Canberra's thriving specialty coffee culture has brought world-class blends to the capital but residents still fork out less than most Australians for a mug of brew.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The average cup of coffee in the ACT set sippers back $3.58, which was below the national average of $3.63, the Coffee Economist's latest cappuccino price index revealed.
The figures are based on data collected from 1100 cafes across Australia.
Coffee Economist managing director Wayne Fowler said research showed Canberra's coffee prices had gone up at half the rate of the national average in the past five years.
The national average price for a standard cappuccino surged 11.8 per cent since 2010, compared to a 5.9 per cent rise in the capital.
Mr Fowler said public service job cuts had contributed to a slowed market where businesses struggled to make a profit without jacking up their prices.
"Canberra's coffee price only increased three per cent in the past year which would be well below the cost of goods for those venues, so some operators would be struggling in that market," Mr Fowler said.
While that spelled the end for some cafes, it created fresh opportunities for business owners who offered new and interesting coffee experiences to bolster the capital's coffee scene.
"Venues that we see doing well have integrated coffee roasting, have brought in fresh and innovative menu items and have added extra seating," Mr Fowler said.
"We've seen people introduce cold pressed coffee, more background of coffee origins and even select-your-own coffee origin drinks."
Among those leading the charge is Barrio Collective Coffee, one of the newest additions to Braddon's booming Lonsdale Street precinct.
Part-owner Sam Burns said a typical mug of coffee cost $4 and catered to customers who had an appetite for something "a little bit more tailored and special".
"I think coffee prices in Canberra have needed to come up for a little while, from a cost of product point of view, and in terms of doing justice to the product.
"It was always the idea at Barrio that we would justify it being a little bit more by having quality blends, choosing good milk and buying our own custom ceramics."
"There's room for that cup of coffee that we drink every day to have meaning and value and to just make it a bit more special."
The pricing index also showed Perth had the highest-priced coffee in the country at $3.89, while Brisbane had the second most expensive at $3.74.
Coffee was cheapest in Sydney at $3.32 a cup.
The figures come after research revealed Canberra's coffee culture was among the most advanced in the country.
A Roy Morgan Research report in May found ACT consumers were more likely to choose beans over instant coffee and more likely to go to a cafe to get their fix than residents of any other major capital.
