The average price of gasoline rose 2.3 cents per gallon last week in South Carolina, on par with the national average.

The average cost per gallon in the state was $3.60, according to the gasoline price website SouthCarolinaGasPrices.com. That was 26 cents below the national average.

Gas prices in the state are 28.6 cents higher on average than the same day last year, and 19.1 cents higher than this time last month.

Money Saver at 2464 U.S. 17 Business in Garden City had the lowest local price Sunday at 3.48 per gallon for regular unleaded, according to GasBuddy.com. Costco on Oak Forest Lane was the lowest in Myrtle Beach at 3.51 per gallon while WilcoHess on U.S. 378 was the lowest in Conway at $3.53.

Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst with GasBuddy.com, doesn’t hold out much hope for significant relief because of the recent quarterly earnings announcements.

“As we push deeper into September, the more optimistic I am that these high prices will begin to come down slightly, but with the recently announced QE3, I’m a bit concerned that prices won’t moderate as much as previously expected as the dollar weakens, leading me to believe 2012 will have featured the highest yearly average ever,” he said.