Up 70% so far this year, coffee prices have been smashing records, turbo-charged by a perfect storm of factors. Today, the cost of arabica beans, the world’s most popular variety, is at a near-50-year high, with experts warning it could take years for the price to fall meaningfully.

Whether you're partial to an espresso, a skinny cappuccino or a pumpkin spice latte, you've probably become accustomed to paying through the nose for your daily caffeine fix. But costs do differ dramatically from country to country.

Using data from Numbeo, the world's largest cost of living database, read on to discover the average price of a cup of coffee in 35 selected nations, based on the typical cost in the capital or other major city.

All dollar amounts in US dollars. Prices correct as of December 2024.

Extreme weather in Brazil and Vietnam, the world's top two coffee-producing nations, has decimated crop yields. Colombia, the third biggest producer, is also struggling with its harvests as escalating costs have forced farmers to cut back on fertiliser. Other factors driving up prices include new EU deforestation rules, higher staff and energy costs, supply-chain disruptions and a shift among Vietnamese growers to the smelly yet extremely lucrative durian fruit. Cafés have also been impacted by ballooning dairy costs, pushing up the price of milky coffees.

In the meantime, coffee is reaching new heights of popularity and demand has mushroomed, particularly in Asia. Given all the factors at play, it's little surprise prices have gone through the roof.

Numbeo crowdsources data on all aspects of the daily cost of living in over 12,000 locations, including the typical price of a cup of coffee in 385 capitals and major cities around the world. The average cost relates to a regular cappuccino from a café, restaurant or other outlet serving coffee.

Now, let's find out what people are paying in 35 selected countries (including some of the world's biggest coffee producers) based on the typical price in the relevant capital or major city.

The cheapest of the 385 cities covered by Numbeo is the Libyan capital Tripoli, where a regular cappuccino costs just 60¢ (47p) typically. Incidentally, the average for all cities is $3.24 (£2.55).

Ethiopia is the world's fourth biggest coffee producer. This keeps prices low domestically as the nation doesn't depend on expensive imports, and the typical cost of a coffee in the capital, Adis Ababa, is just $1.13 (89p). That said, Ethiopia's small-scale growers are struggling with the EU's new deforestation regulations. This, together with increased export costs due to the ongoing Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, is leading to higher prices at home.

As we've mentioned, Colombia is the world's third-biggest coffee producer, growing 7% of the global total. Prices are on the rise but given Colombia's producer status and comparatively affordable living costs, a regular cappuccino in a café in Bogotá costs just $1.51 (£1.19) typically.

In any case, the higher prices are a boon to the 552,000 families in the country that depend on the coffee industry and have had it tough in recent years amid rising costs, according to El Espectador magazine.

Coffee is almost as synonymous with Italy as pasta and pizza, and the essential has long been economical in the country. A cappuccino in Rome is very reasonable by global standards, averaging just $1.58 (£1.24), while a single espresso shot costs just a euro ($1.06/83p) across Italy typically.

Affordable start-up expenses, economies of scale, tax-dodging and consumer resistance to price hikes are among the reasons costs are so low, according to UK newspaper The Telegraph. But with global coffee prices skyrocketing, the days of Italy's sacred euro espresso and cheap cappuccino could be numbered.

The leading producer globally, Brazil supplies 39% of the world's coffee and has the second-highest total consumption. Drought and other severe weather events have done the industry no favours of late, but prices at home remain relatively low.

In São Paulo, a regular cappuccino typically costs $1.83 (£1.44). And only one country has cheaper Starbucks prices, according to analysis by finance adviser SavingSpot, which compared prices of the chain's tall latte around the world.

Hot on Brazil's heels, Vietnam produces 17% of the planet's coffee, though the figure is waning. As previously mentioned, growers are reportedly taking advantage of a craze in China for expensive durian, ditching coffee to cultivate the notoriously smelly fruit, which is considered a delicacy in parts of Asia. Along with extreme weather, this has squeezed supplies and caused prices to climb.

In fact, readers of Vietnam's most popular newspaper recently bombarded its comments section with complaints about the rising cost of coffee in the country. Yet the typical price for a regular cappuccino in Ho Chi Minh City remains low from a global perspective at $1.90 (£1.52).

Retail prices for coffee have climbed considerably in South Africa over the past year, rising faster than any other food or beverage product, according to market research firm Eighty20. However, a regular cappuccino in a café or other outlet in Johannesburg remains relatively cheap at $2.06 (£1.62) on average.

Barista coffee prices are increasing at a much slower pace, thanks to a full-blown price war, business news website Businesstech reports. South Africa has a super-competitive coffee shop market, with many names including Woolworths Café, Vida e Caffé and Starbucks battling it out for a bigger piece of the pie.

Indonesia is the world's fifth biggest coffee producer, with 5% of the global market. Coffee shops in the nation have seen their profits fall as wholesale bean prices have risen, but many are reluctant to pass on the increased costs to the consumer.

In Jakarta, where a regular cappuccino costs only $2.35 (£1.85), fierce competition from mobile coffee sellers hawking milky coffee with palm sugar – the nation's go-to drink – at rock-bottom prices is keeping the lid on what cafés are willing to charge, as reported by Asia News Network.

Russia's coffee shop scene has changed since President Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022. Western chains have fled the country, with Starbucks replaced by a copycat with similar branding called Stars Coffee. Currency fluctuations and supply issues have prompted some cafés to settle for low-quality beans, while prices keep on rising.

Though only $2.44 (£1.92) at present, the average price of a regular cappuccino in Moscow – and indeed the rest of the country – is expected to increase by 30% in the coming months.

Having a coffee in a café in Spain remains affordable if you stay away from the big chains and opt for a local establishment. In Madrid, you can expect to pay a fairly reasonable $2.54 (£2) for a regular cappuccino.

Prices for the customer have, however, risen significantly since the pandemic. And that's not even factoring in this year's wholesale coffee bean price hikes, which will likely be passed on to consumers over the next year or so, according to Spanish media.

Tea is India's traditional beverage, but research from Mintel shows coffee has been making inroads, particularly among young people and more affluent sections of society. BBC News recently reported on the specialty coffee wave that has spread from the nation's big cities to its small towns.

Still, a large share of the population views coffee as unhealthy and expensive. A regular cappuccino costs an average of $2.62 (£2.06) in a café in Mumbai on average. While cheap from a Western point of view, this is steep for many locals, who can enjoy a cup of chai for a fraction of the price.

The Philippines is one of just a few countries in Asia where coffee is more popular than tea. The nation does grow coffee beans but demand outstrips supply sevenfold, so huge quantities have to be imported at a higher cost. And with global coffee prices climbing, cafés in the country are having their work cut out keeping prices affordable.

According to Numbeo, a regular cappuccino in Manila currently costs $2.63 (£2.07) on average, but the figure likely won't stay that low for much longer.

The world's ninth biggest producer, Peru grows some of the finest and most flavoursome coffee in the world. But most of it is exported. Amazingly, the country imports more than half the coffee it consumes, which pushes up domestic prices, despite being of poorer quality.

In Lima, a regular cappuccino averages $2.64 (£2.08). This may seem reasonable, but for many Peruvians, it's a considerable expense.

Coffee is becoming more popular in Malaysia, but per capita consumption remains low by international standards and the chances of teh tarik or 'pulled tea' being knocked off its pedestal as the national drink are next to zero. Bubble tea is another go-to choice.

Tea tends to be much cheaper, but a regular cappuccino won't break the bank in Kuala Lumpur, at least from a global standpoint, typically coming in at $2.87 (£2.26).

Coffee prices in Chile aren't the cheapest. A regular cappuccino from a café in Santiago comes with a typical price tag of $3.03 (£2.39), and it's rising.

Chile is a net importer of coffee, making it vulnerable to global price rises. And with coffee surging to all-time highs, prices in Chile could increase by up to 25%, according to finance professor Ricardo Úbeda of Santiago's Adolfo Ibáñez University, who voiced his concerns to economic newspaper Diario Financiero in November.

Mexico is the world's 10th biggest producer of coffee, yet the nation has to import large quantities of beans to meet domestic demand, which drives up prices. In Mexico City, a regular cappuccino costs a hefty $3.10 (£2.44), according to Numbeo.

Mexico's coffee production has declined by 60% since its peak in 1989, with climate change among the main culprits, according to a study led by the University of Berkeley's Katherine K Ennis.

The herbal drink maté is Argentina's staple beverage, but coffee is gaining ground in the country. Specialty coffee shops are booming in Buenos Aires, according to French newspaper Le Monde. But a barista coffee is pretty much a luxury for lower-income locals.

Although inflation has finally dipped in the nation, a regular cappuccino in a café in Buenos Aires costs an average of $3.29 (£2.59), a price the less well-off residents of the city are unlikely to want to pay.

In Sydney, a regular cappuccino will cost you $3.29 (£2.59) on average, much less than you can expect to pay in New York, London or Paris.

Intense competition is keeping prices low, according to top restaurateur Lincoln Testa. But with the country's coffee shops buckling under the strain of increased costs and rising wholesale bean prices, it could be only a matter of time before Aussies feel the pinch.

New Zealand's coffee shop sector is also hotly contested, and it's no coincidence that the price of a regular cappuccino in Auckland is almost the same as in Sydney.

Nevertheless, inflated running costs, the weak New Zealand dollar and higher wholesale bean prices mean many cafés have no choice but to charge more. Amid these challenges, the price of a regular takeaway coffee is rising at its fastest pace in a decade, according to the latest figures from StatsNZ.

A regular cappuccino in Tokyo is typically priced at $3.35 (£2.64), which exceeds the global average of $3.24 (£2.55).

Coffee prices in Japan aren't extortionate, but they have been rising over the past few years. Traditional kissaten coffee shops, global chains and specialty outlets can be on the expensive side, but coffee from convenience outlets like Konbini and 7-Eleven, which compete aggressively on price, costs as little as 100 yen (67¢/53p) a cup.

A regular cappuccino costs $3.37 (£2.65) in Istanbul on average, according to Numbeo. Tea is the nation's number-one beverage, but traditional Turkish coffee is an institution in the country, and modern coffee shop culture is gaining traction. And no wonder.

Türkiye has the cheapest Starbucks prices in the world, according to the SavingSpot analysis. Prices in the country are around seven times cheaper than those in the most expensive nation, making it a haven for fans of the chain.

Tea is also top dog in China, but coffee has taken off massively in recent years. Despite the wider economic downturn, coffee shops are thriving.

Luckin Coffee, the country's leading chain, offers prices nearly a third lower than Starbucks and is rapidly expanding both domestically and internationally. Other chains are following suit and a raging price war has developed, which is keeping costs relatively low for the customer. In Beijing, a regular cappuccino is priced at $3.56 (£2.80) typically.

A cup of regular cappuccino typically costs $3.85 (£3.03) in Berlin, but the average price was quite a bit lower before the pandemic.

The post-COVID inflation crisis has bumped up prices in the city's cafés. In April, specialty chain Coffee Circle added as much as 60 euro cents (63¢/50p) to the cost of each drink, blaming the hikes on higher material and energy costs, and heavier investments to maintain relationships with producers and suppliers. And with global wholesale coffee bean prices obliterating records, further price rises in Berlin's cafés seem inevitable.

Rising costs and soaring wholesale bean prices have made grabbing a coffee out and about a whole lot more expensive in Canada this year, with the average price of a latte in the country now eclipsing CA$5 ($3.55/£2.80), according to data tech firm Square.

A regular cappuccino from a café in Toronto is even more expensive, coming in at $3.90 (£3.07) typically, though bargains are to be had. For instance, the chain Tim Hortons charges just $2.49 (£1.96) for its regular cap.

Brussels is among the more economical European capitals for barista coffee, with a regular cappuccino costing $3.95 (£3.11) on average. But as is the case all over the world, prices are climbing.

Belgians should expect to pay an additional 20 euro cents (21¢/17p) for their cup of coffee in the future, according to Fair Trade cooperative Ethiquable.

The price of a coffee in France has risen considerably since the pandemic for many of the reasons already mentioned. In Paris, the average cost of a regular cappuccino is now $4.21 (£3.31).

However, prices vary considerably in the city. An analysis by FranceHotelGuide.com shows an espresso can cost as little as a euro ($1.06/82p) in a neighbourhood café, rising to as much as 14 euros ($14.80/£11.72), which is what you'll pay at the mega-luxe WINDO Skybar in the Hyatt Regency hotel.

The Netherlands has the world's eighth-highest coffee consumption per capita at 1.79 cups per day. But café culture is declining in the country, with higher prices partly to blame. A regular cappuccino now costs an average of $4.21 (£3.31) in Amsterdam.

The number of bars and cafés in the country has decreased by a third since 2007, according to Statistics Netherlands, and the past few years have been particularly challenging for the nation's hospitality industry.

At 2.03 cups per day, Austria has the second highest coffee consumption per capita among the countries in our round-up and the fifth highest globally, according to coffee company Cafely.

In Vienna, which is renowned for its splendid coffee houses, a regular cappuccino typically costs $4.22 (£3.32). It's set to cost even more as global wholesale bean prices continue to rise, warns Johann Brunner, managing director of the Austrian Coffee and Tea Association.

Tea may be Ireland's national drink, but 78% of Irish adults drink coffee every day, according to the Bewley's Coffee Consumption Report. Café culture is now ubiquitous in the nation. Dublin, where a regular cappuccino costs $4.23 (£3.33) on average, boasts the highest concentration of cafés in Europe, according to a 2022 study by mattress firm Each Night.

But escalating prices could end up souring the nation's love affair with the beverage. According to Irish public service broadcaster RTE, a large Starbucks cappuccino has increased in price by 16.5% since 2020, while a large mocha is 18.6% more expensive.

Coffee is king in Norway, and the nation has a per capita coffee consumption of 2.57 cups per day. 

Café culture is said to have taken hold during Norway's period of prohibition between 1917 and 1927, with coffee becoming the beverage of choice for many Norwegian adults. And while the average cost of a regular cappuccino in Oslo stands at a pricey $4.38 (£3.47), coffee is a lot cheaper than alcohol in the Nordic capital.

Coffee prices have shot up in Singapore over the past couple of years, with a regular cappuccino now averaging $4.62 (£3.66) in the city-state.

Homegrown chains like Ya Ya Kun Kaya Toast and specialty indies, not to mention Starbucks and other global names, have all hiked prices. Prices have increased so much that 31% of Singaporeans are buying less from cafés or coffee joints and brewing coffee at home more often, according to a recent YouGov survey.

Tea is a quintessential part of the British way of life but recent surveys suggest coffee has now usurped it as the UK's favourite beverage, with younger people leading the charge. And by 2030, coffee shops are expected to outnumber pubs in the nation. But surging costs could end up thwarting coffee's great takeover.

In London, the average price of a regular cappuccino has climbed to $4.71 (£3.73), with the cost of a typical takeaway coffee likely to surpass $6.39 (£5) across the entire country within three to five years, analyst Jeffrey Young told The Telegraph in May 2024.

Unsurprisingly, perhaps, the US has the highest total coffee consumption in the world and imports more of the commodity than any other country. With the cost of imported coffee up 65% since 2021, Americans are feeling the pain. Prices for consumers have risen over 20% since April 2023 alone. New Yorkers have it especially hard, given a regular cappuccino now averages $5.85 (£4.63) in the Big Apple.

The good news is the nation's leading chain, Starbucks, has promised not to raise prices in 2025 as it grapples with a decline in sales and increased competition from more affordable rivals like Dutch Bros.

Coffee prices in the UAE aren't for the penny-pinching. Prices are especially steep in Dubai, where a regular cappuccino averages $5.87 (£4.65).

Staffing, rents and other costs are high in the Emirate, as are overheads such as government fees and marketing, according to an industry insider. Factor in the higher global prices for wholesale beans – the UAE imports all of its coffee – and it's easy to see why the beverage is so pricey there.

Coffee prices in Switzerland have risen for the fifth year in a row, according to industry body CafetierSuisse.

Barista brews have never been cheap in the affluent nation, but prices have reached extortionate levels, with the cost of a regular cappuccino now $6.15 (£4.78) in Zurich, according to Numbeo. And nowhere will you pay more for a Starbucks coffee, with Switzerland the most expensive country for the chain's products.

The Danes drink just over two cups of coffee a day on average, and Denmark is ranked sixth globally for per capita consumption. It might be a staple, but the price of a barista coffee in the country is anything but basic from an international perspective. A regular cappuccino costs $6.31 (£5.00) on average in Aarhus, which makes it the most expensive city in the world for a cup of coffee, according to Numbeo.

Everything from staffing costs and rents to taxes are expensive in Denmark, so cafés have to charge a premium, otherwise they wouldn't be viable. Thankfully, wages in the nation are high to match.

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