US Families Pay $856 More for Gas Since Iran War Began, Report Says

American households have spent an additional 856 US dollars on gasoline since the start of the Iran war, according to estimates released by the Democratic minority of the US Congress Joint Economic Committee, which put the cumulative increase in nationwide gasoline spending at 101 billion US dollars.

The estimates, published on October 15, come as the committee’s Democratic members assess the cost of living under President Donald Trump, attributing higher household expenses partly to the conflict and the administration’s trade policies.

The report puts additional household spending on goods and services since Trump took office at more than 4,700 US dollars. Its calculations cover housing, energy, groceries and healthcare, with separate estimates for individual states and congressional districts.

Housing costs, including rent and mortgage payments, have added an estimated 915 US dollars per household, while grocery spending was 310 US dollars higher in Trump’s first year in office than in 2024.

Food prices are now more than four percent above their level when Trump took office, according to the report. Ground beef has risen to more than seven US dollars per pound, while coffee prices have exceeded nine US dollars per pound.

Electricity bills have also increased. Households spent an additional 110 US dollars on electricity in 2025 compared with 2024. In the first seven months of 2026, they spent a further 130 US dollars more than in the same period of 2024, the committee estimated.

Healthcare expenses have added to the pressure on household budgets. Average monthly premiums for plans under the Affordable Care Act rose by more than 50 percent in 2026 compared with the previous year, while average deductibles increased by more than 1,000 US dollars, according to the report. The committee attributed the increases partly to the failure to extend tax credits that helped reduce insurance costs.

Senator Maggie Hassan, the committee’s ranking Democrat, said Trump’s tariffs and the Iran war were making living costs more difficult for American households, despite his campaign pledge to lower prices.

The estimates represent the Democratic minority’s assessment of changes in household spending and their causes. They do not, by themselves, establish how much of the increase is attributable to the war, tariffs or other economic factors.

The report provides national, state-level and congressional district estimates as part of Hassan’s efforts to quantify the economic effects of the administration’s policies on American families.

Source: FSX Business News