America’s most expensive states to buy a coffee – and New York isn’t even in the top 10
The average cost of a cup of coffee has risen enormously over the past twenty years: prices have risen by 43 percent.
Customers who once paid $2.15 for a regular coffee in 2004 now face an outlay of at least $3.08, while cold brews reached $5.14 and lattes $5.46.
The most expensive state in the US is Hawaii, where the typical cost of a regular blend is a hefty $4.98 – about 59 percent above the national average, according to research conducted by Toast.
Incredibly, New York City is rated as a relatively cheap place to grab one – with the most common price tag for a standard coffee at $3.24.
California is the second most expensive state, where a regular coffee costs $3.88, 26 percent higher than the national average. Californians also pay an average of $4.72 for tea, $6.19 for cold brew and $5.84 for a latte.
The average cost of a cup of coffee has increased by 43 percent over the past two decades, with prices rising from $2.15 in 2004 to $3.08 today
The most expensive place for a cup of coffee in the US is the island state of Hawaii, where the average price is a hefty $4.98 – about 59 percent above the national average
Washington state ranks third with a regular coffee price of $3.69, 19 percent higher than the national average.
Arizona comes in fourth, where the average coffee price is $3.51, about 14 percent more than the national average.
Massachusetts also ranks high, with an average coffee price of $3.49, which exceeds the national average by 13 percent. Tea costs $3.91 in Massachusetts, cold brew $4.97 and lattes $5.35.
Colorado is sixth on the list with an average coffee price of $3.43, while neighboring Utah is not far behind with an average price of $3.40 per cup.
In Florida, the average cost of coffee is $3.38, while in the Northeast, the average price paid by a caffeine drinker in Vermont is $3.32.
At the other end of the scale, Nebraska is the state with the lowest average coffee price, which is $2.12 – about 31 percent below the national average
Connecticut, New Jersey and New Mexico round out the top ten – an average of $3.31 per cup.
At the other end of the scale, the state with the lowest average coffee price is Nebraska, which is $2.12 – some 31 percent below the national average.
Other states with lower coffee prices include Montana, Kansas, North Dakota and West Virginia, with averages between $2.56 and $2.65.
The increase in coffee prices is mainly due to erratic weather patterns that affect coffee crops in major producing countries such as Vietnam, the second largest exporter of coffee beans after Brazil.
Despite the long-term increase in coffee prices, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that US coffee prices have fallen by about 2.5 percent compared to the same period last May.
A prolonged drought in Vietnam has had a significant impact on the harvest of Robusta coffee beans, crucial for espresso and instant coffee.
Since the 2023-2024 harvest in October, Vietnamese farmers have been short 150,000 to 200,000 tons of contracted beans.
The shortage has led to higher prices for consumers as supply struggles to meet demand.
Despite the long-term increase in coffee prices, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that US coffee prices have fallen by about 2.5 percent compared to the same period last May.