Australians love their coffee. That is not news. What might surprise you is the scale of it: a national survey this year put our intake at 4.1 billion litres a year, enough to fill the Sydney Cricket Ground more than 200 times. We spend over $5.6 billion a year doing it.
The most ordered coffee in Australia
Here is the plot twist. Australia invented the flat white, but it is not our favourite order. In the survey, the humble cappuccino took top spot at 26 per cent. The flat white came a close second at 21 per cent, with the latte third at 18 per cent. We are an espresso-based country through and through, far more than a filter one.
We are brewing more at home
The cafe is not the whole story anymore. Almost a quarter of people, 24 per cent, now own a pod machine. Another 18 per cent have invested in a barista-style setup, and 15 per cent reach for a plunger or AeroPress. That is a lot of kitchens turning into little coffee bars, which is good news if you care about what goes in the grinder.
Home brewing is where freshness really shows. A bag roasted last week beats a supermarket tin that has been on a shelf for months, every single time. If you have built a setup at home, the beans are the easiest upgrade you can make.
The last thing we would give up
This is the number we keep coming back to. Asked what they would cut first in a cost-of-living squeeze, 38 per cent said the daily takeaway coffee is the last thing to go. It beat sweet treats at 35 per cent and even Netflix at 34 per cent. People will trim a lot before they give up the cup.
What that tells us is simple. Coffee is not a luxury people abandon when times are tight. It is the small daily thing they protect. Which means the quality of that cup matters more now, not less.
| Australia's coffee habit, by the numbers | |
|---|---|
| Coffee drunk a year | 4.1 billion litres |
| Spent on coffee a year | More than $5.6 billion |
| Most popular order | Cappuccino (26%) |
| Second | Flat white (21%) |
| Third | Latte (18%) |
| Own a pod machine | 24% |
| Own a barista-style machine | 18% |
| Use a plunger or AeroPress | 15% |
| Would give up takeaway coffee last | 38% |
FAQ
What is Australia's most popular coffee?
The cappuccino, at 26 per cent in a 2025 national survey, just ahead of the flat white at 21 per cent and the latte at 18 per cent.
How much coffee do Australians drink?
About 4.1 billion litres a year, enough to fill the Sydney Cricket Ground more than 200 times.
How much do Australians spend on coffee?
More than $5.6 billion a year, despite cost-of-living pressure.
Are Australians brewing more at home?
Yes. 24 per cent own a pod machine, 18 per cent a barista-style machine, and 15 per cent use a plunger or AeroPress.
Brewing at home? Fresh beans are the easiest upgrade you can make.
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