San Diego Metro Gas and Diesel Prices Rise, National City Pumps Vary

Fuel costs moved higher across the San Diego market on Friday, July 31, with regular gasoline and diesel both rising against the previous day, last week, last month and last year.

AAA’s San Diego metro average was $5.742 per gallon for regular gasoline and $6.946 for diesel. These are metro figures, not citywide averages for every National City station, but they provide the strongest current comparison measure for the local market because AAA does not list a separate National City row in its California table.

Regular gasoline is higher across every comparison window

The San Diego metro regular-gas average increased by 1 cent from the previous day. It was 7 cents higher than a week earlier, 25.4 cents higher than a month earlier and $1.197 higher than a year earlier.

For a driver filling a 15-gallon tank, the year-over-year difference represented by the metro average is roughly $18 more per fill-up, before accounting for changes in driving habits, vehicle efficiency or station-specific pricing.

Diesel has posted the sharper increases

Diesel reached $6.946 per gallon in AAA’s San Diego metro data, up 1.9 cents from Thursday. The average was 9.5 cents higher than a week earlier, 42.8 cents higher than a month earlier and $1.911 higher than a year earlier.

That larger increase matters beyond diesel-powered passenger vehicles. Contractors, delivery operators, landscapers, service companies and other businesses that rely on commercial vehicles can face higher operating costs when diesel prices rise. Those costs can also affect delivery charges, supply expenses and prices for services.

National City station prices vary by location

Way.com listings showed regular gasoline ranging from $5.63 to $6.69 per gallon among National City examples dated July 19. The lower listing was at a Shell station at 1606 E. Plaza Blvd., while the higher listing was at a Mobil station at 2945 Highland Ave.

iExit listings for diesel near National City showed prices ranging from about $6.35 to $6.70 in the latest available set. Because the listings are not all from the same update time, they should be treated as station-level examples rather than a complete, real-time citywide snapshot.

Pump prices can differ by station, brand, payment method, loyalty discounts and the time a listing was updated. Drivers should check several nearby stations before assuming the metro average reflects the price at a particular pump.

What higher fuel costs can mean locally

For commuters, the immediate effect is a larger weekly household expense, especially for residents with long drives or limited access to alternatives. Higher diesel costs can work through local businesses as well, affecting contractors, freight and delivery companies, restaurants receiving supplies and service businesses that send vehicles to customers.

National City drivers who are seeing prices well above or below these figures can help keep the local picture current by sharing the highest and lowest pump prices they are finding around town.

Sources

• AAA California Gas Prices
• Way.com National City gas listings
• iExit National City diesel listings