The Starbucks Drink With The Highest Caffeine Per Dollar

After a rampant rise in food prices over the past five years and another 3.3% rise expected in 2025, you can't blame consumers for looking to get more for their money. And, given how much money we spend each year at Starbucks –- one estimate is more than $1200 each –- it's worth examining how much bang you can get for your buck. Efficiency is Everything did just that. The site, which applies industrial engineering concepts to everyday life, examined every beverage at the coffee chain to determine which drink gives you more juice with your squeeze. The winner? A venti True North Blond Roast, which provides almost 194 milligrams of caffeine per dollar.

In fact, freshly brewed coffee proved to be the most cost-effective choice overall. The runner-up on the list was a venti medium roast brewed coffee, with 163.7 milligrams of caffeine per dollar. The tall blonde came in at No. 3, followed by the venti dark roast at No. 4. Quad espresso rounded out the top 10 at Nos. 8 and 9.

Although espresso has more caffeine per ounce than coffee, people tend to drink smaller amounts than they do of coffee. So, even if you order a quad, the shop's largest size espresso, you'll get a little more than half the caffeine — about 300 milligrams — of that venti blonde roast. It pays to know the different cup sizes at Starbucks because you'll get the same amount of caffeine whether you order a short or tall latte, which both have just one shot of espresso, or a grande or venti latte, which both have two shots of espresso. The difference is more milk.

If you want even more return on your coffee investment, Efficiency is Everything has some suggestions. For example, you can ask for an espresso long shot with your drinks, giving you more caffeine without paying extra. You can also get more caffeine per dollar by adding a shot of espresso to your regular brewed coffee. But, if you really want more caffeine, hang around your local Starbucks and you can get free refills