17 Cheapest Starbucks Drinks on the Menu (No Hacks)

Looking for a budget-friendly Starbucks drink? Here's a list of the 17 cheapest Starbucks drinks you can order straight from the menu. No hacks required.

Iced Americano is one of the cheapest Starbucks drinks.

Cheapest Drinks at Starbucks

Wondering if Starbucks has any affordable drinks?

In fact, they do and I found the 17 cheapest Starbucks drinks on the menu and half of them are under $3 for a grande size cup.

Of course, free drinks are the cheapest drinks of all.

So, make sure to always pay with the Starbucks app to earn Rewards, redeemable towards free coffee and other types of drinks.

Starbucks Drinks with the Lowest Menu Prices

What is the cheapest drink at Starbucks?

The absolute cheapest Starbucks drink is a short hot brewed coffee or Teavana hot tea. Each drink costs about $2.35 and comes in a variety of roasts and blends. The next cheapest drink is a solo shot of espresso which costs around $2.45.

However, the cheapest grande size drink at Starbucks or drinks made with two shots of espresso, is any Doppio espresso beverage followed by hot brewed coffee and hot tea. But the cost difference is minimal.

Bottom line, the cheapest drinks at Starbucks are the basics, like plain espresso or a hot cup of coffee or tea.

Cheaper Drinks vs. Handcrafted Beverages

Three main differences between cost-friendly Starbucks drinks and handcrafted beverages is the quantity of milk, number of ingredients and amount of labor to make each recipe.

So it’s not surprising that the most affordable beverages are also quite simple like a shot of espresso, a brewed cup of coffee, an Americano, or cold brew.

Now, that doesn’t mean milk in your coffee or tea is going to cost you. There’s never a charge when it comes to a splash of dairy. They’ll even steam it at no extra cost.

But handcrafted drinks like lattes, mochas and frappuccinos come with a higher price tag. They take more labor, have multiple ingredients and contain more costly ingredients like milk.

17 Cheapest Drinks at Starbucks to Order from the Menu

To save money on your Starbucks drink order, stick to the basics and avoid expensive add-ins. You definitely won’t find any heavily customized TikTok drinks on this list.

So, let’s take a look.

Here are the 17 cheapest Starbucks drinks on the menu, in ranked order beginning with the lowest priced beverage you can get.

Starbucks Iced Americano on a napkin inside a Starbucks store. — One of the cheapest drinks at Starbucks is an Iced Americano which is espresso topped with water over ice.

1. Espresso (Cheapest Starbucks Drink on the Menu)

A double shot of espresso gets you the same amount of caffeine that’s in most grande drinks but it’s about 60% of the price. It’s one of the cheapest Starbucks drinks.

Espresso options include Starbucks dark signature roast, blonde roast or decaf. Here’s what you get.

Solo: 1 shot, .75 fluid ounces of espresso
Doppio: 2 shots, 1.5 fluid ounces of espresso
Triple: 3 shots, 2.25 fluid ounces of espresso
Quad: 4 shots, 3 fluid ounces of espresso

Approximate Price of Starbucks Espresso*
Solo $2.45, Doppio $2.65, Triple $2.95 , Quad $3.25

2. Iced Espresso

An Iced Espresso at Starbucks is just like a regular shot, but it’s poured over ice. A doppio is comparable in caffeine to Starbucks iced lattes that are made with two shots.

You can order solo, doppio, triple or quad shots and it’s also available in dark, blonde or decaf roasts.

Approximate Price of an Iced Espresso*
Solo $2.45, Doppio $2.65, Triple $2.95 , Quad $3.25

3. Steamed Milk

Here’s a cheap Starbucks drink that actually has a lot of milk—in fact, it’s all milk.

A Starbucks Milk Steamer is simply steamed 2% milk with a little foam. A favorite among parents, order it kids size and it will be warmed up to 130°F and cost less than a short.

The type of milk can be substituted but stick to non-fat, 2% or whole for no up-charge.

Approximate Price of Steamed Milk*
Kids $1.95 (8 oz), Short $2.35 (8 oz), Grande $2.65

4. Steamed Apple Juice

Here’s a great option for kids, steamed 100% apple juice (no concentrate). Order it warm, steamed hot or extra hot.

Approximate Price of Steamed Apple Juice*
Kids $1.95 (8 oz), Short $2.35 (8 oz), Grande $2.65

5. Espresso Macchiato

An Espresso Macchiato at Starbucks is just an espresso shot marked with a dollop of steamed milk. It comes in solo, doppio, triple or quad sizes.

Approximate Price of Espresso Macchiato*
Solo $2.55, Doppio $2.75, Triple $3.05 , Quad $3.35

6. Espresso con Panna

This delightful little drink is espresso with Starbucks sweetened vanilla flavored whipped cream on top. It’s delicious and won’t break the budget.

Approximate Price of Espresso Macchiato*
Solo $2.55, Doppio $2.75, Triple $3.05 , Quad $3.35

7. Hot Brewed Coffee

One of the cheapest Starbucks drinks is a steaming hot cup of drip coffee. Brewed every 30 minutes for freshness, Starbucks regularly offers Pike Place medium roast, dark, blonde and decaf.

Rewards members can get a free coffee refill on the same visit, making it even cheaper per ounce.

Approximate Price of Starbucks Hot Brewed Coffee*
Grande $2.75

8. Hot Tea

Starbucks brews Teavana tea bags in hot water for the best hot tea. You can select from more than a handful of blends and the number of tea bags you get (1 or 2) depends on the size.

Just like hot coffee, you can get a free Starbucks hot tea refill on the same visit.

Starbucks hot tea in a double cup with sleeve. — Hot tea at Starbucks is more affordable compared to many of other drinks on the menu and it takes less Stars to earn a free hot tea.

Approximate Price of Starbucks Hot Tea*
Grande $2.95

9. Iced Tea

Starbucks iced tea is refreshing and won’t put a big dent in your wallet. They have classic black iced tea, green iced tea and my favorite, Passion Tango. It comes unsweetened, but add in some liquid cane sugar for no charge.

Approximate Price of Starbucks Iced Tea*
Grande $2.95

10. Iced Tea Lemonade

Starbucks iced tea is handshaken with crisp lemonade and ice to make a seriously refreshing beverage.

Approximate Price of Starbucks Iced Tea*
Grande $3.45

11. Iced Coffee

Starbucks iced coffee is a great way to enjoy all the goodness of Starbucks coffee but served cold. Get it black or with a splash of milk for the same price.

Approximate Price of Starbucks Iced Coffee*
Grande $3.45

12. Caffè Americano

An Americano is espresso shots (dark, blonde or decaf) topped with hot water. It’s rich and bold in flavor and unlike most other grande drinks at Starbucks, a grande Americano has 3 shots of espresso.

Approximate Price of Caffè Americano*
Grande $3.45

13. Iced Caffè Americano

Just like a hot Caffè Americano, the iced version is espresso shots topped with water, with ice added in.

An Iced Americano is an excellent way to get a decaf cold coffee from Starbucks since Starbucks brewed iced coffee is caffeinated.

Approximate Price of Iced Caffè Americano*
Grande $3.45

14. Caffè Misto

A Starbucks Caffè Misto is one part hot brewed coffee and one part steamed milk. The standard milk is 2% but you can switch it to non-dairy or whole milk for free. There is an up-charge for breve, heavy cream and plant-based milks.

Approximate Price of Caffè Misto*
Grande $3.45

15. Hot Chocolate

Hot Chocolate at Starbucks combines rich mocha sauce with steamed milk. A topping of whipped cream and mocha drizzle makes this a seriously decadent treat.

Approximate Price of Hot Chocolate*
Grande $3.75

16. Cold Brew

Starbucks cold brew is slow-steeped for 20 hours in cold water to produce one of Starbucks strongest drinks that’s smooth and flavorful. Keep it simple (without vanilla cream cold foam) to keep the price down.

Approximate Price of Cold Brew Coffee*
Grande $3.95

17. Refreshers Beverage

Starbucks Refreshers are handshaken beverages that combine a caffeinated juice base, ice and fruit. Flavor choices include Strawberry Açaí , Mango Dragonfruit, Kiwi Starfruit and Verry Berry Hibiscus.

Approximate Price of Starbucks Refreshers*
Grande $3.95

Related: Best Starbucks Refreshers