The sound speed in liquid methanol has been measured up to 280 MPa and in the temperature range between 203 K and 263 K, using a phase comparison pulse‐echo technique operating at 2 MHz. The density, isothermal compressibility, isobaric thermal expansion and the specific heat have been evaluated from the measured sound speed, together with the density and specific heat at 0.1 MPa. A modified computational method originally developed by Davis and Gordon was used. The derived density data have been used to examine the validity of several empirical equations of state.