Cheap Coffee These Days

Sydneyswans on 19/06/2023 - 15:15

Cheap coffees, cappuccinos latte's flat whites
Do they still exist or are they total unicorns now? I know a similar question came up a few months ago after a forum search.

But thought I'd ask again as my colleague in the office asked me the other day where the cheapest cup of coffee is in parramatta NSW where we work.

Asked on a Facebook group the same question saying I'm after a good $2 flat white and got roasted (pun intended). Everyone saying inflation, rent electricity and such pushed prices up and for good.
Woolworths metro and McDonald's for App deals are my usual go to places these days for their price.

I have an espresso machine at home and that is a godsend for WFH as I've saved hundreds after buying a basic $150 machine from JB Hi Fi.

As usual I'm aware of HJs 7-11 and Maccas but anything more substantial? Just asking the question in general but of course if you know anywhere in Sydney it would be much appreciated.

Food & Grocery Coffee

Comments

  • impoze on 19/06/2023 - 15:23
    +1

    loyalty stamps + discounted Restaurant Gift Cards would help bring the price down to reduce the pain of inflation but it seems like the normal prices nowadays.

  • mskeggs on 19/06/2023 - 15:27
    +8

    I got a $1.80 take away at Wynyard in 2002. I thought that was pretty cheap even then…

  • [Deactivated] on 19/06/2023 - 15:27
    +5

    Why would you expect any decent café to sell $2 coffees when the usual cost is ~$6 in Sydney?

    • kiitos on 19/06/2023 - 16:41
      -7

      $6? It's that a large soy mocha double shot?

      • [Deactivated] on 19/06/2023 - 16:57
        +36

        Seriously, do most of the people on here get out & about …. like, at all?

        • Phlume on 19/06/2023 - 18:31
          +7

          Yeah I don't know why that is so shocking. Pretty standard to pay $5 - $7 for a basic cappuccino in Sydney now.

          • nubzy on 19/06/2023 - 18:50
            +3

            @Phlume: No it isn't.. I think $4.50 is the most expensive i've seen in cafes around here

            • [Deactivated] on 19/06/2023 - 18:57
              +2

              @nubzy: You must order the povo milk ….. goat's milk costs extra!

          • Ade99 on 20/06/2023 - 09:32
            +1

            @Phlume: They see you coming if you are happy to pay that much!

            • [Deactivated] on 21/06/2023 - 12:54
              +1

              @Ade99: If not too busy, my local barista sees me walking up to the café & starts making my coffee before I get there so that I don't have to wait too long.

        • kiitos on 19/06/2023 - 18:59
          +1

          For sure, my piccolos and reg flat whites are only now hitting $4 at my work locals. Admittedly, this is down near Haymarket and not quite Surry Hills so probably a bit cheaper than "uptown".

      • skidexa on 22/06/2023 - 18:22

        Large is normally a double shot

    • nubzy on 19/06/2023 - 18:49
      -4

      Lol where is this 'usual cost $6' in Sydney? I have never paid that. Average is $3.50-$4..

      I hardly buy it these days though. Make better coffee than most cafes at home for a fraction of the cost..

      • Sinnerator on 20/06/2023 - 08:28

        large <proper large>, decaf <surcharge for less caffeine>, anywhere in Sydney is north of $6, and because decaf tastes much worse than real coffee i rarely buy anymore since i gave up caffeine

      • Nebargains on 21/06/2023 - 12:08
        +9

        I am in Melbourne, I struggle to believe any reputable cafe is selling coffee for $3.50 - $4 in Sydney.

        Most cafes in Melbourne are $4.50 - $5 for a small single shot regular milk coffee. Some are even getting to $5-6.

        $3.50 is very much a price from 4-5 years ago. I was paying $4 to $4.50 pre-pandemic.

        • missmelb on 23/06/2023 - 13:25

          $11.50 for two smalls two days ago in the western suburbs…and it was pretty poor. Coffees are expensive. The better the coffee, the more expensive. Plus good oat milk.

          But really, if beans are up, inflation is up, coffee of course will go up.

          Either buy and enjoy, or save and make yourself a good one at home! :)

    • Brianqpr on 21/06/2023 - 12:31
      +1

      I can get a jumbo size coffee near my work office in Sydney and a large at my local cafe near home (where I mostly work now) for $5. Both very decent quality Not sure I've seen anywhere charging six bucks.

      • [Deactivated] on 21/06/2023 - 12:49

        That's great - enjoy your inexpensive grande coffee

  • Clear on 19/06/2023 - 15:47
    +21

    The Coles Express machines are way better than 7/11 coffee.

    • smartazz104 on 21/06/2023 - 12:54
      +3

      And that bar is quite low.

    • Buyers Remorse on 22/06/2023 - 09:23

      What about maccas ones?

      • Clear on 22/06/2023 - 09:30
        +2

        They're more expensive than most cafes. Still pretty good if the barista knows the difference between a Caffe latte and flat white.

    • tryagain on 22/06/2023 - 18:49

      Better than a decent percentage of Cafes too.

    • noideaa on 28/06/2023 - 12:16

      Agree but I wish they were hotter, it gets cold too quick so i'm forced to drink it quick instead of taking few sips at a time.

  • Ocker on 19/06/2023 - 15:48
    +18

    I just love these 1st world problems.

    • mapax on 19/06/2023 - 15:56
      +16

      You’re in a 1st world country using a 1st world website, what do you expect?

      • GG57 on 19/06/2023 - 16:24
        +29

        Drinking coffee from a 3rd world country

        • FrugalDealSeeker on 20/06/2023 - 06:45
          +2

          People seem to have a fundamental misunderstanding of n-world countries. This term was used in the Cold War and should be meaningless now.

          • First world: Western Europe, US and allies.
          • Second world: Eastern Europe, Soviets and allies.
          • Third world: Non-aligned nations (e.g. Austria, Finland, Republic of Ireland, Sweden, and Switzerland)
          • SydneySwan on 20/06/2023 - 08:35
            +3

            @FrugalDealSeeker: Finland and Sweden are most definitely first world - Finland has joined NATO and Sweden has applied to join

          • coffeeinmyveins on 20/06/2023 - 12:53
            +1

            @FrugalDealSeeker: If enough people use something in a particular way then the meaning changes and that's fine.

            It's like how you say bruschetta. It's not "brew ssh et Ah" but everyone says it so it's fine

            • [Deactivated] on 20/06/2023 - 23:10
              +4

              @coffeeinmyveins: Mispronouncing words just 'cause they're foreign isn't fine

              • coffeeinmyveins on 21/06/2023 - 09:05
                +1

                @[Deactivated]:

                Mispronouncing words just 'cause they're foreign isn't fine

                Nothing to do with them being foreign. It's to do with the culture that gets created. if everyone is saying brew-shet-ah and you're the only one saying brew-sket-ha then you have to deal with the kick back of "lol it's not that mate" or "what is that". why bother?

                • [Deactivated] on 21/06/2023 - 12:27
                  -1

                  @coffeeinmyveins:

                  you have to deal with the kick back of "lol it's not that mate" or "what is that". why bother?

                  Find new friends

              • mapax on 21/06/2023 - 09:26

                @[Deactivated]: Does that apply to esl immigrants that can’t pronounce English words correctly?

            • Micka123 on 21/06/2023 - 08:32
              +1

              @coffeeinmyveins: It is not fine.
              Ask any Italian from Italy

              • coffeeinmyveins on 21/06/2023 - 09:05
                +2

                @Micka123:

                Ask any Italian from Italy

                Lol, I love italian food but man italians are the biggest gatekeepers when it comes to food. Get over it.

                Italians will go on and on about their traditional recipes but neglect to mention that the tomato, which is such a staple, was brought over From the Americas in the 16th century LOL

                • smartazz104 on 21/06/2023 - 12:55
                  +3

                  @coffeeinmyveins: And then tell them pasta comes from China and watch them use all their hands to argue.

                  • coffeeinmyveins on 21/06/2023 - 14:21
                    +1

                    @smartazz104: Heads would probably explode. Everything good was invented in Italy didn't you know ;)

            • Half Price Hunter on 21/06/2023 - 08:32

              @coffeeinmyveins: Interestingly there was a move by Italian politicians to actually charge people a fine for mispronouncing Italian words like bruschetta

              https://www.businessinsider.com/italys-government-wants-to-f…

              Pronounced - 'brews-ketta'

              • coffeeinmyveins on 21/06/2023 - 09:06

                @Half Price Hunter: I would just start saying it wrong in protest.

                I remember there was also something about greece wanting australia to stop making fetta but call it "white cheese" instead.

              • Devastator0 on 21/06/2023 - 18:11

                @Half Price Hunter: Man, the Italians really need to reorder their priorities. A mate of mine who recently moved over to Rome has told me that they don't even have regular garbage collections yet this is the what Italian's pollies want to carry on about.

                • greatlamp on 22/06/2023 - 14:42

                  @Devastator0: They are called worker strikes. We used to have them in this country too. Wages also used to increase in this country.

          • nikey2k27 on 23/06/2023 - 15:10
            +2

            @FrugalDealSeeker: USA is not first world second world at best

  • 87percent on 19/06/2023 - 15:49

    Not sure if they still do it, but there’s a couple of 7-11’s in the CBD that have baristas actually making the coffee for $1 (or whatever it is). I know there (used to be) one on Collins Street that did this

    • KaTst3R on 19/06/2023 - 16:03
      -3

      if you know anywhere in Sydney

    • serpserpserp on 21/06/2023 - 09:52

      know there (used to be) one on Collins Street that did this

      Was that the one near spring St? Or down the other end of town?

  • angywoo on 19/06/2023 - 16:02
    +4

    On a random note, I paid $7.20 for a hot chocolate made by high school kids…

    • smartazz104 on 21/06/2023 - 12:56

      Fund raising or an actual shop?

      • angywoo on 21/06/2023 - 14:46

        Private school out of school sports coffee truck run by students doing barista course or cert ii… Don't worry, I paid cash - silver coins.

        • Lanushi on 22/06/2023 - 22:04

          You got ripped off bro

  • McSquintus on 19/06/2023 - 16:05
    +6

    7/11 flat whites are just milk with a side of coffee. Go to Coles Express if you want good, convenient coffee, they are much better.

    • KaTst3R on 19/06/2023 - 16:06
      +4

      For 7/11, you can put in two short blacks and add a side of milk instead.

      • Ade99 on 20/06/2023 - 09:34
        +3

        U pay for the cup, not the contents!

        • smartazz104 on 21/06/2023 - 12:57
          +3

          Just fill it with shots of coffee so it tastes even worse.

    • montorola on 19/06/2023 - 16:12

      Just curious what makes you say the Coles ones are better?

      I actually like the 7/11 ones more since they're not as "harsh" on the palate.

      • McSquintus on 19/06/2023 - 16:18

        Few years ago, they started rolling out new coffee machines and taste has been more cafe-like. I've noticed the coffee taste much better, same as what I've had friends mention and comments observed here. Taste is always subjective to the person though but I find it best for me without any hacks like what KaTst3R mentioned above.

      • Stewardo on 19/06/2023 - 16:44
        +3

        The 7/11 beans taste like nestle/Starbucks,
        The coles beans taste like an Independent Melbourne roaster. I don’t think the machines are that different.
        Cleanliness varies a lot too. Some of the machine are filthy.

        • serpserpserp on 21/06/2023 - 09:55
          +2

          Independent Melbourne roaster.

          Oh that must mean it's REALLY good if it is a MELBOURNE independent roaster!

        • Brianqpr on 21/06/2023 - 12:34
          +1

          Starbucks? That bad?

        • smartazz104 on 21/06/2023 - 12:58

          There is no way the difference in quality is that large, unless this is some sort of dig at "Independent Melbourne roasters".

      • TilacVIP on 20/06/2023 - 08:40

        Yeah i'd have to say the 7-11 coffees have definitely improved from say about 15 months ago (at least the store i get it from).

        Right about on par with the Coles Express coffees in my books. OMMV

        • OzBarAnon on 22/06/2023 - 15:35

          Change in machine? I know 7-Eleven has at least 2 variants of machines, but don't know if it's a rollout thing, or just that different stores have different equipment.

  • Specialist Diaz on 19/06/2023 - 16:16

    Stellarossa in Milton, Brisbane used to do $2 coffees about 10 years ago.

  • bargaino on 19/06/2023 - 16:27
    +2

    where we work

    So why not buy a machine for work? Or get the boss to buy one?
    Tell him it will mean shorter coffee breaks for the staff if they don't have to walk down the road.
    A Nespresso will limit the mess, still be a lot cheaper than take-away, if the boss won't get a fully auto machine.

    • Sydneyswans on 19/06/2023 - 22:56
      +1

      We do have a lavazza lor barista thing but no milk frother and it's capsules

    • coffeeinmyveins on 20/06/2023 - 08:52
      +3

      I'm assuming by full auto you mean a Breville or something. Never get one of these consumer grade ones for an office.

      Who is going to descale it once a week because of the amount of coffee it makes? Who's going to clean it every day? Who's going to dial in all the beans etc?

      This is why offices either have a pod machine or one of those crappy automatic ones.

    • Half Price Hunter on 20/06/2023 - 11:01
      +1

      +1 for either the pod or fully automatic machines in the office. It saves a fair chunk of cash each week for the price-aware employees and the ones who are picky about their coffee can continue to pay cafe prices if they want.

      As for cleanup, that's just part of cleaning services paid or you're paying employee their hourly rate to do it, bosses' choice, but happy employees saves money on staff turnover costs.

    • Brianqpr on 21/06/2023 - 12:35

      In a previous job we had a fancy, expensive coffee machine we used ourselves and for clients. Coffee was still pretty rubbish.

      You need to constantly ground fresh stuff only busy cafes have for good coffee.

  • payless69 on 19/06/2023 - 17:16

    Quick!
    Run to your nearest HN store.
    Pick the dearest with the longest payment plan.
    Now the finance company is happy.
    Gerry's dog is happy…
    Brag here how happy you are…

  • TheRealCher on 19/06/2023 - 17:54

    Theres a coffee shop at the vibe hotel that has great coffee for around $4. Thats cheap given coffee in qld

  • Drpepper666 on 19/06/2023 - 18:48
    +1

    Aero press at work. This is the way.

    • Benicio on 21/06/2023 - 16:09
      +1

      Yes. Aeropress is the answer to a lot of these coffee related questions.

  • DingoBilly on 19/06/2023 - 19:55
    +1

    Just make your own, it's cheap and easy and much easier to control the quality.

  • coffeeinmyveins on 20/06/2023 - 08:51
    +4

    In Parramatta? You're relatively in luck actually. Teddy Black right next to the station does GREAT coffee and it's surprisingly cheap. I get a double shot oat flat white and it's $4.5 which is stupid cheap nowadays. You can also scan your shopback or have a linked card and get 10% back.

    They also do happy hour between 2-3pm I believe and it's only $2? Something like that. But if you're expecting to get a $2 coffee every day outside of a happy hour deal where they're losing money, then you're about 10 years too late.

  • R4 on 20/06/2023 - 09:14
    -1

    Tea is the best cheap coffee you can buy

    • [Deactivated] on 20/06/2023 - 16:43

      Have you tried dandelion tea? Kinda/sorta tastes like coffee

    • kiitos on 20/06/2023 - 23:42

      It seems expensive when it's $5+ for a pot of hot water with a tea bag and a little jug of milk.

  • Loopholio on 20/06/2023 - 11:22

    McDonald's discounted app coffee (if your local McCafe is good) or 7 Eleven. All my local cafes and bakers have been charging over $5 these last few years for large. $5-$7 is fine if the seating is good, but many coffee shops don't offer any seating at all. May as well go to 7 Eleven.

    One of my local 7 Eleven coffee machines serves coffee at drinking temperature. It used to be too hot to hold in one hand and drinking had to be delayed for ten minutes.

    • mrjames on 21/06/2023 - 16:33
      +1

      McDonalds coffee is even worse than 7/11. In my experience the 7/11 coffee is far more consistent than mcdonalds, whereby 9 out of 10 times it will be a watered down diluted mess with burnt milk. You might have been unlucky with that 7/11

      • Loopholio on 22/06/2023 - 18:48

        I'm happy with my 7 Eleven, sorry if that wasn't clear. I must be lucky enough to have a decent McCafe, I've only ever been to my local joint. Sadly they still haven't gone back to using porcelain and glass.

      • Loopholio on 06/07/2023 - 08:48

        I went to a different McCafe today, Beenleigh near the train station. Yeah, this isn't much better than 7 Eleven coffee. I ordered a medium oat mocca and it's pretty much just chocolate milk. It's not bad, but for $3.85 it should be better.

  • JafferMoney on 20/06/2023 - 11:37

    Buy a coffee machine, then you just pay for the ingredients…presto, cheap coffee :)

  • whitepuma on 20/06/2023 - 14:56

    This is a good question, looks like you have WFH sorted.

    But in the event you go into an office, is BYO coffee machine an option? I did this at one of my jobs, was in North Sydney and local coffee was at around the $5 mark, and work didn't have a machine, so I bought a cheap machine that does the job and stashed it near my desk.

    I found that although the quality of the machine is important, what's MORE important is the beans (or pods) you put into it.

  • Lunarboogie on 20/06/2023 - 16:07

    I can't remember the last time I paid for coffee. I make 2 x double shot expressos as soon as I am up with my trusty Smeg machine and it powers me through the day. I envy those who can wait hours for a caffeine hit.

  • nephilim on 20/06/2023 - 16:45

    $1 coffee machines all come down to staff, most staff dont care and just leave the lids half off or dont replace the milk often

  • jrvb42 on 20/06/2023 - 19:14
    -2

    I bought several boxes of Nescafe 3 in 1 mix at $2 for 20 sachets from Silly Sollys. Very good value. Using non yuppy savings to travel overseas, having just quit work for their non-compliance with my leave requirements. Happy happy.

  • stmgr on 21/06/2023 - 10:23

    I only drink coffee at work

  • od810 on 21/06/2023 - 11:14
    +1

    A Barrista Express ($550 amortised over 3 years) + a reusable cup + Beans from Ozbargain ($35/kg) work out to be around $1.2.

    • bargaino on 21/06/2023 - 12:57

      Fine for home, but will result in an awful mess at work. As above, you need pod or fully automatic.

      • od810 on 21/06/2023 - 16:42
        +1

        Even cheaper, hand grinder + aero press.

  • BartholemewH on 21/06/2023 - 11:38

    A medium flat white at the Cafe out front of my office in regional Australia is $6.00, assumed the city would be dearer, perhaps not.

    • Brianqpr on 21/06/2023 - 12:38
      +3

      More competition in cities helps to lower prices. If only we had this sort of competition to prevent Colesworth ripping everyone off.

      • locknuts on 23/06/2023 - 07:51

        I think Aldi, Fresh & Save and Costco are slowly disrupting the market. Love fresh n save.

  • mavis30551 on 21/06/2023 - 13:44

    I got sick of paying $5.50 for a medium coffee that tasted terrible at the cafe near work.

    Got a bunch of Nescafe sugar free lattees on special - $3.20 for a box of 10 - and i find using a slightly bigger than 250ml cup and using 2 sachets its actually very tasty.

    So tasty in face i prefer it over my nearest coffee shops at work. Purely preference though.

  • Worf on 21/06/2023 - 15:29
    +1

    Places near my work charge $5 for a medium coffee. Reminds me of that scene in pulp fiction where John Travolta’s character balks at uma therman’s $5 milk shake…

    I’ve since moved to those coffee bags from the supermarket (vittoria, Robert Timms, etc.).

  • freedomofspeech on 21/06/2023 - 15:36
    +1

    $2 at guzman pretty good

    • mapax on 21/06/2023 - 16:07

      They put their prices up again, it’s now $2.70, and for whatever reason the quality is inconsistent. At least at my local store.

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