It might not feel like it as the cost of a cup of coffee seems to go up all the time, but Melbourne has been named one of the world’s top 10 most affordable cities to enjoy a daily coffee. The claim has been made in a new international report analysing the price of caffeine against average local wages.
The report by Chef’s Pencil, using data from the Numbeo cost-of-living index, compared 180 cities worldwide to see how accessible coffee is for locals. While Swiss cities Geneva and Bern topped the list- despite cappuccinos costing more than $9 AUD – both required just 2.4 per cent of the average monthly salary for a daily brew.
Melbourne ranked tenth overall, just behind Sydney in eighth place. The report found Melburnians pay an average of $5.45 AUD for a cappuccino, with a daily coffee accounting for 2.7 per cent of the average monthly wage. Sydney’s average price was slightly lower at $5.14 AUD – taking up 2.6 per cent of income.
The findings reinforce Australia’s reputation for coffee accessibility and café culture, putting Melbourne – long considered the country’s coffee capital – among the global elite for both quality and affordability.
The study also highlighted the influence of social habits on affordability. “While Italy doesn’t have the highest wages in the world, its strong café culture keeps prices low and daily coffee highly accessible,” the authors noted.
By contrast, in emerging economies where coffee is seen as a luxury, affordability drops dramatically. In Lagos, Nigeria, a daily cappuccino would consume 57 per cent of the average monthly income – a reminder of just how fortunate Melbourne’s caffeine lovers are.
