In these countries, you pay the most for a coffee with a little something tasty (and the least in these!)

A coffee with a little something tasty on the side, in a nice café. It’s one of my favorite ways to spend a weekend. Yours too? Then you’re probably just as annoyed as I am that these days it costs half your monthly salary to treat yourself a little. Trust me, the Netherlands isn’t the only country where that’s the case. At Tasty, they investigated which countries are the most expensive for coffee with a little something tasty. And which are the cheapest—we’ll know exactly which destination to book for our next trip.

It’s hardly news anymore: inflation is affecting us. And hard. The hospitality industry has also taken a serious hit from inflation. So it’s hardly surprising that we have to pay more when visiting cafés and restaurants. Even so, there are quite a few differences worldwide in the cost of a coffee with a little something tasty. In one country, you really have to dig deep into your pockets, while in another it’s not too bad.

The research

To keep the research fair, the same order was placed at every international café. As far as possible, of course. Not every chain’s menu is exactly the same. The order consisted of a latte with whole milk, the cheapest sandwich on the menu and a small, sweet treat. Coffee with a little something tasty, in other words. Each order had to fit within the maximum budget of $10 (converted: €9.16). Meal deals—offers where you get multiple items for a certain discounted price—didn’t count. And this was also important: the order had to be placed at the country’s best-known and largest coffee chain.

The 5 most expensive countries

The key question of the research: in which countries do we have to pay the most for a coffee with a little something tasty? The answer is, to put it mildly, not a major surprise. The top 5 includes countries that are generally considered fairly expensive. Making the comparison wasn’t easy, though. The researcher was bound by the maximum budget of $10, which meant she had to leave out the small, sweet treat at many cafés. In addition, some cafés didn’t offer a proper sandwich, but did have a smaller savory option, such as a bagel or cheese croissant. In those cases, the researcher chose the best alternative.

Here are the 5 most expensive countries:

1. Australia: 14 AUD or $9.31 for a latte (4.50 AUD), toast (6.50 AUD) and a chocolate protein ball (3 AUD) at The Coffee Club.
2. United Arab Emirates: 36 AED or $9.80 for a latte (20 AED) and a cheese croissant (16 AED) at Boon Coffee.
3. USA: $9.78 for a latte ($5.39) and a bagel with cream cheese ($4.39) at Dunkin’ Donuts.
4. France: €8.70 or $9.61 for a latte (€4.20) and a chicken and mango curry sandwich (€4.50) at Columbus Café & Co.
5. Norway: 96 NOK or $9.31 for a latte (44 NOK) and an avocado and chili cheese sandwich (52 NOK) at Espresso House.

The 5 cheapest countries

But what we’d really like to know is: in which countries does a coffee with a little something tasty cost next to nothing? As it turns out, we should all head to Asia. That’s where you really get value for your money. While in the most expensive countries the researcher could barely put three items together for $10, in the 5 cheapest countries she got much more. A lot more. So much more that you could have an extensive lunch with your entire backpacking group for $10. Yes, really—just look:

1. India: 810 INR or $9.84 for a latte (115 INR), a grilled chicken and cheese sandwich (150 INR), a brownie (104 INR), a chicken burger (127 INR), a chili cheese toastizza (88 INR), nachos (81 INR), a raspberry chocolate ball (15 INR) and two cookies (30 INR) at Café Coffee Day.
2. Vietnam: 232,000 VND or $9.89 for a latte (15,000 VND), a pâté baguette (15,000 VND), a slice of red velvet mousse cake (35,000 VND), a chocolate mochi (19,000 VND), a croissant topped with a salted egg (35,000 VND), a take-home DIY bubble tea kit for 5 cups of tea (38,000 VND) and a cheese bun (35,000 VND) at The Coffee House.
3. Malaysia: 42.21 MYR or $9.54 for a latte (5.30 MYR), toasted bread with butter and coconut jam (5.48 MYR), a sesame ice cream (12.70 MYR), mac ‘n’ cheese (4.11 MYR), a bowl of noodle soup (11.88 MYR) and a fried egg (2.74 MYR) at Old Town White Coffee.
4. Nigeria: 4,550 NGN or $9.92 for a latte (500 NGN), beef suya (1,200 NGN), a slice of chocolate cake (550 NGN), a fruit parfait (1,400 NGN), chin chin (a national snack, 400 NGN) and a donut (500 NGN) at Café Neo.
5. Thailand: 339 THB or $9.95 for a latte (65 THB), a tuna salad (129 THB), a banana muffin (40 THB), a piece of blueberry cheesecake (45 THB) and a slice of fresh chocolate cake (60 TBH) at Café Amazon.

A cuppa from home

So? Shocking, or not? At least you know which countries you might be better off exploring with a thermos of coffee… If you don’t have a trip abroad planned (and have saved enough pocket money), you can also enjoy a coffee with a little something tasty right here in the Netherlands. We have plenty of favorite coffee cafés in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. And in the south, in Breda and Den Bosch, for example, there are also loads of coffee hotspots. Do you have any tips for fun, delicious (and affordable) coffee spots in the Netherlands? Share them in the comments!

Also read:

• This is the difference between a cappuccino, a flat white and a latte
• Why do people like matcha?
• Can we stop sending a Tikkie for just one coffee?

Source: Tasty