How Much Is an Oil Change? (2026 Prices)

An oil change costs about $35–$75 with conventional oil, $45–$100 with synthetic blend and $70–$125 with full synthetic at quick-lube shops in 2026, for up to 5 quarts. Doing it yourself costs about $21–$37 (conventional) to $33–$52 (full synthetic) in parts; dealers average around $100.

Sources: chain websites, dated public reporting and owner's manuals (below) · Prices as of 2026-11-07 · By CarWhere Research · Methodology

Oil change cost by oil type

Oil typeQuick-lube shop (up to 5 qt)DIY parts (5 qt + filter)
Conventional$35–$75[1],[2]$21–$37[5],[6],[12]
Synthetic blend$45–$100[1],[2],[3]$25–$39[7],[12]
Full synthetic$70–$125[1],[2],[3],[4]$33–$52[8],[9],[12]
Dealer service department~$100 average[1]—

Before coupons, tax and disposal/shop fees. Prices vary by location. Ranges as of 2026-11-07; see the methodology below.

Oil change cost estimator

Pick a vehicle to use the oil type and capacity from its owner’s manual, or enter your own quarts and oil type.

2020 Nissan Altima 2.0L VC-Turbo 4-cylinder (KR20DDET): 5 qt of 5W-30 (full synthetic), per the owner’s manual. Full Nissan Altima breakdown →

Do it yourself

$33–$52

5 qt of oil + a filter, retail parts only

Quick-lube shop

$70–$125

Before coupons, tax and shop fees; varies by location

Oil change prices at major chains

ChainPosted priceWhat we found
Take 5 Oil ChangeNo national price postedTake 5's coupon page (Nov 2026) offers $15 off a Core, Complete or Ultimate oil change (delivered by email or text), 25% off any oil change for veterans and military, and 15% off for rideshare drivers; one coupon per oil change at participating locations.
Valvoline Instant Oil ChangeNo national price postedA Carlisle, PA store page (Nov 2026) lists coupons for $15 off a full synthetic or synthetic blend oil change and $12 off a conventional oil change, valid through Dec 7, 2026.
Jiffy LubeNo national price postedA $10-off Signature Service coupon was listed as available nationwide (Nov 2026).
Walmart Auto Care CenterConventional: $38.88[16]Full synthetic: $62.88–$76.88[16]Walmart raised the price of its oil-change services "by a few dollars" in late summer 2026, as base-oil costs rose.
MidasFull synthetic: $70.00[17]Between Aug 1 and Sep 30, 2026, participating Midas locations in the U.S. and Canada offered a full synthetic oil change for $70 plus a disposal fee, with a free tire rotation and digital inspection.
MeinekeSet by each storeExample: a Dallas store’s coupons list synthetic blend at $49.95 and full synthetic at $69.95, each up to 5 quarts.[3]
Firestone, Pep BoysNo national price postedPriced by location; we could not verify a current posted price, so we don’t list one.
CostcoNo oil changesCostco Tire Centers don’t offer oil changes; Costco sells oil for DIY.[21],[8]

Why oil changes cost more in 2026

  • A Group III base-oil shortage pushed motor-oil costs up from May 2026; low-viscosity synthetics such as 0W-20 were hit hardest.[15]
  • Valvoline expected finished lubricant costs about 60% above March levels, or roughly $5–$7 more per oil change, and took pricing actions.[14]
  • Costco’s Kirkland full synthetic two-pack (10 quarts) went from about $30 to $57.99, with a two-per-week limit.[8],[9]
  • In Chicago, one shop’s 5-quart synthetic oil change went from about $65–$75 to $95–$110.[4]
  • Walmart raised its oil change prices by a few dollars in late summer 2026.[15]

What drives the price of an oil change

  • Oil type. Full synthetic costs the most; many newer engines specify 0W-20 or 0W-16, which are sold almost only as synthetic or synthetic blend.
  • Capacity. Packages cover about 5 quarts. A 5.3L Silverado takes 8 quarts and a 6.7L Power Stroke 13–15, so extra quarts add $5–$10 each.[2]
  • Spec. Engines that require a specific approval (GM dexos1, Ford WSS specs, European approvals) narrow the oils a shop can use.
  • Filter. A standard spin-on filter is included; cartridge or premium filters can cost more.
  • Location. Franchise stores set their own prices; the same chain can differ by city.
  • Vehicle type. Luxury vehicles typically run 25–40% higher; diesels need heavy-duty oil and more of it.[2]

Oil change cost by vehicle

VehicleYearsCapacity rangeShop estimate (newest year)
Nissan Altima oil change cost2010–20204.88 qt–5.38 qt$70–$135
Nissan Rogue oil change cost2010–20204.88 qt–4.9 qt$70–$125
Ford F-150 oil change cost2010–20246 qt–7.75 qt$40–$105
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 oil change cost2010–20264.5 qt–8.5 qt$75–$155
Ford Super Duty oil change cost2006–20268 qt–15 qt$50–$175
Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD / 3500HD oil change cost2013–202610 qt–10 qt$60–$125

Capacity and oil type from manufacturer owner’s manuals. Looking up the oil itself? See oil type by vehicle and oil capacity.

How often do you need an oil change?

Follow the interval in your owner’s manual or the car’s oil-life monitor rather than a fixed 3,000-mile rule; many manuals also give a shorter “severe service” interval for towing, dusty roads or lots of short trips. Oil cost per year is the per-change price times the number of changes your miles require, so a longer manual interval saves more than a coupon.

How to pay less for an oil change

  • Use chain coupons: Take 5 lists $15 off, Jiffy Lube $10 off nationwide, and Valvoline store pages $12–$15 off (Nov 2026).[18],[19],[20]
  • Buy only the oil your manual requires. If it allows conventional or blend, a full synthetic upsell is optional.
  • Know your capacity before you go, so an extra-quart charge isn’t a surprise.
  • Compare a posted-price chain (Walmart) with a coupon at a quick lube.[16]
  • DIY: buy oil in 5-quart jugs or warehouse-club packs instead of single quarts.

Methodology

CarWhere Research built these ranges from chains’ own websites (posted prices, coupons and quart policies) and dated public reporting, checked 2026-11-07. A chain shows a price only when it posts one; we don’t estimate a specific chain’s price. Per-vehicle estimates use the oil grade, spec and capacity (with filter) from the manufacturer’s owner’s manual, rounded up to whole quarts:

  • DIY = quarts × retail oil price per quart + a filter ($4.00–$15.00).[12] Per quart: conventional $3.40–$4.40[5],[6]; synthetic blend $4.20–$4.80[7]; full synthetic $5.80–$7.35[8],[9]; diesel (heavy-duty) $4.00–$6.25[10],[11].
  • Shop = the typical package price for the oil type (covering 5 quarts) + $5–$10 for each quart over 5.[13],[2] No national diesel quick-lube price is published, so diesel estimates use the conventional package plus extra quarts.
  • Oil type comes from the manual: full synthetic when the manual says so or the grade is 0W-xx; synthetic blend for GM dexos oils; conventional-oil pricing when the manual's grade and spec don't name synthetic (a blend or synthetic meeting the same spec costs more); diesel for heavy-duty diesel specs.
  • Estimates exclude tax, disposal and shop fees, and add-on services. The 2026 base-oil shortage is moving prices; we re-check sources and date every range.

Oil change prices by chain

Take 5 oil change pricesValvoline oil change pricesJiffy Lube oil change pricesWalmart oil change pricesMidas oil change prices

Frequently asked questions

How much is an oil change in 2026?

At quick-lube shops, about $35–$75 for conventional oil, $45–$100 for synthetic blend and $70–$125 for full synthetic, for up to 5 quarts and a filter, before coupons. Dealers average around $100. Engines that take more oil cost more.

How much is a full synthetic oil change?

Typically $70–$125 at a quick-lube or auto-service shop in 2026. Walmart lists full synthetic packages from $62.88 to $76.88, and Midas ran a $70 full synthetic national offer in Aug–Sep 2026. Doing it yourself costs about $33–$52 for 5 quarts and a filter.

Why did oil changes get more expensive in 2026?

A shortage of Group III base oil, the main ingredient in synthetic motor oil, pushed costs up from May 2026. Valvoline said it expected about $5 to $7 more per oil change, Costco raised its Kirkland two-pack from about $30 to $57.99, and Walmart raised its oil change prices by a few dollars.

Does Costco do oil changes?

No. Costco Tire Centers sell and install tires but no longer offer oil changes. Costco does sell motor oil, including Kirkland full synthetic, for do-it-yourself changes.

Is it cheaper to change your own oil?

Yes, on parts: about $21–$37 for conventional and $33–$52 for full synthetic (5 quarts plus a filter), versus $35–$75 and $70–$125 at a shop. DIY needs tools, a way to lift the car safely and a place to recycle the used oil.

Do oil change places charge extra for more than 5 quarts?

Usually. Quick-lube packages generally cover up to 5 quarts (Jiffy Lube's Signature Service says "up to five quarts"), and each additional quart typically adds $5–$10. Many V8 trucks take 6 to 8 quarts, and heavy-duty diesels 10 to 15.

Sources

  1. SoFi, Average Cost of an Oil Change (2026-03-06), accessed 2026-11-07.
  2. Grease Monkey, Oil Change Cost in Denver, Colorado: 2026 Complete Pricing Guide (2026-05-15), accessed 2026-11-07.
  3. Meineke (Dallas store), Store coupons: synthetic blend and full synthetic oil change, accessed 2026-11-07.
  4. Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago drivers paying more for oil changes as motor oil costs climb (2026-10-02), accessed 2026-11-07.
  5. Tractor Supply, Traveller Conventional Motor Oil SAE 5W-30, 5 qt (listing), accessed 2026-11-07.
  6. Southern States, Oil 5W-30, 5 qt (listing), accessed 2026-11-07.
  7. Walmart, Castrol oil listings (GTX 5W-30 and GTX High Mileage, 5 qt), accessed 2026-11-07.
  8. Associated Press (via Local 10), Costco raises price for Kirkland motor oil, sets purchase limit (2026-09-14), accessed 2026-11-07.
  9. Entrepreneur, Costco's motor oil price jumped from $30 to $58 (2026-09-17), accessed 2026-11-07.
  10. H-E-B, Shell Rotella T4 SAE 15W-40, 1 gal (listing), accessed 2026-11-07.
  11. Kill Devil Diesel, Shell Rotella T4 15W-40, 1 gallon jug (listing), accessed 2026-11-07.
  12. Walmart, FRAM Extra Guard Oil Filter, PH7317 (listing), accessed 2026-11-07.
  13. Jiffy Lube, Jiffy Lube Signature Service Oil Change with Pennzoil, accessed 2026-11-07.
  14. Valvoline Inc. (earnings call transcript via Earnings Whispers), Valvoline Q3 fiscal 2026 earnings call (2026-08-05), accessed 2026-11-07.
  15. The Drive, Oil changes are getting a lot more expensive at Walmart and Costco (2026-09-28), accessed 2026-11-07.
  16. Walmart, Oil Change Service (Auto Care Center packages), accessed 2026-11-07.
  17. Franchising.com (Midas press release), Midas expands "Midas Is the Best" campaign with new tire-focused chapter (2026-08-17), accessed 2026-11-07.
  18. Take 5 Oil Change, Oil Change Coupons, accessed 2026-11-07.
  19. Jiffy Lube, Oil change coupons, accessed 2026-11-07.
  20. Valvoline Instant Oil Change (Carlisle, PA store page), Oil Change in Carlisle, PA, accessed 2026-11-07.
  21. SlashGear, Does Costco change oil? What to know about its automotive services (2024-10-29), accessed 2026-11-07.