# Gas Station Price Lookup

> Find the cheapest gas stations by region and check national average fuel prices.

## What is Gas Station Price Lookup?

The Gas Station Price Lookup tool provides real-time fuel price information from Korea National Oil Corporation's OPINET system (Oil Price Information Network). OPINET is Korea's official fuel price monitoring platform, established under the Petroleum and Alternative Fuel Business Act to promote price transparency in the domestic fuel market. Every gas station in South Korea is required by law to report its retail fuel prices to OPINET, making this the most comprehensive and authoritative source of fuel pricing data in the country. This tool allows you to search for the cheapest gas stations in any region of Korea, compare prices across fuel types (gasoline, diesel, LPG, and premium gasoline), and view national and regional average fuel prices with daily price change indicators. With over 11,000 gas stations operating across South Korea and price variations of 200-400 KRW per liter between the cheapest and most expensive stations in the same city, this tool can save drivers significant money on their annual fuel budget. Korean drivers spend an average of 1.5-2.5 million KRW per year on fuel, and consistently refueling at budget stations can reduce this cost by 10-15%.

## How to use

Step 1: Select your fuel type from the dropdown menu. Options include Gasoline (휘발유, the most common passenger car fuel), Diesel (경유, popular for SUVs and commercial vehicles), LPG (liquefied petroleum gas, used by taxis and LPG-converted vehicles), and Premium Gasoline (고급휘발유, high-octane fuel for performance vehicles). Choose the fuel type that matches your vehicle's requirements.

Step 2: Select a city or province (시/도) from the region dropdown. All 17 major administrative regions of South Korea are available, including Seoul, Gyeonggi, Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Daejeon, Gwangju, Ulsan, Sejong, and the provincial regions.

Step 3: Optionally select a specific district (시/군/구) within the chosen region for more localized results. If you select 'All,' the tool returns the cheapest stations across the entire city/province.

Step 4: Click the Search button to retrieve current fuel price data from OPINET.

Step 5: Review the results, which are organized into two main sections. The top section displays average fuel prices: the national average price, the regional average for your selected area, and the daily price change (increase or decrease from the previous day). The bottom section lists the top 20 cheapest gas stations in the selected region, showing station name, brand (SK, GS, Hyundai, S-Oil, etc.), price per liter in KRW, and full address. Use this information to find the most affordable refueling option near you or along your planned route.

## Price Information

National Average = Weighted average of retail fuel prices across all reporting gas stations nationwide. Weighted by volume sold at each station, giving more influence to high-volume stations. This figure is widely cited in Korean media as the benchmark fuel price indicator.

Regional Average = Weighted average of fuel prices among all stations within the selected city or province. Regional averages can vary significantly — Seoul typically has the highest prices due to higher rent and operating costs, while rural areas and cities with refinery proximity (Ulsan, Yeosu) tend to have lower prices.

Daily Change = The difference between today's national average and yesterday's national average, expressed in KRW per liter. Positive values indicate price increases; negative values indicate decreases. Fuel prices in Korea typically adjust daily based on international crude oil prices, exchange rates, and refinery gate prices.

Lowest Price = The cheapest fuel price found among all stations in the selected region for the chosen fuel type.

Fuel Price Composition (approximate for gasoline):
• Crude oil cost + refining margin: ~40-50% of retail price
• Transportation-Energy-Environment Tax: 529 KRW/L (fixed)
• Education Tax: 79.35 KRW/L (15% of above)
• Vehicle Driving Tax: 137.54 KRW/L (26% of energy tax)
• VAT: 10% of subtotal
• Station margin + distribution cost: remainder

Diesel has lower tax rates than gasoline, and LPG has the lowest tax among the three, which is why LPG is consistently the cheapest option per liter.

## Useful tips

1. Budget Gas Stations (알뜰주유소): The Korean government designates certain stations as 'Altteul' (budget) gas stations that consistently sell fuel below the regional average price. These include independent stations, agricultural cooperative (Nonghyup) stations, and some highway rest stop stations. Look for the 'Altteul' designation in search results for guaranteed below-market pricing. Budget stations save an average of 50-100 KRW per liter compared to brand-name stations.

2. Self-Service vs. Full-Service: Self-service stations (셀프) typically offer fuel at 30-80 KRW per liter less than full-service stations at the same brand. If you are comfortable pumping your own fuel, self-service is an easy way to reduce costs without changing your station preference.

3. Price Timing: Korean gas station prices tend to be lowest on weekdays (Tuesday-Thursday) and rise slightly on weekends when demand increases. Prices also tend to drop in the first half of the month and rise toward the end. While these patterns are not guaranteed, refueling mid-week can occasionally save a few won per liter.

4. International Oil Price Correlation: Korean retail fuel prices follow international crude oil prices with a lag of approximately 1-2 weeks. When you see news of falling international oil prices (Brent or WTI benchmarks), expect retail prices to drop within 1-2 weeks. Conversely, rising international prices signal upcoming domestic price increases — consider filling up sooner.

5. Regional Price Differences: Fuel prices can vary by 100-200+ KRW per liter between regions. If you regularly commute across regional boundaries, it may be worth refueling in the cheaper region. Areas near refineries (Ulsan area) and rural regions generally have lower prices than urban centers.

6. Fuel Efficiency Driving: Beyond finding cheap fuel, driving habits significantly affect fuel costs. Maintaining steady speeds (80-100 km/h on highways), avoiding rapid acceleration, keeping tires properly inflated, removing unnecessary cargo weight, and using cruise control can improve fuel efficiency by 10-20%. Combined with smart station selection, these practices can save hundreds of thousands of KRW annually.

## FAQ

### Q. How often are fuel prices updated?

Korea National Oil Corporation (KNOC) collects retail fuel prices from gas stations across the country on a daily basis. Stations are required by law to report their current prices, and the OPINET system is updated each day, typically by mid-morning. Our tool caches the price data for 1 hour to ensure responsive performance, meaning you will see the most recent daily prices within a short delay. Note that individual station prices may change during the day (especially for stations that adjust prices frequently), so the displayed price represents the most recently reported figure.

### Q. What are 'Altteul' (budget) gas stations?

Altteul (알뜰) gas stations are a government-initiative program by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to provide consumers with affordable fuel options. These budget stations are required to sell fuel at prices significantly below the regional average — typically 50-100+ KRW per liter cheaper than brand-name stations. The program includes three types: independent low-price stations, agricultural cooperative (Nonghyup/Nong-hyeop) stations, and designated highway rest stop stations. Altteul stations purchase fuel through competitive bidding from multiple refiners rather than being tied to a single brand, allowing them to secure lower wholesale prices that are passed on to consumers.

### Q. Do the displayed prices include taxes?

Yes, all displayed prices are final consumer prices (소비자가격) that include the complete tax burden. For gasoline, the taxes embedded in the retail price include: Transportation-Energy-Environment Tax (529 KRW/L), Education Tax (79.35 KRW/L, 15% surcharge on energy tax), Vehicle Driving Tax (137.54 KRW/L, 26% surcharge on energy tax), and Value Added Tax (10% of the subtotal). In total, taxes account for approximately 50-55% of the retail gasoline price. Diesel has a lower tax structure, which is why it is consistently cheaper than gasoline despite similar refining costs.

### Q. Why are fuel prices different between gas stations in the same neighborhood?

Fuel prices can vary by 50-200 KRW per liter even between stations on the same street due to several factors: (1) Brand affiliation — major brands (SK Energy, GS Caltex, Hyundai Oilbank, S-Oil) may have different wholesale pricing and brand premiums; (2) Real estate costs — stations in prime locations with high land values pass those costs to consumers; (3) Service level — full-service stations charge more than self-service stations; (4) Volume — high-volume stations can operate on thinner margins due to greater turnover; (5) Competition — stations in areas with many competitors tend to price more aggressively. Budget and independent stations without brand affiliations typically have the lowest prices because they avoid brand royalty fees and can source fuel from multiple refiners.

### Q. How much money can I save by consistently refueling at the cheapest stations?

The savings can be substantial over a year. If you drive an average Korean passenger car (approximately 15,000 km/year at 12 km/L fuel efficiency = 1,250 liters/year), and you save an average of 80 KRW per liter by choosing budget stations over brand-name stations, your annual savings would be approximately 100,000 KRW. In regions with larger price spreads (200+ KRW/L between cheapest and most expensive), the savings can exceed 250,000 KRW per year. For families with two vehicles or drivers with longer commutes, the savings multiply accordingly. Combined with self-service refueling and strategic timing, total annual fuel savings of 150,000-300,000 KRW are achievable for the average Korean driver.