SLO County gas prices drop below $5 for first time in 10 months

Kaytlyn Leslie
·2 min read
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For the first time in almost a year, San Luis Obispo County drivers are paying less than $5 per gallon of gas on average.

On Tuesday, the average cost of gas in SLO County fell to $4.94 for regular unleaded, according to GasBuddy. That’s the lowest average in the county since Feb. 27 when, on average, local gas cost about $4.91 per gallon.

Soon after that, gas prices skyrocketed, and have remained above $5 per gallon for the following 10 months.

Thanks to the drop, SLO County was also home to only the third-most-expensive gas market in the country as of Tuesday, behind Santa Cruz ($4.98) and Honolulu ($5.11), according to GasBuddy. The region often ranks at the top of the most-expensive list.

The local dip echoes a larger decline in gas prices across the country.

On Monday, GasBuddy reported that national gas prices plummeted almost 16 cents in the past week, dropping to an average of $3.36 per gallon.

“For the first time in 670 days, the national average price of gasoline has fallen below its year-ago level, dropping for the fourth straight week to its lowest level since January,” GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan said in a news release. “Every state has again seen average gasoline prices drop in the last week, and it remains very possible the national average could fall under $3 per gallon by Christmas.”

Regular gasoline was at $5.09 at the Valero station on South Higuera Street in San Luis Obispo on Dec. 5, 2022. David Middlecamp/David Middlecamp@thetribunenews.com
Regular gasoline was at $5.09 at the Valero station on South Higuera Street in San Luis Obispo on Dec. 5, 2022. David Middlecamp/David Middlecamp@thetribunenews.com

De Haan said most places will likely see at least another week of declines at the pump, but cautioned that a cap on Russian oil and Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries Plus (OPEC+) production cuts could cause some future price spikes.

Because GasBuddy uses driver-gathered data to compile its reports on prices across the country, the averages given do vary from other gas-price-analyzing companies.

AAA, which also analyzes and reports on gas prices across the country, said SLO County’s average price for a gallon of regular gas on Tuesday was still well above the $5 mark at $5.20 per gallon.

According to AAA, the California average as of Tuesday was $4.72 per gallon.

Where is the cheapest gas in SLO County?

Meanwhile, some local stations are charging well below the county’s average.

As of Tuesday, here are the six cheapest stations in San Luis Obispo County, according to GasBuddy:

  • San Paso Truck Stop, 81 Wellsona Road, Paso Robles: $4.39

  • Costco, 1540 Froom Ranch Way, San Luis Obispo: $4.45

  • Vons, 550 W. Tefft St., Nipomo: $4.65

  • Chevron, 251 E. Grand Ave., Arroyo Grande: $4.69

  • 76, 6305 Morro Road, Atascadero: $4.69

  • 7-Eleven, 8000 El Camino Real, Atascadero: $4.69