2026 Study: The Real Cost of a Cup of Coffee at Home

2026 Study: The Real Cost of a Cup of Coffee at Home

What does your daily cup of coffee really cost? Between the purchase price of the machine, the coffee itself, electricity and maintenance, preconceived ideas die hard. This study provides objective figures, calculated on the average prices actually charged in France (Brewmance catalog, August 2026), for seven ways to make coffee at home.

The bottom line: a home espresso costs 0,28 € with an automatic bean machine, against 0,55 € with capsules — the bean machine pays for itself in 17 months at two cups a day.

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Our Method

All costs are calculated for 2 cups/day, 365 days/year (730 cups), the average usage of a French household. Details of the assumptions:

• Coffee consumed: 8 g per espresso (beans or ground), 10 g per filter cup, 7 g per capsule — the standard doses.
• Coffee price: averages of catalog ranges (e.g. Lavazza Barista Perfetto 15-20 €/kg, Illy Classico 13-17 € per 250 g, Nespresso 0,35-0,65 €/capsule).
• Machine depreciation: average purchase price divided by 5 years of use.
• Energy: 0,015 €/cup (water heating + pump, ~1450 W).
• Maintenance: descaling and products, 20 €/year for bean machines, 10 €/year for the others (0 for the moka).

The raw data and the calculation script are versioned (scripts/study-cost-per-cup.ts): every assumption is adjustable and the result is reproducible.

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Summary Table

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What These Figures Change About Your Preconceptions

1. The bean machine isn't expensive, it's cost-effective

At 0,28 €/cup, the automatic bean machine saves ~200 €/year compared with capsules (0,55 €). The purchase difference (~275 € with a Magnifica Evo at ~350 € vs an Essenza Mini at ~89 €) is paid back in 17 months. After two years, you've saved the equivalent of a new machine.

2. Filter and moka are more expensive than the automatic bean machine

Counter-intuitive but true: filter coffee comes to 0,47 €/cup and moka to 0,36 € — more than the bean machine (0,28 €). The reason: bagged ground coffee costs two to three times more per kilo than whole beans (42 €/kg vs 17 €/kg for our Lavazza reference). At comparable doses, whole beans are the cheapest coffee to drink.

3. The cheapest of all: semi-automatic espresso + grinder

A De'Longhi Dedica (~140 €) paired with a Krups grinder (~59 €) gets down to 0,23 €/cup. That's the best usage cost on the market — at the price of a manual coffee machine: you take control of the extraction. Read our guide making good espresso at home.

4. Premium never pays for itself at 2 cups/day

With a Jura E6 (949 €) and coffee at 60 €/kg, the cup climbs to 0,78 € — more than capsules. At 4-5 cups/day, the depreciation becomes negligible and the savings become real again. Premium is chosen for quality, not for budget.

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Breakdown by System

Automatic bean machine — 0,28 €/cup, 206 €/year

The best quality/price balance. Ground on demand, the coffee keeps its aromas and the cost of beans is unbeatable. See our bean-to-cup machine comparison 2026 and the De'Longhi Magnifica Evo review.

Semi-automatic espresso + grinder — 0,23 €/cup, 171 €/year

The champion of usage cost: De'Longhi Dedica (140 €) + Krups burr grinder (59 €). A little practice required (dose, tamping, extraction), but it's the most economical combination on the market.

Moka — 0,36 €/cup, 262 €/year

Simple, reliable, durable (25-35 €). Its cost depends entirely on the coffee: with ground coffee at 42 €/kg, the 8 g dose weighs in at 0,34 €. To optimize, buy whole beans and grind them yourself — see how to choose your coffee beans.

Filter coffee machine — 0,47 €/cup, 345 €/year

The cup is generous (10 g) and ground coffee is expensive per kilo: it's the most expensive combination among the "simple" options. It remains unbeatable for large morning quantities.

Nespresso capsules — 0,55 €/cup, 404 €/year

The price of convenience: 0,50 € per official capsule (and 0,50 € per organic compatible capsule in our survey — classic compatible brands like L'OR or Lavazza go below official ones). Zero maintenance, zero technical skill, but the cost per cup is double that of beans. See our selection of the best compatible capsules.

Premium bean machine — 0,78 €/cup, 571 €/year

Jura and co.: Swiss finish, 10-year lifespan, remarkable extraction quality — but at 2 cups/day, the depreciation (0,26 €/cup) dominates the cost of the coffee (0,48 €). A passion investment, not a saving.

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Conclusion

At two cups a day, the order of real costs is: semi-auto 0,23 € → automatic bean 0,28 € → moka 0,36 € → filter 0,47 € → capsules 0,55 € → premium 0,78 €. The bean machine is the best comfort/budget compromise, with a 17-month break-even point vs capsules — and whole beans are, whatever your habits, the cheapest coffee to drink.

👉 To choose your machine according to your budget: the 2026 bean-to-cup machine comparison | the best bean machines under 500 € | capsules or beans: the cost-effectiveness comparison