Habit Cost Calculator: What a Daily Coffee Costs a Year

Calculate what a daily coffee or any other habit costs per week, month and year, and what the same money would be worth invested over the years.

Last updated: October 2, 2026

Example: the calculation with the default values

The defaults are example values, not an average. Enter your own numbers and press “Calculate” to run it with yours.

per week

$17

per month

$73

per year

$875

Once	$3.50
Times per year (every working day)	250.00
Per year	$875
Invested as a monthly amount	$73
After the period, nominal	$59,457
Of that, in today’s purchasing power	$32,825

Assumptions behind this calculation

Assumed return per year: 5.0%
Assumed inflation per year: 2.0%
Period considered: 30
Calculated as if the annual amount were invested in twelve monthly installments.

How we calculate

The single amount times the number of times a year is the annual amount: daily times 365.25, every working day times 250, weekly times 52.18, monthly times 12. The week and the month are the annual amount divided by 52.18 and by 12.

For the long run we invest the annual amount in twelve monthly installments at an assumed return of 5% a year. The end value is shown nominal and in today’s purchasing power, discounted at an assumed 2% inflation a year.

The reasoning behind these numbers, with sources, is in the article: Coffee vs. Investing: The 30-Year Cost Comparison.

Frequently asked

How much does a daily coffee cost per year?

With this calculator’s example amount – $3.50 every working day, 250 times a year – it comes to $875 a year and $72.92 a month. The amount is an example, not an average price: enter yours and the calculator uses it.

How do I turn a daily expense into a yearly cost?

Amount times frequency: daily times 365.25, every working day times 250, weekly times 52.18, monthly times 12. In the example, $3.50 times 250 is $875.

What would the money be worth if I invested it instead?

Invested in twelve monthly installments at an assumed 5% return a year, it would be $59,457 after 30 years – $32,825 in today’s purchasing power at an assumed 2% inflation a year. Return and inflation are assumptions, not a forecast.