Aussie slams ridiculous price for two coffees – and why it’s about to get even more expensive

A woman is furious after spending $15 for two coffees, while a cafe owner warns higher prices are on the way.

Phoebe Parsons, a Brisbane woman, said she ordered two small cappuccinos on New Year’s Day, one with oat milk and one with almond.

Despite knowing that the few cafes that were open would pass on the holiday surcharges to customers and increase the cost of her coffee, she still scoffed at the price in shock.

‘I understand why you have to do that professionally… (but) what?’ she said in one TikTok video.

Social media users were shocked by the costs, adding that they also spent huge amounts on a simple cup of coffee.

“Hubby paid $19.80 for two tiny, freezing long black shoes in Newcastle this morning,” one person commented, adding that she “nearly collapsed” in shock.

“I was just charged $8.10. I thought that was a bit much,” wrote a second.

“My iced latte today cost $13.80 including the surcharge,” a third wrote.

A fifth said they had stopped buying coffee away from home to save money.

“I just ended up buying a nice barista style coffee maker,” they wrote.

‘It’s been a game changer for me and my family, me and my husband get freshly brewed coffee.’

Others said costs were now ‘standard’, especially when you add in the cost of alternative milk and allowances for the higher hourly rate for staff on holiday.

One of them noted that the rising price of coffee beans was contributing to the rising operating costs of cafes.

“Realistically, most cafes would be lucky to make $0.50 profit on a $7-$8 coffee, once you take all costs into account,” they wrote.

Michael Whitehead, head of ANZ Agribusiness Insights, said the cost of coffee will continue to rise in small increments, alongside higher operating costs.

“A lot of people say, ‘I’m not going to pay $6 for coffee,’ but they do,” he said Yahoo.

Experts have warned that the cost of a standard coffee could continue to rise into 2025 due to pressure on living costs and the higher cost of beans.

The price of Australia’s favorite Arabica beans went as high as $5.45 per pound last year, the highest price in history and a record set in 1977.

The increase is partly due to environmental factors that are destroying crops in the few areas in the world that can grow the sensitive coffee plant.

Brazil, the world’s largest coffee producer, was hit by heavy rains in October before drought-like conditions emerged.

The second largest producer, Vietnam, has also been hit by drought-like conditions, further limiting the supply of coffee beans around the world.

However, the limited supply is just one of many pressures on cafes, with higher inflation leading to an increase in the costs of rent, utilities and ingredients.