Most Expensive Gas Station in Los Angeles

May 30 2022

The Most Expensive Gas Station
in Los Angeles

Gas is an expensive commodity in the city of Los Angeles, but patrons of one Downtown station can expect to pay as much as a dollar more per gallon. This is, from what we can tell, the most expensive gas station in Los Angeles.

The price of gas in Los Angeles tends to be higher than most other places in the country. Even within the boundaries of the city, the price of fuel can vary wildly. As of this writing, a gallon of gas will set a motorist back anywhere from $4.25 to $4.95 depending on where you choose to fill up. (Note: These were the prices in September 2021. As of May 2022, that average is between $5.80 and $6.20).

But the Chevron station at the corner of Alameda and Cesar Chavez charges a phenomenal $5.95 $8.05.

Update: As of May 30, 2022, the station was selling a gallon of gasoline for $8.05.

The gasoline station in Los Angeles on May 30, 2022. Photo from the author’s collection.

Update: As of May 9, 2022, the station was selling a gallon of gasoline for $7.53.

Update: As of March 16, 2022, the station was selling a gallon of gasoline for $7.31.

Update: As of March 7, 2022, the station was selling a gallon of gasoline for $6.95.

Update: As of February 3, 2022 the station was selling a gallon of gasoline for $6.11.

Update: As of December 1, 2021 the station was selling a gallon of gasoline for $6.05.

The Gas is Too Damn High!

There doesn’t seem to be any good reason for the exorbitant price. This location isn’t particularly convenient to freeways or any attractions except for Olvera Street and Union Station. Its proximity to these spots could warrant a small price bump perhaps, but nothing so large.

The price of gas at this Chevron station is always much higher than other stations around Los Angeles. This photo, part of the author’s collection, was taken on September 22, 2021. The price is now significantly higher — see updates above for details.

It’s not in a secluded part of town. Rather, it’s pretty centrally located. There’s not a gross lack of competing stations. Should a driver find themselves in a desperate need for fuel, they can quickly find other, less expensive stations less than a mile in any direction.

I’ve never personally stopped in here myself (nor should you), but by some accounts, the service at this station is pretty sub-standard. Conversely, the place boasts a fair amount of 5-star reviews (a fact which has resulted in numerous accusations of review-buying), but I remain skeptical. Even the famous boomerang-roofed, full-service 76 station in Beverly Hills doesn’t charge this much.

Also consider there’s no restroom and it charges to use the air- and water-filling machine. According to some online reviews, even the candy bars are expensive at this place — like $4 each expensive.

I once drove through Amboy, California — a tiny town in the Mojave Desert on Route 66. It’s the literal definition of the middle of nowhere. Gas at the only pump in Amboy — the only pump for 20 miles, mind you — was still cheaper than at this station in downtown Los Angeles.

I have a hard time comprehending how this place remains in business. In an age when anyone can perform a quick search for a more affordable gas stations nearby, who’s paying this much for gas?

There’s really no reason to stop at this place.


The Latest Exploration …

The Other Expensive Gas Station

There’s another expensive station in town. It’s not quite as pricey as the Chevron above, but the Shell station on Fairfax Ave, on a traffic island between San Vicente and Olympic that’s currently slinging gas for $5.79 a gallon. [Note: That was in September 2021. We don’t get out to this intersection that often, but it’s certainly higher now.]

Like our friends above, there are other reasonably priced stations nearby, so there’s no reason for gas this expensive. But people here are a little more savvy — the station is currently rocking a 2-star rating on Google. In short, there’s no reason to buy your gas here, either.

When Gas Was Cheap (and Reliable)

By contrast, gasoline prices 80 years ago at this Reliable station in South Central at Alameda & Vernon were a mere 12 1/2 cents a gallon.

Reliable Gasoline. 1941. Image via Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection, Security Pacific National Bank Collection.

The Most Expensive Gas Station in Los Angeles


Thank you for visiting the Los Angeles Explorers Guild. If you’re enjoying our explorations of Los Angeles, please consider supporting us on Patreon or making a one-time donation via PayPal. We appreciate your support.


Our Most Recent Explorations

Tom Fassbender is a writer of things with a strong adventurous streak. When not exploring Los Angeles, he’s been known to enjoy a cup of coffee or two. You can find him at Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Advertisement

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Log Out /  Change )

Twitter picture

You are commenting using your Twitter account. Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. Log Out /  Change )

Connecting to %s

%d bloggers like this: