How Much Does It Cost To Open A Cafe?

There are a lot of decisions to make when you’re thinking of starting your own cafe. The cost of commercial coffee machines and all their accoutrements may surprise you, and you need to be prepared if you plan to serve delicious coffee. Here’s a guide to getting started with your own coffee cafe.

What is the Cost of a Commercial Coffee Machine?

The cost of a commercial coffee machine can vary widely depending on how many bells and whistles you want it to have, but more importantly how much coffee you expect it to make and dispense in a short amount of time. A good coffee brewer machine for cafes can cost anywhere from around $5000.00 for a mini one-group machine up to as much as $25,000.00 for a full-size three-group automatic coffee machine.

Getting the right coffee machine for your cafe will be essential and will affect your entire flow of business. If you’re a coffee shop, you may want to invest in one of the top-of-the-line models, while if you’re a bakery or sandwich shop that also serves coffee you may be able to use a smaller model.

To browse our selection of the best commercial coffee machines, look here

What is the Cost of a Commercial Coffee Grinder?

The next thing you’re going to want to consider is the cost of the coffee grinder. Because you may have the best coffee machine, but if you don’t have the best coffee grinder to go with it, then you’re going to be stuck with poor-quality results.

Grinders cost significantly less than coffee machines, but they can range anywhere from $1800.00 to $5000.00 AUD, depending on quality and output required. These are not your home coffee grinders, they range from the small to the best grinders on the market, and whether you want your coffee finely ground or a coarse grind, you’re going to need a good grinder option. For the best coffee grinders in Australia, check out our selection.

What is the Cost of A Coffee Tamper?

And you can’t make quality coffee in your cafe unless you have the right brewing equipment, and that means you could also need an automatic coffee tamper. Automatic coffee tampers in Australia are currently ranging from around $2000.00. A coffee tamper is an easy thing to forget when planning to open a coffee shop but is absolutely essential. Check out our commercial coffee tampers here.

What is the Cost of Rent for a Coffee Shop?

Renting a coffee shop space is going to be your biggest expense, and you need to plan for it. While it can vary wildly depending on where you plan to set up shop, it can get very expensive indeed. Renting prime street shops in Sydney can be between $1500/m2 and $5000/m2. Renting in a shopping centre will be more in the range of $800/m2 to $2000/m2.

What is the Cost of Coffee Beans?

And then we get to the type of coffee that you plan to use and sell in your coffee shop. It all comes down to this decision because whether you buy a fancy milk frother or an espresso tamper, you’re not going to get anywhere with your coffee quality and repeat customers if you don’t have the right beans.

While there is no hard and fast rule about coffee prices, especially in the current economy, you need to choose which coffee beans to buy, and you can expect to pay anywhere between $20-$40 per kilo pending the bean quality, the roast profile and whether you use a private blend or mainstream coffee brands.

Ready to Learn More About Starting a Coffee Shop? Check Out Complete Coffee!