In the 17th century, coffee beans began to be traded globally and coffee became widely popular as a morning drink. Coffee houses sprang up, first in Europe and later the American colonies. Patrons of these coffee houses would meet to drink coffee, exchange news, conduct business or just enjoy conversation.
As coffee grew in popularity, coffee beans were planted widely around the world. By the end of the 18th century, coffee had become one of the world’s most profitable crops, and today, it’s the most widely traded commodity after oil.
Coffee drinking around the world continues to increase as countries that traditionally had strong tea-drinking traditions, such as China, Japan and Taiwan, increase their coffee consumption. This explosion of coffee drinking has led to a great deal of research about the effects of caffeine on the human body, to the development of new brewing techniques, the creation of new coffee drinks and a shared love across cultures of the bitter, black brew.
Or as the National Coffee Association puts it, coffee is now “a culture, an economy, an art, a science and a passion.”
But how much does coffee cost around the world? UBS surveyed locals in different global cities to find “how much a cup of the beverage in a typical coffee shop costs.” Prices, of course, vary based on cost of living in the city and coffee’s cultural cachet in the area, among other things.
The prices in this 25-city list, which are ordered from lowest to highest, are averages. Cities will always have individual outlets where the price is higher or lower.
Istanbul, Turkey
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Price of a cup of coffee: $1.41
Coffee talk: The Ottoman Sultans were the first to drink roasted coffee beans and kept a coffee maker at court, chosen for their skills at brewing coffee and keeping secrets. Coffee houses in Istanbul were once places to read books, play chess and backgammon, and discuss poetry.
Local knowledge: The ancient city of Istanbul was ruled in turn by Greeks, Romans, Venetians and Ottomans, and known as Byzantium and Constantinople. Today, Istanbul is Turkey’s financial and cultural center with Byzantine churches, medieval mosques, palaces, bazaars, markets and Turkish baths, famous for the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.
Toronto, Canada
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Price of a cup of coffee: $2.23
Coffee talk: Despite the growing number of coffee shops, Canadians, according to Coffee Business Intelligence, still prefer to drink brewed coffee at home.
Local knowledge: Toronto ranks as one of the world’s most livable cities. One reason is Toronto’s cultural diversity; residents speak more than 140 different languages. Toronto is a financial and tech start-up center, with markets, museums, art galleries, aquarium, historic buildings and eclectic districts, like the historic Chinatown, giving it a vibrant buzz. The city’s parks, open spaces, beaches and islands help make Toronto a green city.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Price of a cup of coffee: $2.82
Coffee talk: The Netherlands is famous for “gezellig,” the feeling of being cozy, and curling up with a cup of coffee in one of Amsterdam’s small coffee houses is just the ticket.
Local knowledge: Tall, narrow 17th century gabled houses tower above the city’s network of canals in this scenic, walkable city. Packed with art museums, including those dedicated to Rembrandt and Van Gogh, art galleries, historic buildings and vintage shops, Amsterdam is also known for cutting-edge design, and its creative and tech start-up culture.
Los Angeles, USA
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Price of a cup of coffee: $2.87
Coffee talk: The annual Los Angeles Coffee Festival, held in November, offers coffee lovers tastings, workshops, barista demonstrations, coffee cocktails, street food and live music.
Local knowledge: Los Angeles is the center of the film and television industry in the U.S. Los Angeles also has 75 miles of coastline, including world-famous Venice Beach, sunny skies all year, an amazing food and brewing scene, museums and sports, as well as amusement parks such as Disneyland, Universal Studios and Knott’s Berry Farm.
London, United Kingdom
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Price of a cup of coffee: $3.88
Coffee talk: Coffee was introduced to England in 1652, and by 1660, London’s popular coffeehouses were called “Penny Universities” as patrons could get a cup of coffee for a penny and mix with artists, writers, poets, lawyers, politicians and philosophers.
Local knowledge: London’s history stretches back to the Roman era. Home to attractions such as Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, London Bridge, the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace. London is also known for museums, such as the British and Victoria & Albert Museums, West End theaters and its world famous Underground.
Athens, Greece
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Price of a cup of coffee: $3.98
Coffee talk: Traditional, finely-ground Greek coffee is actually a variant on Turkish coffee, that was introduced during Ottoman rule. Fortune tellers use the thick grounds left over in the cup after drinking to tell fortunes.
Local knowledge: Few cities can claim such an impressive array of modern and ancient landscapes blended together. Athens has archeological sites that date back to Classical Greece, including the famous Acropolis, temples, theaters, baths, tombs and the Agora, the commercial, political and religious center of the ancient city.
