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Are Miami gas prices a trend? What’s the cost and where’s the cheapest place to pump?

The pinch at the pump continues this week. Gas prices are up in the Miami area by more than 16 cents a gallon.

The increase has propelled the average price to $3.59 a gallon, according to fuel monitoring service GasBuddy, which surveyed 1,690 stations in Miami-Dade County. For perspective, that’s 42.5 cents a gallon higher than a month ago.

“There appears to be little good news on the gas price front, with prices unlikely to turn around any time soon,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.

READ MORE: How to find cheap gas near you — and options to get around South Florida without a car

Here’s a breakdown of prices in South Florida, the state and across the country:

Cheapest and most expensive gas in the Miami area

According to GasBuddy, the cheapest gas in the Miami area was $2.99 a gallon on Monday, and the highest price was $4.99. The average price: $3.59, up 16.2 cents a gallon from last week.

Florida average price

The average price for a gallon of gas in Florida on Monday, according to AAA, was $3.56.

Gas prices around Florida

Areas around the state and their average gas prices, according to GasBuddy:

Cape Coral: $3.55 a gallon, up 18.4 cents from last week’s $3.36

Naples: $3.59 a gallon, up 18 cents from last week’s $3.41

Sarasota: $3.52 a gallon, up 14.7 cents from last week’s $3.38

U.S. average price

The average price for a gallon of gas across the country on Monday, according to AAA, was $3.50.

Why gas prices are increasing

From De Haan, at GasBuddy:

“The national average price of gasoline has risen for the fifth straight week as retailers pass along the rise in wholesale gasoline prices due to continued challenges: refinery utilization that still hasn’t fully recovered from December’s cold weather, and refinery maintenance season that’s just around the corner. Because of the surge in prices last spring, many refineries that had planned maintenance deferred maintenance until 2023. With the can kicked to this year, we may have similar challenges producing enough refined products to meet demand, especially with the European Union cutting off refined products from Russia starting February 5.”

How to find cheap gas near you

Several apps, including GasBuddy, Waze and Gas Guru, can help find the cheapest fuel near you. You can also carpool or take public transportation if you want to avoid fueling up. Some transit options are even free.

County-by-county gas prices in Florida

Use the interactive Florida map below, with data from AAA, to see the average gas price by county. Just hover over an area and the price pops up. Keep in mind that there may be a lag in the data.