Gas in Mexico: How and Where to Fill Up Your Tank

Filling up in Mexico means full-service: an attendant pumps your gas for you. Here’s how it works, from the main brands (Pemex, Oxxo Gas) and the green-Magna versus red-Premium fuel types to tipping and the pump and card scams to watch for.

One of the many questions that we receive when it comes to driving in Mexico is how to fill up gas in Mexico, including which gas station to choose.  

In this article, we will tell you what to expect and what your options are.

Besides, we will hand you some practical tips and information to avoid being a victim of common gas station scams.

Gas Stations in Mexico

Let’s start with the basic information: gas stations in Mexico. What can you choose from? You will find many Mexican brands and some international brands. Some you will only find in specific states, while others can be found across the country.

You can shop around for better prices and services, as service station brands set their own prices for gasoline and diesel.

In general, Pemex and Oxxo Gas stations have better prices and services than other providers.

Keep in mind that gas stations alongside highways are more expensive than those in villages or cities.

Examples of gas stations in Mexico are the following:

• Pemex: Pemex (short for Petróleos Mexicanos) is the biggest and most famous gas station in Mexico. Until 2017, this was the only brand in charge of gasoline in the country and government-owned. You will find Pemex throughout Mexico, often with more than one gas station per city.
• Oxxo Gas: Oxxo Gas is another big Mexican gas station brand that you will find throughout the country. It often comes with the convenience store called Oxxo, where you can get (fast) food, personal hygiene items, and drinks.
• Orsan: This brand has about 150 gas stations throughout the country, some of which carry the sign “Orsan,” while others are called “Mobil” or “Pemex,” as the company works via a multi-brand scheme.
• Abimerhi: This is a Yucatán-based gas station brand, of which you will find many in the state of Yucatán. Besides gasoline, it also offers regular gas to use at home, and even tow cranes.
• La Gas: La Gas is a big group that has service stations in the states of Oaxaca, Campeche, Tabasco, Quintana Roo, and Yucatán. It often comes with the convenience store GoMart.

Finding Gas Stations

If you are not sure how to look for gas stations, you can use either of these techniques.

• Check for the road sign or a gas tank, look for signs that have one of the above (or other) names of gas stations.
• Use Google Maps and search for “Gas Stations.”

Tips: Are you making a road trip with long distances to bridge? Make sure to fill up your tank before leaving a major city, or fill it up whenever you see one along the highway. For example, between Cancun and Merida, there is currently only one gas station in the middle of the 350-kilometer highway!

How Much Does Gas Cost in Mexico?

Regular gas (Magna) averaged MXN23.69 a litre across Mexico on 1 October 2026. Premium averaged MXN28.57 and diesel MXN27.00. These are Profeco’s national averages from prices stations report to the government, and they leave out border zones that get a tax stimulus. (Verified October 2026.)

Fuel	Average price	Cost to fill a 40-litre tank
Regular (Magna)	MXN23.69 a litre	About MXN948
Premium	MXN28.57 a litre	About MXN1,143
Diesel	MXN27.00 a litre	About MXN1,080

Regular stays under MXN24 because of a voluntary deal between the government and gas station owners. It isn’t a law. The deal started on 1 March 2025 and was renewed for six more months in August 2026. Diesel is held under MXN27 the same way.

Individual stations still differ, and highway stations charge more. If you say “MXN500 de Magna”, the attendant pumps about 21 litres at today’s average. Fuel is one line in the full cost of owning a car in Mexico.

Check prices before a long drive. Profeco publishes a weekly “Quién es Quién” report that ranks the cheapest and most expensive stations, built from prices stations report to the regulator. Treat it as a guide, because stations can change prices between reports.

Types of Gas

Gasoline in Mexico is measured via the metric system, which means that it is charged per liter.

There are three types of gas in Mexico:

• Regular gas (green / verde), also called Magna, which is the cheapest option.
• Premium gas (red / rojo). This is the most expensive option.
• Diesel

While there are many pumps available in a gas station, normally, only one or two are used.

Regular vs Premium: Which Fuel Does Your Car Need?

Use whatever your owner’s manual asks for. Mexican law sets a minimum octane index of 87 for regular gas and 91 for premium. (Verified October 2026.)

• Regular (Magna, green): octane 87 or higher. This is enough if your manual asks for 87.
• Premium (red): octane 91 or higher. It costs about MXN4.88 more a litre than regular, so roughly MXN195 more on a 40-litre tank.
• Diesel: only for diesel engines. It averages MXN27.00 a litre.

If your manual asks for 91 octane or higher, buy premium. If it asks for 87, regular does the job and saves you the difference.

Say the fuel name out loud. Tell the attendant “Magna”, “Premium” or “diésel”, then watch which hose they pick up before they start pumping.

How to Fill Up Gas in Mexico

Good to know: All gas stations in Mexico are full-service. That means that an attendant will help you fill up your gas. He or she will flag you to the pumping station, ask you which type of gasoline you would like, and will tell you that the counter on the pump shows “zero” before filling up the fuel.

You can ask the attendant to either fill up the tank (lleno), or to add a specific amount in Mexican pesos.

Payment Methods

You can pay for your gasoline in Mexico in cash or by using a credit card.

However, it is always a good idea to carry cash. The first reason for this is that the card payment system of the gas station is not working when you fill up your gas – especially in remote areas. This is common.

The second reason is that some practices at gas stations might be scams, so if you suspect this, never pay by card and use cash.

Paying by Card – Watch out for Skimming

A great place for criminals to skim (copy) your card’s details is the gas station.

Here are some tips that can help you to check that your card’s details are not getting skimmed:

• Skimming devices location: Know that skimming devices often rest hidden alongside or below commonly used payment terminals. So, check how the card and the payment terminal are handled. It is best when your card uses a chip and PIN.
• Keep eyes on an attendant: Never let the attendant go out of sight with your card. He or she should bring a portable card payment machine to the car and not leave the site.
• Pay close attention: Do not get distracted, and pay close attention to how the card is handled.
• Use credit cards: Use credit cards instead of debit cards, as it is harder to get your money back from a debit card. Banks are often easier towards clients when it comes to returning money/letting payments go after skimming when it was done with a credit card.
• Keep an eye on your account: Make sure to check your account while traveling, to see if all transactions on the card are made by you, after you use it at a gas station.

Additional Services

Gas stations in Mexico come with additional services, which you might need.

Examples are an attendant that cleans the windshield for you, checks or fills your oil, fills your vehicle with water or coolant, replaces your windshield wiper blades, or checks your tire pressure. You pay for these services and can give an additional tip.

Tipping at Gas Stations

Whenever an attendant at a gasoline station fills up your tank, they should be tipped. Usually, a tip between 10 to 20 MXN pesos is given.

If additional services are performed, such as checking the oil or tire pressure, you may want to add another extra 10 to 20 MXN pesos.

Convenience Stores

Gas stations in Mexico often come with convenience stores. You can find a lot of foods, beverages, coffee, hot and cold snacks, personal hygiene, and pharmaceutical products in these stores.

Often, restrooms are inside the convenience store or can be found adjacent to it.

If you need to recharge the calling credit (saldo) for your phone, you can also do that at a convenience store. Examples of such stores are Oxxo and GoMart, amongst others.

At some gas stations, you can also find renowned brands such as Starbucks, Carl’s Jr., or Subway. It is also common to find a local restaurant that serves Mexican food.

Gas Station Scams

Besides the aforementioned skimming scams when you pay by card at a gas station, there are other scams to watch out for when you fill up your tank in Mexico.

• Not zeroing the gas pump: A scam that is most heard of is not zeroing the gas pump (your amount in liters will start running with another amount still in place). You can avoid this easily by checking the zeros on the liters, by watching the numbers on the pump.
• Incorrect receipt: An extension to this scam is that the amount on the receipt is not correct. Always make sure that the amount on your receipt coincides with the amount mentioned on the pump.
• Give wrong change: If you opt for a cash payment, make sure to check your change. Sometimes, attendants give you change for a smaller bill than what you gave them. It is always a good idea to count the pesos as you hand them to the attendant and to count them once the attendant hands you your change.
• Double charges: When paying by card, you should also watch out for double charges. Avoid this by paying in cash or by setting up notifications that alert you with any attempt of purchase.

This is an active enforcement area. In 2025 and 2026, the consumer agency Profeco cracked down on “litros incompletos” (incomplete liters), filing dozens of complaints against stations that pumped less fuel than they charged for, and the Supreme Court confirmed Profeco can fine them. A simple defense is to know your tank size: if it holds 40 liters and the pump shows 45 went in, something is off. You can report a station to Profeco.

Apart from these scams, it is never a good idea to leave your vehicle unattended with your personal belongings inside. Especially when it comes to gas stations alongside highways.

Always take everything of value out of the car, such as bank cards, cash, identification documents, phones, laptops, etc. Make sure to return to the vehicle as soon as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the MXN24 gas price limit a law?

No. The government describes it as a voluntary strategy with gas station owners. Regular gas has stayed under MXN24 a litre in most of the country since 1 March 2025, and the deal was renewed for six more months in August 2026. Nobody can promise prices after a renewal ends, so check current prices before you budget.

Is diesel cheaper than regular gas in Mexico?

No. Diesel averaged MXN27.00 a litre on 1 October 2026, which is MXN3.31 more than regular at MXN23.69. Border zones have a lower diesel ceiling of MXN25.39 a litre, set under the same voluntary deal.

Where can I check gas prices before I fill up?

Profeco’s Quién es Quién en el Precio de la Gasolina site posts a new report every week. It lists the stations with the highest and lowest prices, using prices that stations report to the energy regulator. Profeco calls them reference prices, since a station can change its price at any time.

How do I report a station that gives short measures?

Keep your receipt and report the station to Profeco. In December 2025, Profeco said it had checked 230 stations and filed 43 complaints with the federal prosecutor for selling incomplete litres. Its release points consumers to the station map at alertas.gob.mx/estaciones and to the email [email protected].

Now, On to You

We hope that you feel more confident the next time you have to fill up your gas in Mexico after having read this article. At least, you now know what to expect and how to react.

If you want to know more about road regulations and driving conditions, check out our other article on how to drive in Mexico. Safe travels!

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