- Guides
- Cost per cup
Guide
How much does a cup of specialty coffee cost at home?
Cost per cup is the bag price divided by the bag weight, times your dose.
Cost per cup by bag price and dose
| Bag | 15 g dose | 18 g dose | 20 g dose |
|---|---|---|---|
| $12 for 250 g | $0.72 | $0.86 | $0.96 |
| $16 for 250 g | $0.96 | $1.15 | $1.28 |
| $20 for 340 g | $0.88 | $1.06 | $1.18 |
| $28 for 340 g | $1.24 | $1.48 | $1.65 |
Examples only, calculated from the price, weight and dose shown. It leaves out water, filters, milk and equipment.
The hidden cost: dialing in
The first cups of a new bag are the ones most likely to taste off, and they cost the same as the good ones. Dialing in with fewer cups, by starting from a recipe that already worked for the same beans, saves real money on expensive bags. CuppaData shows the cost per cup for each bag and how many cups it took to get a good one.
Questions
How do I work out the cost of a cup?
Divide the bag price by the bag weight in grams, then multiply by the grams you use per cup.
Is specialty coffee at home cheaper than a cafe?
Almost always per cup. A bag costing $16 for 250 g gives about 16 cups at 15 g each, around $1 a cup before equipment.
How much do wasted cups cost?
Every cup you pour away while dialing in a new bag costs the same as a good one. Three poor cups on a $16 bag is about $3, a fifth of the bag.