Gas prices in San Diego County have topped $6 on average for a gallon of self-serve regular — and are still climbing — leaving San Diegans in search of cheaper gas prices to save a few dollars at the pump.
We wanted to help, so we put together a list of gas stations that have been reported to have some of the cheapest prices in San Diego County. See the map below:
Where Can I Find Cheap Gas in San Diego County?
Get top local stories in San Diego delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC San Diego's News Headlines newsletter.
To create this map, NBC 7 uses data from GasBuddy, which collects gas pump prices mostly based on crowdsourced user submissions, as well as gas stations inputs and credit card company data.
The list is curated to select cheap gas stations from a wide range of cities across San Diego County and does not necessarily list the cheapest in the county. Instead, it offers consumers a wider range of options when searching for cheap gas. The list also eliminates gas stations that are cash-only, require a membership or are exclusively for members of the military. Note that some may include additional fees for using a debit card.
Map updated on Aug. 1, 2022, at 4:00 p.m.
While the GasBuddy app is a useful tool to find cheap gas prices near you, it has experienced issues amid a surge in use.
GasBuddy's petroleum expert Patrick De Hann said their site has seen never-before-seen traffic.
"Our engineering team has had sleepless nights working to keep service going and to expand our capabilities. As volume continues its almost exponential rise, we are doing everything possible to keep the service online," De Hann said.
The numbers can also change several times a day, as NBC 7's Artie Ojeda found. At one gas station in the South Bay, prices jumped from $4.89 to $5.29 in one afternoon. NBC 7 selects gas stations with prices updated within the last 24 hours but you can check the latest prices here before you go to fill up.
What is the Price of Gas in San Diego County Today?
The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in San Diego County rose Wednesday to a record for the fifth consecutive day, increasing 3.3 cents to $6.114, its sixth consecutive increase.
The average price has risen 9.6 cents over the past six days, including six-tenths of a cent Tuesday, according to figures from the AAA and the Oil Price Information Service. It is 9.4 cents higher than one week ago, 33.4 cents more than one month ago and $1.926 greater than one year ago.
The average price has risen $1.358 since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 "sent shock waves through the oil market that have kept oil costs elevated," said Andrew Gross, an AAA national public relations manager.
The price of a barrel of front month crude on ICE Futures Europe dropped $2 Tuesday to settle at $115.60, one day after increasing $2.04 to settle at $117.60, its highest amount since March 23.
Analysts attributed Monday's increase to anticipated increased demand following the weekend comments by Shanghai Vice Mayor Wu Qing that coronavirus- related restrictions would be reduced this week and the expectation of a reduction in supply stemming from the pledge by European Union leaders to impose an oil embargo on Russia.
Crude oil costs account for slightly more than half of the pump price, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
The rest of the price includes the other components of gasoline, production costs, distribution costs, overhead costs for all involved in production, distribution and sales, taxes and carbon offset fees in California paid by the refineries.
The national average price rose 4.9 cents to a record $4.671. The national average has set records 20 of the past 23 days.
Why Are Gas Prices Rising in San Diego County?
The Automobile Club of Southern California says there are two main factors contributing to high gas prices.
The global tension surrounding the Russian invasion of Ukraine is causing crude oil prices to rise, and the more expensive summer-blend fuel started entering the market in California last month.
The price spike "is not exactly surprising — it is the cost of choking off Russia from energy revenue," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, which provides real-time gas price information from more than 140,000 stations.
The smaller increases are the result of oil prices beginning to drop Wednesday after the United Arab Emirates announced it would increase oil production and "encourage other OPEC members to do the same," said Doug Shupe, the Automobile Club of Southern California's corporate communications and programs manager.
After rising to $127.98 on March 1, its highest amount since July 2008, the price of a barrel of Brent crude on the Intercontinental Exchange dropped three of the next four sessions, including $16.84 on March 9, its biggest decline in a day since April 2020, and $4.78 on March 14 to settle at $102.12.
Crude oil costs account for slightly more than half of the pump price, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The rest of the price includes the other components of gasoline, production costs, distribution costs, overhead costs for all involved in production, distribution and sales, taxes and carbon offset fees in California paid by the refineries.
Are Gas Prices Rising Everywhere?
Yes. See the map below to compare the average price of a gallon of regular gas in California to the average price of a gallon of regular gas in the U.S., both of which are up significantly from last year.
How to Save Money on Gas
Here are some tips from AAA to help you save some money at the pump.
- Keep your tires properly inflated. Underinflation reduces fuel economy.
- Slow down and drive the speed limit. On the highway, aerodynamic drag causes fuel economy to drop off significantly as speeds increase above 50 mph.
- Avoid “jackrabbit” starts and hard acceleration. These actions greatly increase fuel consumption.
- Avoid extended idling to warm up the engine, even in winter. It’s unnecessary and wastes fuel.
- Minimize your use of air conditioning. Even at highway speeds, open windows have less effect on fuel economy than the engine power required to operate the air conditioning compressor.
- Also, shop around for gas prices, sometimes lower prices are around the corner.
Get updates on what's happening in San Diego to your inbox. Sign up for our News Headlines newsletter.
