How much does coffee at home cost in Switzerland?

A cup of black coffee made at home in Switzerland can cost roughly CHF 0.06 to more than CHF 1, depending on the coffee, dose and system. That range is based on price examples checked on 31 August 2026. It is not a promise that the same products will keep the same prices.

The price on a bag is only the beginning. A fair comparison includes the dose actually used, wasted coffee, filters, electricity, cleaning, milk and, if you want the full ownership cost, the machine spread over the number of drinks it produces.

Quick comparison #

Method	Indicative coffee-only cost	Assumption
Filter or French press with supermarket coffee	about CHF 0.06 to CHF 0.24	7 to 8 g per 125 ml, coffee at CHF 8 to CHF 30/kg
Filter or French press with beans at CHF 50/kg	about CHF 0.35 to CHF 0.40	7 to 8 g per 125 ml
Bean-to-cup espresso	about CHF 0.06 to CHF 0.36	7 to 9 g, beans at CHF 8 to CHF 40/kg
Compatible capsule	pack price divided by capsule count	system, promotions and pack size vary
Nespresso Original examples	around CHF 0.65	standard sleeves seen at CHF 6.50 for 10
Nespresso Vertuo examples	about CHF 0.69 to more than CHF 1	capsule size and sleeve count vary

The first three rows are calculations, not average market prices. The capsule examples come from Nespresso Switzerland pages checked on the update date. Delivery, limited editions and promotions can change the amount paid.

The formula that works for any bag #

For beans or ground coffee:

Cost per cup = bag price in CHF x dose in grams / bag weight in grams

A 500 g bag costing CHF 12 with an 8 g dose gives:

12 x 8 / 500 = CHF 0.192, or about 19 centimes per cup.

For capsules or pods:

Cost per cup = pack price / number of capsules or pods

A box of 10 costing CHF 5.50 therefore costs CHF 0.55 per drink, before milk, delivery or machine costs.

Use your real dose. The guide to measuring coffee for each brewing method starts filter coffee at roughly 55 to 65 g/L, or about 7 to 8 g for a 125 ml machine cup. A 250 ml mug is twice that volume. A traditional single espresso may use 7 to 9 g, while a modern double commonly uses 16 to 20 g.

What beans and ground coffee cost per cup #

Swiss supermarket ranges cover budget coffee, established brands, certified products and more expensive origins. The Migros online range checked for this update included 1 kg bean packs around CHF 8 to CHF 20 and 500 g packs that equated to roughly CHF 19 to CHF 39/kg. Products outside that range also exist, and promotions change the picture quickly.

The most reliable method is therefore to read the current price per kilogram and use the table below:

Coffee price	7 g dose	8 g dose	18 g double espresso
CHF 8/kg	CHF 0.06	CHF 0.06	CHF 0.14
CHF 20/kg	CHF 0.14	CHF 0.16	CHF 0.36
CHF 30/kg	CHF 0.21	CHF 0.24	CHF 0.54
CHF 50/kg	CHF 0.35	CHF 0.40	CHF 0.90
CHF 70/kg	CHF 0.49	CHF 0.56	CHF 1.26

This table also explains why "beans are cheaper than capsules" is not always true. An 18 g double made with coffee at CHF 50/kg costs CHF 0.90 in beans alone. A small single made with CHF 20/kg beans costs about CHF 0.16. Dose and coffee price must be named before comparing systems.

Capsule cost in Switzerland #

Capsules make the arithmetic simple but the comparison more complicated. One capsule is usually one programmed drink, yet systems use different coffee quantities and beverage volumes.

On the Nespresso Switzerland pages checked on 31 August 2026:

standard Original sleeves appeared at around CHF 6.50 for 10, or CHF 0.65 per capsule;
Vertuo double-espressos appeared around CHF 6.90 for 10;
several Vertuo mug capsules appeared around CHF 8.10 to CHF 8.90 for 10;
a Vertuo carafe sleeve was CHF 8.40 for 7, or CHF 1.20 each.

These are dated examples, not a permanent price list. Original and Vertuo capsules are not interchangeable. Compatible supermarket capsules can cost less, especially during promotions, so divide the current box price by its count rather than relying on a broad range.

Price per drink is not the only comparison. Check whether the capsule produces the volume you actually want and whether its material has a collection route near you. In Switzerland, aluminium coffee capsules belong in the dedicated capsule collection, not the ordinary household-aluminium container.

Electricity is small per cup, but measurable #

Machine wattage is not energy use. Consumption depends on heating time, brewing, rinsing, hot-plate use and how long the appliance remains on. A plug-in energy meter gives the best answer for your routine.

The Swiss Federal Electricity Commission reported a 2026 median basic-supply household tariff of 27.7 centimes per kWh. At that tariff:

Measured energy per session	Electricity cost
0.02 kWh	about CHF 0.006
0.05 kWh	about CHF 0.014
0.10 kWh	about CHF 0.028

These energy figures are scenarios, not claimed consumption values for every machine. A filter machine left on a hot plate or a large espresso machine kept warm for hours can use much more than a brief brew cycle. Preparing several cups in one heating session can reduce the energy cost per cup.

Filters, cleaning, water and milk #

Small recurring items add up over a year:

paper filters cost a few centimes each and may serve several cups;
descaler, cleaning tablets and water-filter cartridges depend on machine design and local water hardness;
milk-system cleaner and replacement seals raise the running cost of more complex machines;
milk often costs more than the coffee in an inexpensive home cappuccino;
discarded coffee, failed espresso shots and drinks left in a carafe are part of the real cost.

Do not invent a universal maintenance allowance. Look at the manufacturer's schedule, your water hardness and the actual products required. A simple French press has almost no specialised maintenance. A bean-to-cup machine with a milk system has more consumables and more parts that may eventually need service.

Add the equipment cost fairly #

The simplest depreciation calculation is:

Equipment cost per cup = purchase price / drinks made over its useful life

Suppose a bean-to-cup machine costs CHF 800 and makes two coffees a day for six years:

800 / (2 x 365 x 6) = about CHF 0.18 per cup

That is equipment only. Repairs, cleaning and coffee remain separate. If the same machine makes six drinks a day and lasts six years, the equipment cost falls to about CHF 0.06 per drink. If it fails after two years, it rises sharply.

A CHF 40 French press used for the same six years adds less than one centime per drink at two coffees a day. Convenience, drink quality and labour still differ, so cost is not the only buying criterion. The comparison of coffee makers for different kitchens helps weigh those factors.

Four annual scenarios #

For a household making two drinks every day, 730 cups per year:

Scenario	Coffee cost per cup	Coffee cost per year	Not included
Filter, 8 g at CHF 18/kg	CHF 0.14	about CHF 105	filter, kettle and waste
Filter, 8 g at CHF 50/kg	CHF 0.40	about CHF 292	filter and equipment
Bean-to-cup, 8 g at CHF 25/kg	CHF 0.20	about CHF 146	machine, cleaning and service
Capsule at CHF 0.65	CHF 0.65	about CHF 475	machine, milk and delivery

In these particular examples, the annual difference between the first filter coffee and the CHF 0.65 capsule is about CHF 370. That number is not transferable to every household. Change the dose, bean price and capsule price before drawing a conclusion.

How to reduce the bill without spoiling the coffee #

Compare coffee by price per kilogram and capsules by price per unit.
Weigh the dose. Two unnecessary grams on an 8 g recipe increase coffee use by 25 per cent.
Buy only the quantity you can keep fresh. A cheaper large bag is poor value if much of it goes stale or is discarded.
Avoid leaving a machine or hot plate running for a single later cup.
Prepare the volume you will actually drink.
Include cleaning products and likely repairs before choosing a complex machine.
Recalculate when prices or habits change.

The honest answer is not that one method is always cheapest. A modest filter recipe can cost only a few centimes in coffee, a premium double espresso can exceed the price of some capsules, and equipment can reverse an apparently simple comparison. State the dose, current product price and number of drinks, then add the costs that matter in your household.