Sipping Through
The Salary Gap
Starbucks coffee costs
across the United States
As everyday expenses continue to dominate American cost-of-living discussions, even a routine coffee order can offer insight into broader economic patterns. While Starbucks prices are relatively consistent nationwide, differences in wages and income levels create meaningful disparities in how affordable coffee beverages actually are, depending on where one lives.
To explore the affordability of a cup of coffee across the United States, the team at TradingPedia analysed the prices of three of Starbucks’ most popular drinks – the Americano, Caffè Latte and Iced Latte – across all 50 US states. By comparing drink prices with average monthly income in state capitals, we calculated the number of minutes a person would need to work in each state to afford each beverage, transforming a familiar part of daily life into a revealing measure of regional purchasing power.
Our analysis incorporates a national overview to determine how long, on average, an American has to work to afford each of the three coffee drinks. It also presents a closer look at regional trends by grouping states into four geographic regions – Northeast, Midwest, South and West – to examine how location continues to shape affordability, even for something as routine as buying one’s daily cup of coffee. The analysis also features rankings of the five most and least affordable state capitals for each beverage, highlighting the gaps in accessibility across the country.
Key takeaways
- The most expensive Starbucks coffee drinks can be found in Honolulu, Hawaii, where customers pay $5.45 for an Americano and $6.25 for a Caffè Latte or an Iced Latte.
- The least expensive Starbucks coffee drinks are in Jefferson City, Missouri, where an Americano costs $4.25, a Caffè Latte costs $4.95, and an Iced Latte costs $5.15.
- The citizens of Jackson, Mississippi, have to work the most for a cup of coffee – 10 minutes for an Americano and more than 12 minutes for an Iced Latte or Caffè Latte. In contrast, Boston, Massachusetts, offers the most affordable drinks, with an Americano costing just 6 minutes and 17 seconds of labour, while a Caffè Latte and an Iced Latte cost 6 minutes and 59 seconds and 7 minutes and 25 seconds, respectively.
- While the national average time to afford a Starbucks Caffè Latte is 9 minutes and 44 seconds, only 26 of 51 capitals fall below this benchmark, revealing that for most Americans, coffee affordability remains tied more to their city’s wage structure than to menu prices.
- In Boston, Massachusetts, the average monthly salary can buy over 1,287 cups of Starbucks Americano, while Santa Fe, New Mexico, ranks lowest in coffee-purchasing power, with residents able to afford just 821 cups per month.
Price overview and average affordability
Across the United States, the prices of popular Starbucks drinks show modest variation but still reflect notable regional differences. An Americano typically costs between $4.25 in Jefferson City, Missouri, and Springfield, Illinois – the most affordable locations in the country – and $5.45 in Honolulu, Hawaii, where prices are the highest. The Caffè Latte ranges from $4.95 in several state capitals, including Texas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri and Illinois, to $6.25 in Hawaii. The cheapest Iced Latte costs just $5.15 in Missouri and Illinois, while consumers in Hawaii and Connecticut pay the most at $6.25. These price fluctuations, though not extreme, set the stage for a deeper analysis into coffee affordability, highlighting that it is not just the cost of the drink that matters but also how much people earn locally to afford it.
On a national level, the average amount of time a US worker needs to work to afford a Starbucks coffee remains under ten minutes for each of the three drinks analysed. An Americano requires the least amount of time, with an average of 8 minutes and 21 seconds of work needed to cover its cost. The Caffè Latte follows, taking about 9 minutes and 24 seconds, while the Iced Latte is the most time-consuming to afford, requiring 9 minutes and 52 seconds of labour. These averages reveal that, while Starbucks prices are relatively consistent across the country, the true measure of affordability lies in how those prices relate to average earnings and hourly wages.
The most and least expensive states to buy coffee
Honolulu, HI
$5.45
Columbus, OH
$4.95
Raleigh, NC
$4.95
Boise, ID
$4.95
Madison, WI
$4.95
Jefferson City, MI
$4.25
Springfield, IL
$4.25
Little Rock, AR
$4.45
Austin, TX
$4.45
Annapolis, MA
$4.45
The most expensive state capital for Starbucks coffee is Honolulu, Hawaii, where an Americano costs $5.45, while both the Caffè Latte and Iced Latte are priced at $6.25. Following closely for the Americano are the capitals of Ohio, North Carolina, Idaho and Wisconsin, each with a price tag of $4.95.
On the other end of the spectrum, the cheapest Americano can be found in Jefferson City and Springfield at $4.25, followed by Little Rock, Austin and Annapolis at $4.45. The most affordable Caffè Latte is priced at $4.95 in nine state capitals, while the lowest price for an Iced Latte is $5.15 in five state capitals.
Regional trends of affordability
When examining regional trends across the US, a clear pattern emerges in coffee affordability based on geographic location. The South ranks as the least affordable region, with the highest average work times: 8 minutes and 40 seconds for an Americano, 10 minutes and 7 seconds for a Caffè Latte, and 10 minutes and 19 seconds for an Iced Latte. In contrast, the Northeast consistently shows the greatest affordability, requiring only 8 minutes and 14 seconds of work for an Americano, 9 minutes and 16 seconds for a Caffè Latte, and 9 minutes and 27 seconds for an Iced Latte. The West ranks second for affordability, with working times of 8 minutes and 17 seconds, 9 minutes and 14 seconds and 9 minutes and 44 seconds, respectively. In the Midwest, workers need to spend an average of 8 minutes and 38 seconds of labour for an Americano, 9 minutes and 47 seconds for a Caffè Latte, and 9 minutes and 58 seconds for an Iced Latte. These figures reflect a recurring trend: coffee is most affordable in the Northeast and least affordable in the South, demonstrating how regional wage differences significantly influence what a cup of Starbucks really costs.
The most and least affordable state capitals to buy coffee
Top five least affordable state capitals to buy coffee
The five least affordable state capitals for an Americano are dominated by Southern cities. Jackson, Mississippi, tops the list, with workers needing 10 minutes and 5 seconds of labour on average to afford the drink. It is followed by Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at 9 minutes and 46 seconds; Santa Fe, New Mexico, at 9 minutes and 46 seconds; and Charleston, West Virginia, at 9 minutes and 32 seconds. Fifth is Frankfort, Kentucky, where an Americano costs 9 minutes and 26 seconds of labour.
When it comes to the Caffè Latte and Iced Latte, the least affordable city is Jackson, Mississippi, where workers need to dedicate 12 minutes and 38 seconds of labour to afford a cup. It is followed by Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at 12 minutes and 14 seconds; Frankfort, Kentucky, at 11 minutes and 50 seconds; Des Moines, Iowa, at 11 minutes and 32 seconds; and Cheyenne, Wyoming, at 11 minutes and 8 seconds.
Top five most affordable state capitals to buy coffee
The Northeastern and Midwestern regions predominate among the most affordable capitals for an Americano, where relatively low prices and decent wages combine to offer strong value. Boston, Massachusetts, stands out as the most affordable, requiring just 6 minutes and 17 seconds of work to buy the drink. It is followed by Olympia, Washington, at 6 minutes and 49 seconds; Sacramento, California, at 6 minutes and 58 seconds; Springfield, Illinois, at 7 minutes and 17 seconds; and Albany, New York, at 7 minutes and 22 seconds.
For a Caffè Latte, Boston again tops the list, with only 7 minutes and 25 seconds of labour required. Albany, New York, follows at 7 minutes and 40 seconds, then Olympia, Washington, at 7 minutes and 49 seconds, Sacramento, California, at 8 minutes and 8 seconds, and Annapolis, Maryland, at 8 minutes and 29 seconds.
The most affordable Iced Latte is found in Olympia, Washington, at just 7 minutes and 58 seconds of work. Boston remains near the top at 8 minutes and 7 seconds, followed by Albany, New York, at 8 minutes and 27 seconds; Sacramento, California, at 8 minutes and 43 seconds; and Denver, Colorado, at 8 minutes and 49 seconds. These cities contrast sharply with the least affordable locations, emphasising how regional wage differences and pricing strategies intersect to make certain areas far more budget-friendly for coffee lovers.
How many cups of coffee can the average monthly salary buy?
In Boston, Massachusetts, the average monthly salary can buy more than 1,287 cups of Starbucks Americano. Olympia, Washington, follows with 1,233 cups, while Sacramento, California, rounds out the top three with approximately 1,158 cups. These figures highlight the strongest coffee-purchasing power among US state capitals when it comes to affording a daily Starbucks Americano.
In striking contrast, Santa Fe, New Mexico, ranks lowest in coffee-purchasing power, with residents able to afford just 821 cups of Starbucks Americano per month. Close behind are Jackson, Mississippi, and Pierre, South Dakota, where the average monthly salary covers approximately 837 cups and 863 cups, respectively.
To analyse the affordability of popular Starbucks beverages across the US, we began by collecting the prices of three widely consumed drinks: Americano, Caffè Latte and Iced Latte. The prices were sourced from Uber Eats to ensure consistency and accessibility across different states. After gathering the data, we identified the states where each drink was the most and least expensive, allowing us to observe price disparities nationwide.
Next, we examined affordability by considering the average hourly salary and the average working hours per week for 2025 from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, based on standard full-time schedules. Using these figures, we calculated the number of minutes an average employee would need to work to afford each drink in every state capital.
To explore broader trends, we grouped the states into four US Census regions: Northeast, Midwest, South and West. Within each region, we calculated the average time required to afford each of the three drinks, helping us identify regional differences in pricing and affordability.
Finally, we ranked the five most and least affordable states for each beverage, considering both the actual price and the monthly income to calculate affordability in terms of work time. This provided a comprehensive view of how coffee costs and purchasing power vary across the country.
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