I've never had any trouble buying it locally. Originally, I used a local chemical supplier that supplies everything from acids, to solvents, and other chemicals used for manufacturing and cleaning; they are named "Gem City Chemicals". With them, I had to purchase 55gal drums along with a $25 drum deposit. The last time I purchased from them (several years ago) I paid around $109 for the methanol and $25 deposit. I found the large drum just too much trouble to deal with, so I started buying from a local oil company named "Duncan Oil Co." (the kind that sells heating oil) that also handles racing fuel and methanol (primarily for racers). I bought a couple of 15gal drums from my soap/chemical supplier, and use them to transport my methanol. I drive up to the pumps (exactly like a gasoline pump) and fill my drums (I usually don't put more than about 12gal per drum due to weight), go inside and pay the bill. The cost per gallon seems fairly consistent no matter where I price it around here; the only difference is convenience.