COLUMBUS, Ga. - Gas prices in Columbus have fallen to an average of $3.62 a gallon, down 56 cents from a month ago, according to AAA figures released Tuesday, Oct. 27. The decline comes as Georgia's temporary suspension of motor fuel taxes approaches its scheduled expiration on Thursday, Nov. 5. Unless the state extends the suspension again, the motor fuel excise tax will return after that date.

AAA reported an average price of $3.615 per gallon for regular gasoline in the Columbus metropolitan area Tuesday, compared with $4.176 a month earlier. Prices have also declined about 6 cents over the past week, although they remain 91 cents higher than at the same time last year. The Columbus average sits below both Georgia's statewide average of $3.640 and the national average of $4.266 per gallon.

Columbus Gas Prices Compared With Georgia and the U.S.

Columbus drivers are paying less for regular gasoline than the statewide and national averages, based on AAA's Oct. 27 figures. The difference is about 2.5 cents per gallon compared with Georgia and approximately 65 cents compared with the United States. The following table compares current prices and the historical figures available for Columbus and Georgia.

The figures show that Columbus and Georgia have followed similar price patterns over the past month. Georgia's statewide regular gasoline average fell from $4.199 to $3.640, while Columbus dropped from $4.176 to $3.615. Both averages remain above their levels from October 2025, despite the declines recorded during the past month.

Columbus Gas Prices Fall From September Levels

The latest AAA report shows that Columbus regular gasoline prices have declined over the past week and month. A week ago, the metro average stood at $3.679 per gallon, compared with $3.615 on Tuesday. That represents a decline of approximately 6 cents per gallon over seven days.

The monthly change is larger, with Columbus prices dropping approximately 56 cents from $4.176. The current price is also slightly higher than Monday's average of $3.612, showing a small day-to-day increase of less than one cent. Together, the figures show a substantial monthly decrease alongside a nearly unchanged average over the most recent day.

Compared with last year, the picture looks different. Columbus regular gasoline averaged $2.703 per gallon a year ago, approximately 91 cents below Tuesday's price. That means the recent declines have not returned local gasoline prices to their October 2025 level.

Mid-Grade, Premium and Diesel Prices in Columbus

The decline in regular gasoline prices is only part of the latest AAA report for the Columbus metropolitan area. AAA also tracks mid-grade, premium and diesel fuel, providing separate averages for each category. On Oct. 27, diesel remained considerably more expensive than regular gasoline.

Diesel prices have declined over the past month but remain substantially higher than a year ago. AAA reported a Columbus diesel average of $5.743 Tuesday, compared with $5.767 a week earlier and $6.150 a month earlier. That puts diesel approximately 41 cents below its monthly comparison price.

The year-over-year difference for diesel is considerably larger. A year ago, Columbus diesel averaged $3.480 per gallon, compared with the current $5.743 average. That represents an increase of approximately $2.26 per gallon, even after the recent monthly decline.

How Columbus Compares With Other Georgia Cities

AAA's metropolitan averages show some differences among major Georgia markets. Columbus reported lower regular gasoline prices than Atlanta, Macon and Savannah on Oct. 27, but higher prices than the Augusta-Aiken area. All five metro averages were below the national regular gasoline average of $4.266.

Among the listed metropolitan areas, Augusta-Aiken had the lowest average at $3.566 per gallon. Macon and Savannah were close together at $3.672 and $3.673, respectively, while Atlanta averaged $3.668. Columbus stood between Augusta-Aiken and the three other metros in the comparison.

What Happens Nov. 5

Georgia's temporary suspension of its motor fuel excise tax is scheduled to end at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026. According to the Georgia Department of Revenue, the suspension began at 12:01 a.m. Sept. 29 under an executive order dated Sept. 28. A second executive order issued Oct. 6 extended the suspension through Nov. 5.

The suspension applies to all fuels subject to Georgia's motor fuel excise tax, including gasoline and diesel. That means the temporary policy covers more than the regular gasoline prices reported in AAA's Columbus averages. The Department of Revenue's 2026 motor fuel tax suspension FAQ confirms the dates and covered fuels but does not specify a per-gallon tax amount.

Unless another executive order changes the expiration date, Georgia's motor fuel excise tax will return after Nov. 5. The scheduled end of the suspension creates an upcoming change in state fuel taxation, but the available information does not establish how much retail gasoline or diesel prices will change. AAA's Oct. 27 averages provide a price comparison before that scheduled expiration, not a forecast of prices afterward.

Local Prices Remain Above Last Year's Levels

The latest figures show two different comparisons for Columbus drivers. Regular gasoline is approximately 56 cents cheaper than a month ago, while diesel has fallen approximately 41 cents over the same period. Both fuel types, however, remain significantly more expensive than they were a year earlier.

Georgia's statewide gasoline average also remains above its year-earlier level of $2.791. The current statewide average is $3.640, compared with Columbus at $3.615 and the national average at $4.266. Those figures place the Columbus market below the state and national averages as the temporary tax suspension approaches its scheduled end.

The next policy date is Nov. 5, when the extended suspension expires unless the executive order is changed again. For now, AAA's Oct. 27 figures show that Columbus gasoline prices have declined from their September levels while remaining above October 2025 prices. The figures also show that local diesel prices have followed the same broad monthly direction, despite a much larger year-over-year increase.

How We Did This

Columbus Times used AAA Gas Prices' Georgia data retrieved Oct. 27, 2026, to compare regular gasoline and diesel averages for Columbus, Georgia and the United States, along with selected Georgia metropolitan areas. Historical comparisons use AAA's reported averages for the previous day, week, month and year, with differences rounded to the nearest cent where appropriate. Information about the temporary suspension of Georgia motor fuel excise taxes comes from the Georgia Department of Revenue's "2026 Suspension of Georgia Motor Fuel Taxes FAQs," including the Sept. 28 and Oct. 6 executive orders and the scheduled Nov. 5 expiration.