Costco has raised the price of its Kirkland Signature full‑synthetic motor oil two‑pack to roughly $58—up from around $30 last year—and is limiting how much customers can buy as global oil disruptions ripple through U.S. markets, according to the Associated Press and the retailer’s website.
What changed at Costco
The Associated Press reported the roughly $58 price for a two‑pack of five‑quart Kirkland Signature full‑synthetic motor oil, compared with about $30 last year. Costco is limiting shoppers to two boxes per week and has also imposed purchase caps on some Mobil 1 motor oils, the AP reported. Costco’s website lists a limit of one transaction per membership and a maximum of two units every seven days for some Kirkland Signature full‑synthetic motor oils, according to the retailer.
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Attorney Antonio Moore wrote on X that rationing is a response to both shortages and consumer behavior, calling it “about runs on oil on top of the actual shortage” and warning drivers not to “get caught without enough” for an oil change. He also referred to a “possible consequence of the Strait of Hormuz closure in May.” These are his characterizations.
Why supply is tight
Brent crude climbed above $109 per barrel as the ongoing Iran war restricted oil flows and a major Saudi pipeline used to bypass the Strait of Hormuz remained largely shut down following an attack, according to the Associated Press.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration notes that motor oil is produced within the same refining system that yields gasoline, diesel and other petroleum products. Refineries can shift output only to a limited extent. On average, a 42‑gallon barrel of crude produces nearly 20 gallons of gasoline and more than 12 gallons of distillate fuel oil, compared with less than half a gallon of lubricants, the EIA reports.
Service chains feel the squeeze
“The blockage of the Strait of Hormuz has created challenges in terms of pricing and availability,” a Jiffy Lube spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF). The company said industry supply constraints can cause temporary spot outages of particular products at some independently owned locations, and that franchisees set prices based on local conditions.
Oil change prices across 15 major providers, including Jiffy Lube, Valvoline and Take 5, rose 6.2% between July 2025 and July 2026, according to automotive consulting firm Ducker Carlisle, as cited by the DCNF.
Beyond the oil aisle
Diesel prices reached $6.06 per gallon nationally on Friday, up from $3.71 a year earlier, according to AAA, heightening cost pressures for trucking, agriculture and construction.
The American Trucking Associations reports trucks moved 11.27 billion tons of freight in 2024, accounting for 72.7% of domestic freight tonnage—costs that can cascade to consumers via supply chains.
The DCNF report states that traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely constrained and that Saudi Arabia’s East‑West Pipeline—used to bypass the Strait—was shut down following a drone attack. It also cites surging transport costs for crude, including record daily earnings for supertankers from the Middle East to China and higher voyage costs from the U.S. Gulf Coast to China.
Costco did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment, according to that outlet.
