How Far $20 Will Take You At Dutch Bros Vs Starbucks

Unfortunately, grabbing the perfect pick-me-up beverage seems to be getting pricier. Due to factors like high coffee bean prices and much-needed minimum wage increases in the United States, coffee shop prices keep going up. According to FinanceBuzz, prices at Starbucks increased 39% between 2014 and 2024. By the end of 2026's second quarter, prices went up at Dutch Bros by about 3% from 2025, but that's because the company is absorbing the majority of elevated costs to avoid passing them onto customers (per Yahoo Finance).

That's why you'll want to get the most bang for your buck on your coffee run. Let's say you have $20 to spend and are choosing between Starbucks and Dutch Bros. Ultimately, Dutch Bros is where to go for a cheaper cup. For a 16-ounce hot Americano, expect to pay $3.25 for a medium at Dutch Bros and $4.25 for a grande at Starbucks. Though prices vary some depending on which size you order, in general, at Starbucks you'll pay around $0.33 per ounce compared to Dutch Bros' $0.21. If this is your go-to order, you'd be able to get four Americanos from Starbucks (with $3 to go toward the tip) or six from Dutch Bros (with $0.50 to spare).

Keep in mind: The general consensus for what you should tip at a cafe, according to baristas on Reddit, is between $1 and $2 per drink or 20% for orders with elaborate beverages, secret menu items, or several drinks. Sales tax varies, but the national average is 7.53% (via Tax Foundation). The prices listed throughout this piece do not include tax and tip and are pulled from online menus in Austin, Texas.

It's easy to go buck wild with a pump of this, a shake of that, or one of Starbucks' fan-favorite cold foams. But for simplicity's sake, we're starting with a classic for those that prefer their coffee on the rocks. A grande (16 ounce) Iced Caffè Latte with 2% milk and nothing fancy comes out to $5.25 at Starbucks. A 16-ounce iced drink at Dutch Bros is a size small, which costs $4.45. For your $20 budget, that's three grande iced lattes from Starbucks (or four 12-ounce talls) or four small lattes from Dutch Bros (with $2.20 to spare). Interestingly, at both cafes, the price per ounce of the iced latte is nearly identical to that of a straightforward Americano. If you want to turn the Starbucks version into a vanilla latte, for example, it will cost you $0.80 more, while the same upgrade at Dutch Bros will cost just $0.50.

Frozen drinks are another popular way to get your cold coffee fix. At Starbucks, you'd order a Frappuccino, and at Dutch Bros, you'd ask for a Blended Freeze. For 16 ounces of the mocha flavor, you're paying $5.95 at Starbucks and $4.95 at Dutch Bros — within your $20 budget, that's just three or four drinks, respectively. In this case, per ounce, Starbucks is $0.10 more expensive than Dutch Bros on average across sizes.

When you aren't feeling coffee, both these restaurants have plenty of options. Dutch Bros, for one, is known for its signature Rebel Energy Drinks, which can be served over ice or blended and include add-in options such as sweet cream and popping boba. While Starbucks may not be as well known for its non-coffee, caffeine-enhanced beverages, the menu lists more than a dozen options with similar possible additions. 

Though the flavor offerings aren't identical, let's compare Starbucks' Strawberry Açaí Lemonade Energy Refresher to Dutch Bros' Vampire Slayer Rebel, which is flavored with strawberry and pomegranate. A 16-ounce grande costs $6.25 compared to $4.75 at Dutch Bros. Starbucks' take automatically includes strawberry fruit inclusions, but you'd have to add them for an additional charge to the Vampire Slayer Rebel. That modification will cost $0.70 more, bringing your total to $5.45 — which is still $0.80 cheaper than the Starbucks version. For $20, you'll get three Starbucks drinks or four from Dutch Bros.

You may also want to grab a snack. Dutch Bros has a more limited selection. Some stores just sell muffin tops, which cost around $3. Other locations offer items like breakfast sliders with egg, cheese, and sausage or bacon ($3.25), cake pops ($2.95 each), and banana bread ($3.75). Comparable Starbucks meals cost $4.95 for a sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich, $3.45 for a cake pop, and $4.75 for a slice of banana-nut loaf cake. Aside from popular Starbucks pastries, heartier lunch options — such as the Cheese and Fruit Protein Box or Ham and Swiss on Baguette — range in price from about $6.75 to $7.45.