The price of a cup of coffee at the bar is set to rise by 15%, after a similar increase in the last three years. If the situation does not change, consumers will have to prepare to pay an average of 1,70 euros for an espresso, with subsequent increases also for cappuccino and croissant.
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Espresso at the bar, a symbol of Italian tradition, continues to become more and more expensive. Even in 2025, the price of the classic cup marks a further increase compared to the previous year, confirming a trend that has been growing for some time. Compared to 2021, the average cost of a coffee has increased by almost 20%, making the daily habit increasingly expensive for consumers.
This was revealed by a study by the Training and Research Center on Consumption (Crc), carried out in collaboration with Assoutenti, which analyzed prices in bars in the main Italian cities. And the prospects are not encouraging: according to Cristina Scocchia, CEO of Illycaffè, in the coming months there could be new increases of between 15 and 20% due to the rise in the cost of raw materials.
With data in hand, the Mimit Observatory highlights how the average price of espresso went from 1,03 euros in 2021 to 1,22 euros in January 2025, with an increase of more than 19%. However, the price lists vary significantly depending on the city: Bolzano is confirmed as the most expensive with an average of 1,43 euros per cup, followed by Trento, Pescara and Trieste (1,34 euros). On the other side, Catanzaro is the cheapest, while Naples - the historic capital of coffee - recorded an increase of 32%, bringing the average price close to 1,20 euros.
The impact of these price increases on the pockets of Italians is significant. With an average of 6 billion cups served each year in the country's bars, the overall expenditure on espresso has gone from 6,18 billion euros in 2021 to the current 7,32 billion, with an increase of 1,14 billion with the same consumption.
A trend that could change the habits of many, pushing more and more consumers to prepare coffee at home to contain costs.
Speculation and climate crisis behind the increases
The price increase is not only due to the difficult economic situation, but also to financial speculation. Chocolate lovers should also prepare for unpleasant surprises: the price of a 100-gram bar has increased by almost 27 percent, from 1,26 euros to 1,60 euros, due to the climate crisis and diseases of cocoa plants in Ghana and the Ivory Coast.
The voices of the bartenders
“We have been paying 3 euros more per kilo for a month,” comments Massimiliano Rosati, partner of Gran Bar Gambrinus, predicting an increase of 20 cents per cup by April. “We are waiting to see if the cost of energy will continue to rise. In the meantime, many farmers are converting their black gold lands into durian, while the Chinese are starting to appear on the market.”
Giuseppe Marzio, owner of Gran Bar Franco, adds: “In recent months there have been no catastrophic weather events that would justify such high prices. What is certain is that in Brazil the rainfall has been slightly lower than the seasonal average, but nothing that suggests a poor or lower-quality harvest. However, the city is enjoying an unprecedented wave of tourism and the sector is taking advantage of it. And those who pay the price are the residents.”
Different prices in the city
Marzio points out that his bar was among the last to increase the price of a cup to 1,20 euros, while tourists were surprised by the prices of other businesses. “For us, a cup costs no more than 50 cents for every 8 grams of mix, to which you have to add the costs of bills, labor, sugar, water and electricity, and the application of Hccp regulations. Today, three euros are added to the cost of the order: table service is 1 euros for each person sitting at a table”.
Armando Scaturchio, with a pastry shop on Via Portamedina, confirms that a cup at the counter costs 1,20 euros, but in several bars in Pianura an espresso already costs between 1,30 and 1,50 euros. The city, he concludes, would react very badly to a further increase in the prices of blends and chocolate.
Article published on March 9, 2025 - 08pm
