World's Most Expensive Cups Of Coffee Are...Um...Expensive

by Jarrett Martineau | July 23, 2008 at 08:48 pm | 768 views | 18 comments

It's always fun to find posts like this, right at the point in the early evening when your energy is starting to fade and you find yourself craving a cup of java for a temporary brain boost. Considering my daily minimum espresso requirements, and the potential for each hit to cost me upwards of $10 a cup, it makes those fancy, free pour lattes seem almost affordable. Then again, maybe not.

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin must be rolling over in his grave. Just 17 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the one-time capital of communism is now home to the world's most expensive cup of coffee. The average cup of joe in Moscow is $10.19, including service, according to a new survey by the London office of U.S. consulting firm Mercer.
The rest of Europe isn't much kinder--coffee is $6.77 in Paris and $6.62 in Athens. International travelers looking to satisfy their caffeine cravings should look to South America and Africa for relief: At $2.03 per cup in Buenos Aires and $2.36 in Johannesburg, both continents offer relief to cash-strapped java seekers. New York is far from the most expensive, weighing in at a mere $3.75.

And interestingly, NYC is the only American city on the list...

Though it can feel expensive at times, New York isn't even among the top 20 most expensive cities, according to Mercer. This year the Big Apple slipped from No. 15 to No. 22 on the list, and is the only American city in the top 50.

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dole777

at 09:19 on July 24th, 2008

Drink made at the Coffee Collective in Kopenhagen, Denmark called shakerâto. Really delicious!

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swim-mamma

at 11:38 on July 24th, 2008

Who dosn't love a great cup of coffee first thing in the morning? Well, I certainly do. And lucky for me, I happen to make a great brew. So, I decided to take a picture of my favorite morning sight.

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Johnny Summerton

at 11:41 on July 24th, 2008

What always amazes me is that anyone in the States would pay for something that often amounts to little more than coloured water. But that's just the spoilt and snobby European in me.

Paschen

at 12:03 on July 24th, 2008

Well Japan runs at about $3.00 a cup, no refill though!

zichi

at 12:37 on July 24th, 2008

When visiting Japan, drink your coffee in quality hotels and you can drink as many as you want. Many also have cake 'viking' were you pay a fixed price and eat what you want.

Zhong Qin

at 13:05 on July 24th, 2008

The taste of this incrediblely strong black coffee is enhanced by a large dosage of milk and sugars. When coupled with a large proportion of ice, this drink is like drugs to coffee addicts. 14,000VND a glass for a glass of good stuff.

9 July 2008
Saigon

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perrys karavas

at 14:34 on July 24th, 2008

Perrys Karavas Greek Latte art champion, Photos from my practice for the world latte art championship

perrys karavas has contributed a photo to this story.

leilalu

at 15:02 on July 24th, 2008

mmmmm coffee. I for one will pay if it means organic and fair trade. Or just a really nice blend of the above.

jane coffee

at 15:31 on July 24th, 2008

This cup of coffee wasn't expensive. It was about 50 cents. I was in Nicaragua.

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FionaSara

at 00:02 on July 25th, 2008

Well I'm more interested in how much percentage of these profits the coffee farmers in the developing world are facing to get from these high-prices.

Paschen

at 10:36 on July 25th, 2008

Very low! Very, very Low!

Photodigs

at 01:06 on July 25th, 2008

Spanish coffee. Simple, yet elegant. Gets right to the point.

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Paschen

at 04:39 on July 25th, 2008

good stuff:

Jarrett Martineau, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Well I kept on coming back see the Coffee comments, maybe because I do like my cup of coffee in the morning and I am rather fussy about its origin and quality, same would go for my Afternoon Tea though!

lucysmycat

at 12:36 on July 25th, 2008

Singer Songwriter Martine Locke, traveled all the way from Australia for a great cup of coffee at Bjava Coffee and Tea in Indianapolis!
http://www.martinelocke.com/
http://bjavacoffeeandtea.com/

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maapu

at 14:34 on July 25th, 2008

i like medium roast bean-to-cup coffee... as simple as that (haha) ofcourse they must be fair trade.

shame lavazza is not fairtrade.

Christina 123

at 09:26 on July 27th, 2008

I have to say it is all to do with the water as when I visited Canada, coffee tasted horrible, thanks to the water!

My favourite coffee is Italian blend espresso. I know espresso coffee is made with the cheaper type of bean (small round) than the posh arabica (long and flat) which is yum, yum, but I LOVE MY ESPRESSO and have the equivalent of three double shots when I arrive at work, plus my own little machine at home (rarely drink more than two or three cups of this per diem, so please do not worry about my heart!).

In London, typically Starbucks or Costa will charge circa £2.25 for a standard Americano (filter with a shot of Espresso) (apx US$4.50). Not very nice stuff for the coffee snobs, who always head for the trad. Italian-style coffee houses instead.

zichi

at 12:19 on July 30th, 2008

this post turned into an interesting coffee "photo swarm"

Jonathan Duay

at 23:48 on August 5th, 2008

During a trip to Bangkok, Thailand, one of my friends, my fiancee and I went to one of Bangkok's shopping hot spots. While waiting for my fiancee to mop up her shopping, my friend and I decided to wait at Black Canyon Coffee shop.

I ordered the cappuccino, a drink I normally have during relaxation breaks. They served it in a slightly bigger than usual cup along with a small, sweet cookie to complement the coffee. It was great and right for its price.

They have a bit of utter confidence in the quality of their drinks. The cup says it all - "A taste of Paradise... Available on Earth."

Jonathan Duay has contributed a photo to this story.