Note on Mexican Gasoline Prices

[J Anoni]

I am noticing that gasoline is a lot cheaper in Texas.

To be precise, Regular is 12.5% cheaper, or 44? cheaper per gallon.

Premium is 7.5% cheaper, or 28? cheaper per gallon.

GasLP has exactly doubled in price in 11 years.

Gasoline has increased by 71% in 11 years.

In the USA prices can go up or down.

In Mexico they can never go down, only up, under the current planned inflation system.

[The Duck]

I usually don't check the price at Pemex but my 300 peso fill ups seemed to be getting me less and less. This morning Verde [regular] was 12.17 which is 46.24 per gallon or around $3.57 depending on the exchange rate you use.

Gas Price Report from GasBuddy.com

US Low.......US Average.......US High
$2.900..........$3.238............$3.862
Oklahoma.............................Hawaii

[J Anoni]

I not only have been living in Mexico recently for the last 10 years or so, but I had lived in Mexico some in the 1980s and have been traveling to Mexico extensively since 1972.

As I remember upon coming here for a 6 month road trip in 1982 during the De La Madrid administration, that prices seemed astronomical. Beer was 33% higher than the USA, etc. At that time, if I remember correctly, the exchange rate was 132 to the dollar.

It was right after that, that all hell broke loose in Mexico economically and by 1985 the exchange rate had climbed to 2250 to the dollar. Bank interest rates were at 65%, but if you put money in the bank in pesos you lost your shirt.

The recent spike in prices could be an indication of a similar scenario about to play out in the near future, as what happened in the early to mid 1980s. Then again, who knows?

I do know one thing though, and that was that the mid 1980's devaluations sure did bring the prices down for anyone who was holding dollars. I had trouble spending US$500 month. Bananas were US 7? a kilo, a coke at a convenience store was US 5?. A toothbrush cost US 10?. Propane was US 11?/gallon. Gasoline hit a high of US 59?/gallon about 1987, after having been lower than that.

Maybe it is devaluation time for Mexico again.

[peddler665]

Chevron Regular here in my side of SF Bay seems froze at $3.49 for the last month. Discount stations are about $3.39. Was in Nevada last month where it was $3.25.

[laconstance]

Comparing the Duck's prices with the mileage I get on my little Toyota van, the prices still end up being cheaper in M?xico because I get astonishingly better mileage with REAL gasoline, instead of the adulterated grain alcohol that has been foisted on the American public by the industrial farm lobby! Do the numbers, and compare performance not just pennies.

But then, that is all moot for me because I no longer have a car in M?xico -- prefer to use the very well developed public transportation!