Wednesday 16 November 2016 9:45 am

Service Partner One coffee price index shows UK’s cheapest coffee is in Dundee

By: Caitlin Morrison

Everyone knows that giving up your daily takeaway coffee habit is the fastest way to become a millionaire (or something like that), but maybe you don't have to go completely cold turkey – just move to Dundee instead.

That's where you can pick up the cheapest cup of coffee in the UK, according to new research from office services provider Service Partner One, which has published its 2016 Coffee Price Index – the new data comes after CBRE revealed that Britain is experiencing a coffee shop boom.

Researchers averaged the cost of four separate types of coffee: a cup of coffee in an office, a Grande Latte from Starbucks, a medium cappuccino from an independent coffee shop, and a cup of coffee at home, and found that the cost of a cup of joe in Dundee was £1.43, followed closely by Sheffield where a dose of caffeine will set you back £1.45.

At the other end of the scale is London, where a coffee costs £1.62. This will be most unwelcome news to residents in the capital, who are still reeling from the shock of Waitrose changing its rules on free hot drinks.

Unsurprisingly, it's independent cafes that make the biggest difference to coffee costs – while the cost of a home and office coffee were found to be the same in Dundee and London, the average price of a medium cappuccino in an independent cafe in the Scottish city was £2.65 but would cost £3.21 in the capital. This represents a 20 per cent difference in price.

Read more: The apps bringing you the best coffee in London 

"Coffee is the fuel of every office, it is not only part of our culture, it is a culture," said Sven Hock, chief executive at Service Partner One.

"Whether you’re sitting down with an old friend, enjoying a cup with your spouse, or taking a break with your colleagues, coffee brings us together and motivates us.”

Dundee's wallet-friendly beverages put it in 12th place in a ranking of global cities, while London ties with Amsterdam in 31st place.

If you're willing to go the extra mile for a cheap coffee, then the place to head for is Rio de Janeiro, where the average cost of a cup is 84p – however the airfare probably cancels out any savings you might make.

And the destination to avoid for budget-conscious caffeine addicts is Geneva. The average price of a coffee in the Swiss city is £2.54.

Source: Service Partner One