Cycling, by nearly any metric, is a low carbon, healthy, and economical travel mode. Focusing purely on the economics of petrol, cycling’s return on investment, thus economic incentive, can vary considerably based on where you live.
In the United States, we often hear about the higher cost of petrol (aka ‘gas’ in the US) in Europe with very little in the way of real-world examples and actual comparisons. With four hours to kill on the train ride from Lyon, France to Milan, Italy (via Frecciarossa Italy’s high speed rail) the following image, taken on June 19, 2025 in Villefranche-sur-Saône, France, served as the catalyst for a comparative analysis of petrol prices.
Note: For comparison purposes, this analysis uses national averages, which are a bit higher than the price shown in the photo from Villefranche-sur-Saône. Also, petrol prices and exchange rates vary on a daily basis.
The numbers:
1 gallon = 3.8 liters
1 euro (€) = $1.16 US dollars ($)
France national average cost for 1 liter of petrol = €1.80 (or €6.84 per gallon)
€6.84 per gallon = $7.92 per gallon
United States national average cost per gallon of petrol (gas) = $3.12
So there you have it. Currently, the average cost of a gallon of regular gasoline in France is $7.92 per gallon, a difference of $4.80 per gallon compared to US prices. As such, a gallon of gas on average is approximately 154% more expensive in France than in the United States.
adventureECO Cycling 