Traffic & Transit
Is CA Gas Cheaper At Costco And Sam's Club?
Snaking lines around the state at Costco and Sam's Club suggest they are. We compared prices across the state.
CALIFORNIA — Gas prices across California recorded a smaller than usual increase over the weekend: The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline across the state went up just 4 cents from Sunday to Monday, according to AAA.
But hardly anyone’s cheering, because gas prices across the state continued to rise. And when you took a step back, the increase was dramatic. The average price of gas across the state rose 40 cents over the past week — from $5.343 per gallon to $5.74 — and 64 cents over a month. One year ago, the average price of regular gas was a quaint $3.83 per gallon.
Oil is currently at its highest price since July 2008, NBC Los Angeles reported.
Find out what's happening in Across Californiafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
But California drivers were able to find some relief at the pump by frequenting gas stations at membership retailers such as Sam's Club, Costco or BJ’s Wholesale Club, where prices can be dramatically cheaper.
For example, pumps near the Beverly Center in Los Angeles charged a whopping $6.65 for regular gas on Friday. But at Sam’s Club in Arcadia, drivers paid only $4.29.
Find out what's happening in Across Californiafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The problem is that many drivers were aware of these savings, and drivers at such retailers reported waiting in line for hours to fill up. Some drivers on Twitter reported racing to the pumps as early as 5:30 a.m. to fill up in time for work.
Each of these price clubs charge yearly memberships in order to be able to use the gas. If the prices aren't dramatically cheaper, it may not be worth the price. Sam's Club charges $45 per year, or $100 per year for their Plus, which includes more savings. Costco charges anywhere from $60 a year for its basic Gold Star Membership, or $120 for its Executive Membership.
Is it worth the wait and membership price? We assembled a list of the range of membership gas station prices for regular gas around different Patchtowns, as reported on GasBuddy, and compared them to the most recent county averages and traditional gas brands.
San Diego
Newport Beach
Los Angeles
- County average: $5.82.
- Costco: $5.29-$5.45.
- Sam’s Club: $5.29-$5.34.
- 76: $5.44-$5.59.
Temecula
- County average: $5.73.
- Costco: $5.39.
- Sam’s Club: $5.40.
- ARCO: $5.49-$6.09.
San Francisco
Palo Alto
Alameda
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