☕ The 1,500-Won Americano Era Is Over? Coffee Prices Keep Climbing 💸

📝 Quick 3-Sentence Summary 

1. Affordable coffee chains like Paik’s Coffee and Mega Coffee have raised their Americano prices from 1,500 KRW to around 1,700–1,800 KRW. 

2. The hike is due to skyrocketing global bean prices, rising exchange rates, and increased logistics and operational costs. In particular, the Robusta beans these brands mainly use have surged over 70% in price in just a year, with exchange rate effects piling on. 

3. Now might be the cheapest coffee will ever be—climate change and unstable supply chains mean prices will likely continue to rise, and we’ll need to start making more intentional choices about every cup we drink. 

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☕ "Affordable Americano? Not 1,500 Won Anymore" 

Everyone grabs a coffee after lunch, right? It’s the perfect post-meal pick-me-up—it refreshes your palate and chases away the afternoon drowsiness. Lately, I’ve been obsessed with a-shot-chu (an iced Americano with a shot of espresso). The sweet and bitter combo is addictive—one sip and I keep craving it. Other than the hit to my wallet, it’s my go-to after lunch. 

But lately, cheap coffee is getting less cheap. You know the big three—Paik’s Coffee, Mega Coffee, Compose Coffee—those brands are basically the poster children of budget-friendly brews. And now? They’ve all bumped up their hot Americano prices from 1,500 KRW to 1,700–1,800 KRW. Other drinks have gone up 200–300 KRW too. It might feel like just a few hundred won, but there’s a much bigger story behind that small change. 

🤔❓"It’s just a couple hundred won… why the fuss?" 

Fair question. But humans don’t always react logically to numbers. We got so used to Americano = 1,500 won that we didn’t even think twice about it. But when it jumps to 1,800 won? Suddenly it’s not just 300 won—it feels like a whole new mental threshold. 

That moment of hesitation—“Should I really buy this?”—comes from your internal pricing anchor breaking. Behavioral economists actually have a name for this: reference price. It’s like when you’re grocery shopping and think, “Wait, wasn’t this way cheaper before?” Same idea. 

🚨 What’s Driving the Price Hike? Skyrocketing Bean Costs 

The most direct cause: the price of coffee beans is through the roof. Countries like Brazil and Vietnam produce more than half of the world’s coffee. But their weather lately? Not great. 

Droughts, cold snaps, and El Niño (a weird ocean warming phenomenon) have slashed harvests. Lower yield = higher prices. And the Robusta beans—used heavily in budget chains—have surged over 70% in the past year (per the London International Financial Futures Exchange). Some markets report even steeper spikes. With Mega Coffee, Compose Coffee, and Paik’s Coffee relying on Robusta, Korea’s coffee prices are directly impacted. 

📊 Ugh, the Exchange Rate Too? 

As if bean prices weren’t enough, the won–USD exchange rate has been rising sharply. That means even if the bean price stays at $1, it feels way more expensive in KRW. Plus, cups, lids, straws—most of those are imported too. 

Even though the exchange rate recently dropped back to the 1,360 range, don’t expect prices to fall right away. Big chains usually stock up on beans 6 months to a year in advance, based on older rates. And let’s be real—once prices go up, food and beverage businesses rarely lower them again. 

Add to that post-COVID logistics costs, still-high shipping fees, rising labor, utilities, and rent. For franchises where profit margins are tight and fixed by HQ, if a store owner can’t make ends meet—even with hundreds of cups sold a day—they pretty much have to raise prices. 

🧐❓Coffee Production Might Never Be the Same 

We think of coffee as a basic everyday thing—but producing it is becoming riskier. This isn’t some short-term hiccup. A 2016 report from the Climate Institute in Australia warned that over 50% of the world’s coffee-growing land could disappear by 2050 due to climate change. 

So while we can still get beans relatively cheap now, in the future? Coffee might become a legit luxury item. 

👀 "So Only Cheap Coffee Chains Raised Prices? What About Starbucks?" 

You might be wondering, “Okay, but what about Starbucks? They’ve been pretty quiet.” 

Actually, they’ve already raised prices. In January 2025, Starbucks bumped up their tall Americano from 4,500 to 4,700 KRW. But people didn’t freak out as much because we were already used to Starbucks being pricey. 

Starbucks has been gradually increasing prices since 2022, so they’re kind of coasting for now. It’s not that they didn’t raise prices—they just did it earlier and more quietly. When a 100,000 KRW pen goes up 500 won, you barely notice. But when a 1,500 KRW pen goes up the same amount? Totally different story. 

Cheap coffee brands had it tougher. That 1,500 KRW price point wasn’t just a number—it was symbolic. They held that line as long as they could, balancing cost, brand identity, and customer expectations. But with bean prices, wages, and rent all rising, they couldn’t hold out any longer. 

💰So What Happens Now? Will Prices Keep Rising? 

The big question: “Will coffee just keep getting more expensive?” 

Right now, there’s little reason to think prices will drop anytime soon. Bean supply instability, climate issues, currency fluctuations—none of these are quick fixes. 

In fact, some in the industry expect another price hike in late 2025 or early 2026. This isn’t just about greedy franchises (though profit motives are always part of it). Coffee pricing is now tied to global agriculture, logistics, inflation, exchange rates—even how we consume things. And as the world shifts, we have to adjust our own choices too. 

🔍 How Coffee Habits Might Change 

As prices rise, our behavior is bound to shift. 

Home cafés—brewing at home—are becoming more common. Beans and drip bags are easier to find, and home-brewing feels more like a hobby than just saving money. Others might switch to tea, energy drinks, or cheaper chains instead of Starbucks. 

Not everyone is cutting back, though. Some people are leaning into premium. Specialty beans, high-end cafes, and even 10,000 KRW cups of coffee are seeing more demand. Brands are catching on and stepping up—better quality, better service, slicker apps, cozy store vibes. “It’s cheap, so I’ll drink it” doesn’t cut it anymore. 

And some? They’re just drinking less coffee overall. 

⏳ Today’s Coffee Is the Cheapest It’ll Ever Be 

Here’s one thing that’s pretty certain: the coffee you’re buying today is probably the cheapest it’s going to be. 

I still grab my a-shot-chu after lunch, but now every time I tap to pay, I think: “This might be the last time it’s this cheap.” That one little cup? It holds so much more than caffeine. It holds global trends, economic shifts, and climate concerns—all wrapped up in a lid. 

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