Ground coffee averaged $9.51 per pound in US cities in May 2026, up 19.9% from $7.93 a year earlier and up 55% from $6.12 in January 2024, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This page tracks the verifiable coffee price numbers: the BLS retail series, the global price backdrop, and what a latte's ingredients actually cost, each cited at the number.
TL;DR: the five headline coffee price statistics for 2026
- US average price of ground roast coffee: $9.51 per lb in May 2026 (BLS series APU0000717311).
- That is up 55% from $6.12 per lb in January 2024, with the series peak at $9.72 in April 2026 (same series).
- Global coffee prices as measured by the ICO composite price index have nearly tripled across the last five years of falling stocks (USDA FAS, Dec 2025).
- World ending stocks are forecast to fall a fifth consecutive year to 20.1 million bags in 2025/26, the pressure behind the price (USDA FAS).
- The latte's other inputs in May 2026: whole milk $4.22 per gallon (BLS series APU0000709112), sugar $1.03 per lb (APU0000715211).
The BLS ground coffee series
Series APU0000717311 tracks the US city average price of 100% ground roast coffee, all sizes, per pound (BLS Average Price Data; we pulled the series via the BLS public API on July 8, 2026). The run-up is steady and steep:
| Month | US average, ground coffee per lb |
|---|---|
| January 2024 | $6.12 |
| July 2024 | $6.31 |
| January 2025 | $7.02 |
| May 2025 | $7.93 |
| September 2025 | $9.14 |
| January 2026 | $9.37 |
| April 2026 (series peak) | $9.72 |
| May 2026 (latest) | $9.51 |
Two honest footnotes. First, October 2025 is blank in the official series, marked "data unavailable due to the 2025 lapse in appropriations." Second, May 2026 is the first monthly decline of more than 20 cents in the series since the run-up began; one month is not a trend.
Why prices climbed: the global backdrop
USDA's December 2025 world coffee report (Coffee: World Markets and Trade) forecasts world ending stocks dropping for a fifth consecutive year to 20.1 million 60-kg bags even with record production of 178.8 million bags, because consumption is also at a record 173.9 million. USDA notes that across that stock drawdown, prices measured by the International Coffee Organization's monthly composite price index have nearly tripled. Tight supply, record demand, higher shelf price.
What a cafe drink's ingredients cost
We do not republish "average latte price" figures because none of the circulating ones trace to a published methodology. What is verifiable is the ingredient math. In May 2026 the BLS average prices were $9.51 per lb for ground coffee, $4.22 per gallon for whole milk (series APU0000709112), and $1.03 per lb for sugar (series APU0000715211), all from BLS Average Price Data (series pages linked above). Our coffee cost calculator and the latte-at-home cost breakdown run those numbers drink by drink; they are our own calculations on BLS inputs and are free to cite with attribution. For the yearly view, see what a coffee habit costs per year.
How to cite this page
Suggested citation: "Coffee price statistics 2026, Barista Life (baristalife.co), reviewed July 9, 2026. https://baristalife.co/blogs/blog/coffee-price-statistics-2026"
Quote any statistic here with attribution and a link to Barista Life, and credit BLS or USDA as the underlying source where linked.
Related reading
- Coffee statistics 2026: the flagship roundup
- Coffee shop industry statistics 2026
- Barista employment statistics 2026
FAQ
How much does a pound of coffee cost in 2026? $9.51 on average for ground roast coffee in US cities in May 2026, per BLS Average Price Data series APU0000717311, after peaking at $9.72 in April 2026.
How much have coffee prices gone up? The US average ground coffee price rose 55% between January 2024 ($6.12 per lb) and May 2026 ($9.51 per lb), and 19.9% in the last year of that span, per BLS data.
Why is coffee so expensive right now? World coffee stocks are forecast to fall for a fifth straight year to 20.1 million bags while consumption sets records, and USDA notes ICO composite prices nearly tripled over that drawdown.
Last reviewed: July 9, 2026. Price data: BLS Average Price Data through May 2026; global data: USDA FAS December 2025. Information, not financial advice.