Top 10 Most Expensive Coffee in the World
Updated - Team Colipse
Most expensive coffee are coffee varieties that has very high prices due to rarity, special production, or exclusivity. Some of the world's most expensive coffee comes from animals, such as Indonesian Kopi Luwak and Thai Black Ivory Coffee. Others, like Geisha coffee from estates such as Hacienda La Esmeralda in Panama or Finca El Injerto in Guatemala, are costly due to unique flavor profiles and limited supply. The price of the most expensive coffee ranges from $80 USD per 8 oz for Hawaiian Kona to $2,500 for a similar-sized Colombian Ospina coffee bag. Coffee prices are increasing due to climate change, geopolitical issues, and supply shortages, with some types being more expensive than others. For more affordable luxury, consider specialty coffee brands like Colipse Coffee, which provides roast-to-order, rare single-origin coffees such as Bali Blue Moon and Tanzanian Peaberry at competitive prices. The least expensive and widely available coffee brands in the United States include instant coffee options like Maxwell House.
The table below lists the top 10 most expensive coffee beans in the world, including their price, origin, and brand.
| Name | Price per Pound | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Kopi Luwak (The Kopi Luwak Company) | $600–$1,300 USD | Indonesia |
| Kona Coffee (Hawaiian Kona Coffee Brands) | $80–$100 USD | Hawaii, USA |
| Blue Mountain Coffee (Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee) | $130–$160 USD | Jamaica |
| Geisha Coffee (Finca El Injerto) | $100–$1,000+ USD | Panama, Ethiopia, Colombia |
| Black Ivory Coffee (Black Ivory Coffee Company) | $1,500 USD | Thailand |
| Yemeni Coffee (Best of Yemen Auction) | $116–$526 USD | Yemen |
| Monkey Coffee (Local Producers in Taiwan/India) | $100–$500 USD | Taiwan, India |
| Bat Poop Coffee (Local Producers in Costa Rica/Madagascar) | $101–$440 USD | Costa Rica, Madagascar |
| Jacu Bird Coffee (Camocim Estate) | $680–$770 USD | Brazil |
| Misha Coffee (Local Producers in Peru) | $635–$680 USD | Peru |
1. Kopi Luwak
Kopi Luwak is one of the world's most exclusive and expensive coffee, costing up to $1,300 USD per pound. Kopi Luwak, or civet coffee, is a luxury coffee made from beans eaten and excreted by the Asian palm civet. The animal digest the fruit pulp, leaving the coffee beans intact. Enzymes in the civet’s digestive tract ferment the beans, reduce acidity and enhance flavor. The excreted beans are collected, washed, dried, roasted, and brewed like regular coffee. This expensive poop coffee became famous after being featured on "The Oprah Show" in 2003 and in the 2007 movie "The Bucket List." This led Indonesian farmers to form The Association of Indonesian Coffee Luwak Farmers in 2009.
The price of Kopi Luwak varies based on factors such as wild or farmed sourcing, purchasing whole coffee beans or a single cup, and the location—local coffee shops or luxury hotels. Farmed Kopi Luwak, made from coffee cherries eaten by captive civets, is cheaper, costing $45–$100 USD per pound. Wild Kopi Luwak, made from beans eaten and excreted by wild civets, is more expensive, costing $600–$1,300 USD per pound. Producing this coffee is labor-intensive and involves searching for civet droppings in forests, so only about 500 kg of wild beans are found each year. Wild Civets exclusively eat ripe coffee cherries, which makes Kopi Luwak coffee rare. An 8-oz (237 ml) cup of Kopi Luwak costs $30–$75 USD at specialty cafés and $75–$100+ USD at luxury hotels. In Bali, farmed Kopi Luwak is more affordable, starting at $4 USD per cup.
2. Kona Coffee
Kona coffee is one of the world’s most luxurious and expensive coffees, costing up to $79.95 USD per 8 oz bag. Kona coffee refers to Coffea arabica beans grown exclusively in Hawaii’s North and South Kona Districts. Only coffee from this region may legally be labeled "Kona." To produce this expensive Hawaiian coffee, the coffee cherries are carefully farmed, harvested, and processed, followed by roasting and brewing the beans. Kona coffee first gained widespread recognition in the late 19th century, after winning an award at the 1873 Vienna World's Fair.
The price of Kona coffee varies based on factors such as grade, certification, and brand. Kona Peaberry coffee is the most pricey coffee in Hawaii, costing up to $452 USD for 5-pound bag. This is because peaberries are rare, making up only 5-10% of coffee cherries. Authentic 100% Kona coffee is much pricier than blends, which may have only 10% Kona beans mixed with cheaper ones. An 8-ounce cup of 100% Kona Coffee typically costs $8–$15 USD in specialty cafes, while high-end establishments may charge $20–$50 USD per cup. Kona coffee is expensive due to its limited growing region, high labor costs, and strict quality standards. The small growing area restricts supply, and hand-picking the cherries in a U.S. high-wage environment increases costs.
3. Blue Mountain Coffee
Blue Mountain coffee is among the world's most expensive coffee beans, priced up to $320 USD per kilogram. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee (JBM) is a premium Arabica Typica coffee grown in Jamaica's Blue Mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To be labeled as Jamaica Blue Mountain (JBM) coffee, certification by the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) is required. It must meet strict geographic standards, be grown at altitudes between 3,000 and 5,500 feet, and adhere to high quality standards. These very expensive coffee beans are considered a luxury item, often compared to Champagne.
Blue Mountain coffee costs $130–$160 USD per pound, varying by brand, quantity, and setting. For instance, Blue Baron Estate by Sea Island Coffee from the UK starts at $160 USD per pound. The high price is due to limited supply, labor-intensive farming, strict quality standards, and high-altitude growing conditions that enhance flavor but lower yield. Only 30,000 60-kilogram bags are produced annually, with over 80% exported to Japan according to the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA). Due to its rarity, an 8-ounce cup of JBM coffee in a coffee shop can cost $5-$15 USD. Blue Mountain Coffee offers a unique, smooth taste and prestige but comes at a high cost. It is worth trying once, though other premium coffees provide comparable quality at lower prices.
4. Geisha Coffee
Geisha coffee is a rare and expensive Arabica variety that originated in Ethiopia's Gori Gesha forest, where it grew wild for centuries. It gained fame in 2004 when Hacienda La Esmeralda in Panama won the Best of Panama competition. In 2024, a honey-processed Geisha from Elida Aguacatillo set a new auction record at $13,518 USD per kilogram. This sale surpassed the previous record of $10,005 USD per kilogram ($4,588 USD per pound), held by Carmen Estate from Panama.
The price of Gesha coffee varies by brand, origin, and processing. In 2025, online retailers sell Gesha coffee from Finca El Injerto for $36.80 to $300 per pound, depending on the type. Brands like Hayman Coffee and Volcanica charge $50 to $180 per pound. Gift sets, such as Fucoffee’s 2025 New Year set, cost $113 to $150 per pound. Brewed Geisha coffee costs $18 to over $75 per cup in the United States, with rare varieties like "Elida Geisha 803" priced at $75 in San Francisco. Dubai’s high-end cafes charge $68 per cup for rare Geisha lots, while Colombian or Costa Rican Geisha coffee ranges from $10 to $25 per cup.
5. Black Ivory Coffee
Black Ivory Coffee is a luxury Thai brand that produces one of the world's most expensive coffees using elephant dung. This high-end elephant poop coffee costs $1,500 per pound. Black Ivory Coffee was founded in 2012 by Canadian entrepreneur Blake Dinkin and partners with the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation. This sanctuary rescues elephants formerly used in tourism or logging. Black Ivory coffee is made from Arabica coffee beans that have been consumed and excreted by elephants. During digestion, elephants naturally ferment the beans, reducing bitterness and adding unique flavors.
Black Ivory Coffee costs between $150 USD for 35 grams (enough for 2 servings of French press or 4-5 espresso shots) and $3,000 USD per kilogram. A single cup costs $50 at some five-star hotels like the Anantara, Grand Hyatt, and The Siam. Black Ivory coffee is costly because it's labor-intensive, ethically sourced, and rare. It takes 33 kg of cherries to make 1 kg of coffee. The beans are gathered from elephant dung, washed, sun-dried, roasted in small batches, and carefully sorted. 8% of sales support an elephant foundation. Only about 225 kg are produced annually.
6. Yemeni Coffee
Yemeni coffee is Arabica grown in Yemen's mountains using traditional methods, costing up to $526.50 USD per pound. Yemeni Coffee refers to a rare and historically significant Arabica coffee cultivated in Yemen's mountains. Yemeni coffee is among the most expensive beans due to labor-intensive farming, geopolitical challenges, low yield, scarcity, high demand, and fraudulent trade. Farmers hand-pick coffee beans on terraced mountainsides and sun-dry them on rooftops, a process unchanged for 500 years.
The retail price of Yemeni coffee in 2025 ranges from $5.24 USD to $8.73 USD per pound, with rare lots of specialty Yemeni coffee going much higher. The Best of Yemen 2024 auction has set a new global record for Yemeni coffee, achieving a record-breaking price of $1,159 USD per kilogram, produced by a women’s farming group from Al Hayma Al Dakhiliya, Sanaa. Their Alchemy lots, made of Yemenia, a newly discovered Coffea arabica mother population native to Yemen, consistently score 90+ on the Specialty Coffee Association scale. Yemeni coffee is special because of its unique flavors, cultural importance, and ethical production. This makes it a good choice for some, but its high price may lead others to choose cheaper options.
7. Monkey Coffee
Monkey coffee is a rare and expensive coffee made from beans partially chewed and spit out by primates, like Formosan rock macaques in Taiwan and rhesus monkeys in India. It costs up to $500 per pound. Unlike Kopi Luwak, which involves digestion, Monkey coffee is produced from coffee beans chewed and spit out by monkeys after consuming the sweet pulp of coffee cherries. Enzymes in the monkeys' saliva alter the beans’ composition, reduce bitterness and enhance flavor complexity.
Monkey coffee is expensive because it is scarce, with only about 100 pounds produced each year in regions like Chikmagalur, India, and Taiwan. Price of Monkey coffee ranges from $100 to $500 per pound. Per kilogram, it costs between $220 and $1,100. A cup in coffee shops is priced at $7 to $10. Prices vary due to rarity, labor costs, and ethical certifications (if any). Monkey coffee is a luxury coffee for novelty seekers. Alternatives like single-origin or experimental-process coffees offer comparable quality without the ethical dilemmas.
8. Bat Poop Coffee
Bat guano coffee, often called bat spit coffee or bat poop coffee, is a rare luxury coffee made from coffee beans licked and partially digested by the Jamaican fruit bat (Artibeus jamaicensis). Contrary to its name, bat poop coffee is not made from bat feces. Bats chew coffee cherries, leaving saliva-coated beans on plants. Enzymes in their saliva reduce acidity and enhance sweetness. Farmers collect these beans, which are washed, sun-dried, and roasted for safety. Bat poop coffee is found in Costa Rica and Madagascar. Bat guano coffee is expensive because its production requires intensive labor.
The price of bat poop coffee ranges from $101 to $440 per pound, depending on origin and rarity. Costa Rican bat coffee typically costs $200–230 USD per pound. Madagascan bat spit coffee, made using the premium Arabica variant Bourbon Pointu, costs around $101 per pound. A cup of Bat Poop Coffee generally costs $35–100 USD in coffee shops or luxury hotels. Specialty varieties can reach $440 USD per pound for rare, wild-sourced beans. Bat poop coffee has a smooth, floral, fruity taste with low acidity. Unlike Kopi Luwak, which uses caged civets, bat poop coffee uses wild bats, raising fewer animal welfare concerns. Although expensive, it offers a unique taste.
9. Jacu Bird Coffee
Jacu Bird coffee is a rare, luxury coffee, costing up to $1,700 USD per kilogram. Jacu Bird coffee is produced from the droppings of the Jacu bird (Penelope obscura), a pheasant-like bird native to Brazil’s Atlantic rainforest. Jacu bird coffee, like the expensive Vietnamese Kopi Luwak (weasel coffee), uses beans from bird droppings. The bird eats coffee cherries, and digestion improves the flavor. This coffee is expensive because it's extremely rare (less than 2% of the Camocim Estate's yield), requires labor-intensive harvesting by hand and birds, and uses ethical farming practices.
The price of Jacu Bird coffee per kilogram ranges from $1,500–$1,700 USD as of 2024, with Harrods London selling it at $1,700/kg. Per pound, the price is approximately $680–$770 USD, and a 250g bag costs $385 USD. A cup of Jacu Bird coffee in specialty coffee shops costs $50–$100 USD, depending on serving size (10–15g of beans). Jacu Bird coffee has a unique flavor and is ethicaly produced, but it's super expensive. Its high cost makes it impractical for daily use, although specialty coffee enthusiasts like it.
10. Misha Coffee
Misha coffee, or coati coffee, is a rare, luxury Peruvian coffee made from Arabica beans fermented through digestion by coatis (Nasua nasua), raccoon-like animals native to the Andes. Coatis eat ripe coffee cherries, and the beans are collected from their feces, then washed, dried, and roasted. This process creates a smooth, low-acidity flavor profile with chocolate, almond, and citrus notes, setting it apart from conventional coffees. Misha coffee is expensive because it requires a lot of labor to produce. It takes 35 kg of cherries to make just 1 kg of beans, and only 450 kg of beans are produced each year in Peru.
The price of Misha coffee ranges from $1,400 to $1,500 USD per kilogram or $635–$680 per pound. This makes it around 100 times more expensive than the global average retail coffee price of $10.48–$14.79 per kg in 2025. A 12-oz cup, using average of 18g of coati beans, would cost $25–$27, excluding additional markup for labor or branding. Those seeking a rare, ethically sourced, and luxurious animal poop coffee experience may find it worth the price, but casual drinkers likely will not.
What is the Most Expensive Coffee in the World?
The title of "most expensive coffee" changes depending on if we mean coffee sold in stores or at auctions. The current most expensive retail coffee in the world is Ospina Dynasty Gran Café Grand Cru Classé from Colombia, costing $2,500 for 250 grams. Ospina Coffee is a premium Colombian brand founded in 1835 by Colombian coffee pioneer and former president Don Mariano Ospina Rodríguez. The second most expensive retail coffee in the world is Black Ivory Coffee, costing at $1,500 USD per pound. Meanwhile, Panama Geisha coffee from Lamastus Family Estates holds the title of the most expensive coffee in the world sold at auction. In September 2024, it set a record by selling for $6,034 per pound of unroasted green beans.
Where to Buy the Most Expensive Coffee?
The most expensive coffees, like Black Ivory Coffee, can be bought directly from their websites or at luxury hotels. Specialty coffee brands like Kopi Luwak and Hacienda La Esmeralda Geisha are often sold in high-end online stores, at auctions, and in specialty coffee shops.
For those looking for affordable luxury, you can buy expensive coffee from specialty coffee brands like Colipse, but without the hefty price tag. We source single origin coffee beans like Bali Blue Moon and Tanzanian Peaberry, roast them fresh, and deliver them right to your door.
Why is Coffee So Expensive?
Coffee is getting more expensive due to climate change, geopolitical disruptions, and supply-demand imbalances. Droughts in Brazil and Vietnam reduced yields, with arabica prices hitting $3.48 per pound in December 2024, a 90% annual increase. Longer shipping routes raised transport costs and delays. Speculative trading, fueled by anticipated EU deforestation regulations and geopolitical risks, increased price volatility. Global coffee consumption has outpaced production for four consecutive years, creating a cumulative deficit of 15–20 million bags. While wholesale arabica prices reached record highs, retail prices are expected to rise 20–25% by early 2025 as stocks dwindle.
In addition to these global trends, the type of coffee greatly influences its price. Single-origin coffees are more expensive due to their limited availability, sustainable farming practices, certifications, and unique flavors. Arabica beans, preferred for their sweeter taste, are pricier than Robusta because they require specific growing conditions and have lower yields. Specialty coffees cost more due to factors like small-batch sourcing, careful roasting, and fair labor practices.
Which Country Produces the Most Expensive Coffee?
The most expensive coffee is produced in Panama, specifically the Geisha variety. Panama Geisha coffee consistently breaks records at auctions, selling for up to $1,300 per pound. Its rarity, unique flavor profile, and high demand among coffee enthusiasts contribute to its high price. Other coffee producers known for expensive coffee include Jamaica, Ethiopia, and Indonesia.
What is the Cheapest Coffee?
In United States, Maxwell House Medium Roast Coffee is the cheapest widely available coffee at approximately $13.67 USD for a 30.6 oz can (44 cents per ounce). This budget-friendly instant coffee offers a consistent, mild flavor at an affordable price, making it a popular choice for those seeking reliable daily coffee.