How the tea cost calculator works
Cost per cup of tea comes from the package price, how much the package holds, and how much leaf each cup uses. Dividing the package weight by your per cup dose gives cups per package, and dividing the price by that gives cost per cup. Loose leaf that you re-steep stretches further, so the calculator multiplies cups by your number of infusions.
What tea costs per cup
Everyday loose leaf often works out to well under 25 cents a cup, and even premium teas usually stay below a dollar once you account for re-steeping. Tea bags can cost more per cup than loose leaf of similar quality because you pay for packaging and single use. Brewing at home is almost always far cheaper than buying tea out.
How re-steeping lowers the cost
Many loose leaf teas give two to four infusions from the same leaves. Each extra steep is essentially free, so re-steeping two or three times can cut your cost per cup by half or more. Set the infusions field to how many times you actually re-steep to see the real per cup price.
Saving money on tea
Buy loose leaf in larger pouches, store it airtight away from light and moisture, and re-steep good leaves. Switching from single use bags to loose leaf usually improves both flavor and cost. Avoid buying more than you will drink in a few months, since tea slowly loses aroma even when stored well.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cup of tea cost to make? Often 10 to 30 cents for loose leaf at home, less if you re-steep, and usually under a dollar even for high end teas.
Is loose leaf cheaper than bags? Usually yes, especially once you re-steep, since you are not paying for individual bags and packaging.
How many cups in 100 g of tea? At about 2.5 g per cup, roughly 40 cups per steep, and double or more if you re-steep.
Related calculators: Loose Leaf Tea, Tea Steeping, Coffee Bean Cost.