New national data reveals almost half of Australian cafes have increased flat white prices in six months, with further rises following the October ban on card surcharges.
Australians are paying more for their daily coffee, with new research revealing 45 per cent of cafes have increased flat white prices over the past six months.
Figures released by Australian coffee price tracking platform Small Flat White show the average flat white cost $5.17 in October 2026, compared with $5.01 in April.
The increase comes as cafes navigate rising operating costs and changes to card payment surcharges, with fresh data suggesting some businesses have adjusted their menu prices following the October surcharge ban.
The research examined 2,471 cafes with comparable flat white prices recorded in both April and October, finding 45 per cent had increased their prices.
Across the broader October survey, the platform collected pricing information from 10,031 cafes nationwide.
The findings provide a detailed picture of how Australia’s coffee market is changing, with price increases varying considerably between states and individual businesses.
One in five cafes raised prices
One of the most significant findings concerns pricing changes following the end of card surcharges on 1 October 2026.
According to Small Flat White, 20 per cent of cafes increased their flat white prices between September and October, with the typical increase reaching 50 cents.
The analysis compared prices at 3,731 cafes surveyed in both months, using the same cup size at each location.
While 20 per cent increased prices, 72 per cent maintained their existing prices and eight per cent recorded a reduction.
The findings suggest a minority of cafes adjusted their advertised prices around the time of the surcharge changes, although the data does not establish whether the ban directly caused those increases.
Further research tracking 1,478 cafes at two points during October found the proportion with higher prices increased from 17 per cent at the first check to 22 per cent at the latest check.
Queensland leads
Queensland recorded the highest proportion of cafes increasing their flat white prices between September and October, at 22 per cent.
New South Wales and Victoria followed closely, with 21 per cent of cafes in each state raising prices.
Western Australia recorded a 20 per cent increase rate, while the Australian Capital Territory stood at 17 per cent.
The Northern Territory and Tasmania both recorded 15 per cent, while South Australia had the lowest proportion of price increases at 12 per cent.
The figures highlight significant differences in pricing decisions across the country, even as cafes face broader economic pressures.
However, the results measure the proportion of cafes increasing prices rather than the size of those increases or the average price paid in each state.
Coffee prices climb
The latest findings come amid ongoing concerns about the cost of living and the affordability of everyday purchases.
For consumers, even relatively modest increases can accumulate over time.
A 50-cent increase on a daily coffee purchased five days a week represents an additional $130 annually.
Coffee businesses face a range of potential cost pressures, including wages, rent, electricity, ingredients and payment processing expenses.
However, the Small Flat White figures do not establish which of these factors contributed most to the price changes.
The platform’s wider database now includes 36,616 mapped venues across Australia, with flat white pricing available for 13,348 cafes.
Its research covers 4,928 suburbs and includes more than 15,000 completed phone surveys, alongside menu-based price collection.
The database also tracks alternative milk surcharges, cup sizes and differences between metropolitan and regional coffee prices.
The latest findings underline how even Australia’s most familiar daily purchases are becoming more expensive.
And while most cafes have held prices steady since September, the data suggests consumers are increasingly likely to encounter a higher price when ordering their next flat white.
Figures attributed to smallflatwhite.com.
