Cary-area gas rises to $3.827 as diesel reaches $5.370

Regular gasoline and diesel both moved higher in the latest AAA Raleigh metro check, giving Cary-area drivers a mixed weekend fuel picture: regular gas rose 3 cents from the previous day, while diesel climbed 5.3 cents.

AAA listed the Raleigh metro average at $3.827 per gallon for regular gasoline and $5.370 for diesel in its check dated July 31, 2026. Cary does not receive a separate row in AAA’s North Carolina metro table, so the Raleigh figure is the best available benchmark for the Cary area—not a standalone Cary average.

Regular gas is up for the day but below last week

The Raleigh metro regular-gas average rose from $3.797 the previous day. It remained slightly below the $3.842 average recorded a week earlier, a difference of about 1.5 cents per gallon.

AAA also listed the Raleigh metro regular average at $3.512 a month earlier and $2.926 a year earlier. Those comparisons describe the metro benchmark over time and do not mean every Cary station moved by the same amount.

Diesel is moving faster and remains much higher than last year

Diesel rose from $5.317 the previous day to $5.370 in the latest check. It was also above the $5.219 average from a week earlier, an increase of about 15.1 cents per gallon.

The year-over-year gap is much larger. Raleigh metro diesel was listed at $3.605 a year earlier, making the latest average $1.765 higher. Diesel was also up from $4.634 a month earlier.

That matters especially for contractors, landscapers, delivery operators, restaurants, service fleets and other businesses that rely on commercial vehicles. Higher diesel costs can also affect delivery charges, service-call pricing and the cost of moving supplies, although the latest figures do not document specific local business responses.

Cary pump prices can differ by station

WRAL‘s Fuel Tracker provides a separate Cary station-price view through GasBuddy-powered listings. That local tracker is useful because the price at an individual pump may differ from the Raleigh metro average based on the station, brand, neighborhood and timing of the check.

For commuters, the latest move means a small additional increase at the pump compared with the previous day, while diesel users are facing a larger daily change. Households planning weekend trips may want to compare nearby stations before filling up. Businesses that price deliveries, service calls or other jobs around fuel costs may also need to watch diesel more closely than regular gasoline.

AAA’s next update will show whether the latest increases hold or reverse. Cary-area readers: What are the highest and lowest gas or diesel prices you are seeing locally?

Sources

• AAA Raleigh metro fuel-price table
• WRAL Fuel Tracker