How much does it cost to open a coffee shop?

A cart or trailer can open for well under $50,000, while a full brick-and-mortar cafe with a build-out often runs $150,000 to $350,000 or more. This tool lets you total your own lines instead of guessing from an average.

Does it include a reserve for the first few months?

Yes. The calculator prompts you to add an operating reserve on top of the one-time costs, so your budget covers the slow early weeks, not just opening day.

Startup costs

Coffee Shop Startup Cost Calculator

Total every cost to open your coffee business, plus your first few months of operating costs, before you decide how to fund it. Start from your concept and switch off the lines you will not need.

Equipment$11,970

Based on your concept defaults. Open the equipment plan to set tiers and counts.

Espresso machine Budget x2$6,400
Espresso grinder Budget$900
Batch brewer Budget$900
Batch grinder Budget$600
Water filtration Budget$350
Reach-in fridge Budget$800
Undercounter fridge Budget$700
Ice machine Budget$1,200
Blender Budget$120

Build your equipment plan

Small wares and supplies$1,891

Based on your concept defaults. Open the Equipment step to build out your small wares list.

Build your small wares list

Space and build-out$0

Licensing and insurance$3,000

Business registration and filings
$
Health permit and plan review
$
First insurance premium
$

Brand and marketing$3,500

Logo and brand identity
$
Website and online menu
$
Opening marketing
$

Opening inventory$3,000

Opening coffee, milk, and supplies
$
Cups, lids, and packaging
$

Operating reserve$15,000

Operating reserve, about three months
$

Startup total$38,361

How will you fund it?

Funding is usually a mix. Enter what you expect from each source.

SavingsMoney you put in yourself.
$
LoanA bank, SBA, or credit line.
$
InvestorsFriends, family, or partners who buy in.
$
CrowdfundingPresales or a public campaign.
$
BootstrapBuy as you go, often used gear.
$
Equipment leaseFinance the big machines over time.
$

Funding total$0

Enter your funding sources to see the gap.

Your estimate saves automatically on this device.

Export your plan

Opens in Google Sheets, Excel, or Numbers.

Rough starting points. Replace with real quotes.

Your numbers save in this browser and carry into the Funding step of your roadmap.

How it works

Start from your concept. A pop-up or farmers market skips the ice machine, lease deposit, and build-out that a brick-and-mortar shop needs.
Add an operating reserve of about three months, since the surprises always come.
Switch off the lines you will not need and add anything specific to your build.

Questions

How much does it cost to open a coffee shop?: A cart or trailer can open for well under $50,000, while a full brick-and-mortar cafe with a build-out often runs $150,000 to $350,000 or more. This tool lets you total your own lines instead of guessing from an average.
Does it include a reserve for the first few months?: Yes. The calculator prompts you to add an operating reserve on top of the one-time costs, so your budget covers the slow early weeks, not just opening day.