The Richter Scale^®

I have watched with some amusement as gasoline prices increase in the U.S. to new highs, then back off before rising again.

I’m not amused because I like seeing people suffer, but more that those complaining about high prices are apparently unaware that U.S. gas prices are still among the lowest in the western world.

Prices in Europe, for example, are typically at least 2x the prices in the U.S.

But, for a more accurate comparison, let’s take a look at gasoline prices here on Bonaire - we’re only 50 miles from Venezuela - the biggest oil producer in the region, but it might as well be a thousand miles for all the good it does us price-wise.

Gasoline is sold by the liter here. One U.S. gallon (liquid) is 3.7854 liters according to an online conversion I found.

A liter of Super costs 1.933 NAF, while a liter of Regular is 1.898 NAF. A NAF is a Netherlands Antillean Florin, also referred to as a Guilder. There are 1.78 of these to a U.S. dollar.

So, using all those numbers we end up with a cost of US$4.04 for a gallon of Regular gasoline and $4.11 for a gallon of Super. The average per capita income on Bonaire is probably around US$800/month after taxes, but on the flip side, it’s a small island, so you can’t drive too far without falling into the Caribbean Sea. However, with all the driving to/from school, work, and soccer momming my wife does, she has to fill the tank on her Toyota Corolla every 5-7 days.

Here’s the kicker - in neighboring Curacao, where we get all of our fuel from, the prices (which are all government regulated mind you) are 0.30 NAF lower per liter (based on personal observation about 16 days ago). This could lead into a huge discussion about how Curacao is always shafting its small sister island Bonaire, and that being one of the many reasons a referendum in Bonaire showed most want to separate from the Netherlands Antilles and Curacao and join more closely with Holland, but I’ll leave that for another day.

So, if your gas prices are under less than $3.00 per gallon, be happy - you’re still paying a lot less than the residents of Bonaire. Of course, higher gas prices are one of the many things we suffer with in exchange for the privilege of living on a small beautiful island in the Caribbean… Poor Internet service is another, but I’ll leave that for future discussion as well…

--

Update - June 27, 2005: A reader pointed out that I said the per capita income of the average Bonairean worker was $800/year. That was wrong - it’s about $800/month! It’s been corrected above.