While mainland drivers are expected to get relief at the pump through the end of the year, Hawaii residents likely will have to dig a little deeper to fill up their tanks.

Hawaii won’t see fuel savings the rest of the nation is currently enjoying and instead retains the top spot for the highest price of gas, according to New Jersey-based Oil Price Information Service.

"Unfortunately, the rest of the country could see prices drop for gasoline, and Hawaii’s a little bit unplugged from the rest of country," said Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at Oil Price Information Service. "Hawaii’s probably going to have the highest prices in the country for the next eight years just based on geography."

California surpassed Hawaii for the most expensive fuel costs a month ago, with prices surging in some places to $5 or more, but Hawaii quickly regained the lead and is now one of only two states in the country with gas at or above $4 a gallon. The price of regular gas was $4.27 a gallon on Tuesday, followed by $4.12 in Alaska.

Oil prices in North America range from $60 to $110 a barrel. But Hawaii is more dependent on crude oil that’s between $20 and $30 higher per barrel, from Siberia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, simply because of its location, Kloza said.

He projects the rest of the country’s average fuel price will hover around $3.25 through year’s end and remain flat at $4 in the islands.

"It’s expensive to get crude oil there and expensive to refine it," Kloza said. "It’s more of an international market. You’re pretty much captive to more expensive international prices. Hawaii’s a little bit of a wild card."

Wahiawa resident Marleen Clarke, 41, said she pays about $160 a week to fill up her 10-seat Excursion and between $80 and $100 a week to fuel her Armada, both cars she shares with her husband, Mike.

"Obviously it’s hard, it’s difficult," she said. "It’s either going to be taken out of our everyday food budget, necessity budget, or it goes on the credit card. So living paycheck to paycheck is actually an understatement. If we paid everything out in cash, we’re probably an average two to three paychecks behind. We are living way above our means, but yet we are just dealing with necessities."