SAN DIEGO — The cost of gas continues to soar, with the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded gas in San Diego County rising five cents Monday to $5.383 — the 18th record high in the past 20 days.

The region’s average is four cents higher than California’s average, which sat at $5.343 Monday, and $1.32 more than the national average of $4.06, according to data published by AAA.

It’s up 53 cents from one week ago, 70 cents from a month ago and $1.59 from a year ago.

Crude prices are soaring as a result of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, AAA said in a news release Monday, adding that “consumers can expect the current trend at the pump to continue as long as crude prices climb.”

“There’s just a lot of uncertainty that’s roiling the world oil markets and that’s causing prices then to go up,” University of San Diego economics professor Alan Gin told FOX 5 Sunday.

He said while the U.S. hasn’t put sanctions on Russia’s oil, companies are taking it upon themselves to boycott it — meaning less supply and higher prices overall.

“A lot of people aren’t buying it voluntarily, so Russia’s actually had to offer some discounts in terms of their oil and it’s still not selling,” Gin said.