Home Espresso vs. Cafe Cost Calculator
How long until a home espresso setup pays for itself? Enter what you spend at the cafe and what your setup costs to see your cost per drink, monthly savings and break-even point.
The numbers filled in are example assumptions, not data. Every field is editable: swap in your cafe's price, the machine you're considering and the beans you buy.
How the math works
- Home cost per drink = (bag price ÷ bag grams × grams per drink) + extras per drink + (yearly maintenance ÷ drinks per year).
- Drinks per year = drinks per day × days per week × 52.
- Savings per drink = cafe price − home cost per drink.
- Break-even = setup cost ÷ savings per drink (in drinks), converted to weeks and months at your pace.
Not included: electricity, water, your time, and drinks you'd skip either way. If home cost per drink is higher than the cafe price, there's no break-even.