The price of petrol (gasoline) in the US is still ridiculously cheap

Almost half of that in the UK, allowing for a forex of two reichsmarks to the pound.

To a non-US citizen this claim would be true, but for me the prices are ridiculously steep.

Ah, but that's kinda my point, speedy — yes, it seems spensive to you guys. But $4 per gallon doesn't compare with over £1 per litre (which is just under two pints).

And I don't drive… ;o)

I'm not denying that prices are higher there. I'm just saying that to what I am used to; the gas prices are out of control. Not just in the US, but everywhere...globally. Would you agree?

"But $4 per gallon doesn't compare with over £1 per litre"

Yes, it does: It's approximately one half.

D'A

@D'A: Touché

@speedy: I can see what you're saying, except that petrol prices need to get higher because we need to get used to the idea that the era of cheap oil is coming to a close. So no, I don't really agree, sorry. Your petrol is still very cheap, effectively. It just doesn't feel like it to you, for reasons that are entirely understandable.

when i consider how far i don't have to walk because of a gallon of gas and how much time i've saved, i still think i'm getting a great deal. plus there's the sense of freedom to go where i will when i want, that's virtually priceless. (other restrictions applied of course but generally)

however, i don't want to say 'ridiculously' cheap, that's just tempting fate. i'm grateful. it's a bargain. don't want to go overboard.

@Owen: Agreed.

@flamigore: That's a fair point. I'd disagree, but I can understand your point :o)

"we need to get used to the idea that the era of cheap oil is coming to a close."

Not in Venezuella.

Who's Ella?

I don't know...who is she?

mmm. This is less true than it appears on the surface. Consider the fact that the US has a third world economy. It's more fair to compare the price of gas in the US to the price of gas in Mexico.

Cost of living and wages are considerably higher anywhere people use the pound. Calling gas in the US 1/2 as expensive fails to compensate for inflation.

Inflation is the wrong word, but I think it's clear what I'm driving at. Price adjusted for median wages, perhaps?

As a factor in the cost of living, comparatively or relatively, it's maybe not, GRK; maybe not half of that of the UK, but it gives the illusion of being significantly cheaper

What's the cost of a white sliced loaf, for example? Here it's about 1USD or 50pence.

That's about equal. Let's look at rent prices, instead. Round my part of the country, 1200-1400 is a reasonable price for a two bedroom. Going east it gets *much* cheaper, till you reach NY, when it gets pricey again. That's about 600-700 pounds, if not cheaper. What's it like out there for shelter?

2 bed apartment or house?

In Oakland? Ince part of Oakland?

Nice?

A 2 bed apt in south London in a niceish area would be 1800-1900USD per month: some around 2000.

Nice, yeah. Downtownish, near the lake. There aren't houses for rent there, least not till you start getting further from the lake, but that don't qualify as a nice neighborhood, far as I'm concerned.

So half as much for gas is a little on the cheap, but hardly as cheap for us as you suggest.

Errr, the claim suggests, not you.

2 bed flat around where I live: ave 3200USD per month.

But it is practically in the Queen's back garden.

Well, the nicest flats to be had in Oakland, currently at the uptown, IMO, run at 2250USD, so that seems consistent. Mind you, I suspect that SF is a goodly bit more expensive, but I don't know enough about the rental market there to give good information.

But gasoline in CA is a good bit more expensive than in the rest of the country(four bucks a gallon? Not since the turn of 2008), and housing elsewhere is cheaper. I betcha it turns out about net. Gas is a bit cheaper by income out here, but not near half.

Thanks for clarifying that; I never really got that it could be so cheap.

cheap compared to other nations, not cheap compared to what it was yesterday