3.30; Rocky Mountain $2.52; West Coast $3.59 per GGE. The table on this page lists the states in each region.
Why does CNG price stay steady when gasoline jumps?
Because it comes from the U.S. natural gas market rather than the world crude oil market. Gasoline prices follow oil; CNG prices follow domestic gas. Over the last 11 DOE reports the national CNG average moved within a $0.20 range, while gasoline moved within $1.20.
How much does it cost to fill a CNG car?
A Honda Civic GX holds about 8 GGE, so at the July 2026 national average of $3.10 a fill costs about $25 and covers 200 to 250 miles.
Where can I see CNG prices near me?
There is no reliable national price-reporting app for CNG. Operators such as Clean Energy and Kwik Trip post prices on their own sites, truck stops post them at the pump, and DOE publishes regional averages quarterly. This site shows who operates each station so you know where to look.
Find a station
Every public CNG station, with the badges this guide explains.