VALDOSTA — Valdosta gasoline prices climbed slightly last week, reaching the same level as Atlanta.

The cost of a gallon of regular gasoline earlier this week was $2.43 in both cities, according to the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report. Atlanta gas prices are usually higher than Valdosta by 10-12 cents per gallon.

For Valdosta, the price represented a one-penny increase during the course of a week.

The lowest price reported in Valdosta Monday was $2.33 per gallon at a store on Baytree Road, according to the price tracking website gasbuddy.com. That does not include prices at buying clubs, where only club members receive the lowest price.

Valdosta and Atlanta were tied Monday for the fourth most expensive gasoline out of the 15 Georgia markets monitored by the auto club.

Nationally, the average price of gasoline Monday was $2.58 per gallon, unchanged during the week, while Georgia’s average of $2.43 per gallon was up five cents in the same period, according to AAA.

In market action last week, benchmark U.S. crude rose 1 cent to settle at $61.72 per barrel. Brent crude, used to price international oils, gained 24 cents to close at $68.16 per barrel.

In other commodities trading, wholesale gasoline fell 1 cent to $1.74 per gallon. Heating oil was little changed at $2.05 per gallon. Natural gas slid 14 cents, or 5.9%, to $2.16 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.