Matcha has been a staple in Japanese culture for over 800 years, but in the UK, this vibrant green tea has only recently captured public attention. Whether hot or iced, our thirst for this antioxidant-rich drink shows no signs of slowing down.
In fact, the UK’s matcha tea market generated a revenue of £45.3 million in 2024 and is expected to reach £71.2 million by 2030.
Unlike traditional tea brewing, matcha is made of a finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea leaves, delivering the entire leaf’s concentrated flavour and caffeine content. For Gen Z, this has become their caffeine of choice.
From classic lattes to innovative flavour combinations, creative matcha blends are now standard on café menus across the country.
However, this booming demand comes with challenges. Reports of a global matcha shortage may cause prices to rise even further, especially for iced versions, which tend to cost more than their hot counterparts.
But how much is this green habit costing us? UK Debt Expert has gone in search of the perfectly priced iced matcha. Using Deliveroo, we analysed popular coffee chains and independents across the UK to reveal where you could be splashing out on a matcha the most.
Where is the most expensive iced matcha in the UK?
Edinburgh is deemed the most expensive city for a regular-sized iced matcha, with an average cost of nearly £6.
Famous for its vibrant coffee scene and independent cafes, the city has seen a matcha boom with bars and cafes popping up.
For regular matcha drinkers, the cost can add up quickly. Enjoying the iced drink three times a week could total over £900 a year.
With the average annual salary in Edinburgh around £38,244 and a monthly income of about £3,187, spending that much just on matcha makes it quite an expensive treat.
Following closely behind is London, with an average cost of £5.53, just 40p less than Edinburgh.
Blank Street, a well-known matcha hotspot, has rapidly expanded across London and Manchester, attracting over a million new customers.
By partnering with influencers to create specialised matcha drinks, the brand has helped elevate matcha’s popularity to new heights.
Rounding out the top three most expensive cities for an iced matcha is Wolverhampton, with an average price of £5.45. Buying just one matcha a week could cost up to £65 a month, the equivalent of a weekly food shop for one person.
The data highlights that matcha lovers could be spending up to £120 a month if they buy a matcha five days a week, the equivalent of an essential household bill.
Most expensive cities for iced matcha
| City | Average cost of an iced matcha latte | Avg. monthly cost of iced matcha – 1x per week | Avg. monthly cost of iced matcha – 3x per week | Avg. monthly cost of iced matcha – 5x per week |
| Edinburgh | £5.93 | £23.7 | £71.20 | £118.67 |
| London | £5.53 | £22.1 | £66.40 | £110.67 |
| Wolverhampton | £5.45 | £21.8 | £65.40 | £109.00 |
| Liverpool | £5.37 | £21.5 | £64.40 | £107.33 |
| Ipswich | £5.36 | £21.5 | £64.36 | £107.27 |
| Bristol | £5.30 | £21.2 | £63.56 | £105.93 |
| Islington | £5.28 | £21.1 | £63.40 | £105.67 |
| Sheffield | £5.26 | £21.1 | £63.16 | £105.27 |
| Northampton | £5.25 | £21.0 | £62.96 | £104.93 |
| Southampton | £5.1 | £20.4 | £61.20 | £102.00 |
Cheapest matcha lattes in the UK
Matcha fans in Belfast will be happy as it’s the cheapest place in the UK for the herbal refreshment, with an average price of £4.11.
The city is joined by Plymouth, Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester and Reading as the top five cheapest places to grab an iced drink this summer.
While treating yourself in these cities now and then won’t break the bank, buying a matcha three to five times a week could still add up to nearly £90 a month.
With matcha’s growing popularity, UK Debt Expert previously analysed the cost of a flat white globally, finding the UK average to be £4.05. While the difference in price between a flat white and a matcha is minimal, indulging just once a week could still total over £300 a year on green goodness.
Least expensive cities for iced matcha
| City | Average cost of an iced matcha latte | Avg. monthly cost of iced matcha – 1x per week | Avg. monthly cost of iced matcha – 3x per week | Avg. monthly cost of iced matcha – 5x per week |
| Belfast | £4.11 | £16.45 | £49.36 | £82.27 |
| Plymouth | £4.35 | £17.39 | £52.16 | £86.93 |
| Stoke-on-Trent | £4.35 | £17.40 | £52.20 | £87.00 |
| Manchester | £4.42 | £17.67 | £53.00 | £88.33 |
| Reading | £4.43 | £17.72 | £53.16 | £88.60 |
| Blackpool | £4.43 | £17.73 | £53.20 | £88.67 |
| Swindon | £4.46 | £17.85 | £53.56 | £89.27 |
| Luton | £4.50 | £17.99 | £53.96 | £89.93 |
| Sutton | £4.52 | £18.07 | £54.20 | £90.33 |
| Preston | £4.53 | £18.12 | £54.36 | £90.60 |
Treating yourself to an iced matcha now and again isn’t the problem, but untracked daily habits can quickly lead to overspending. If you’re juggling subscriptions, social spending, and a love for premium drinks, it’s easy to underestimate just how much you’re spending every month.
Tackling problem debt can be daunting, especially if you’re unsure where to start. Our own professional advisors support people on a daily basis to help them find the right debt solutions to regain control of their finances. Find out more here.
Methodology
UK Debt Expert looked at three coffee shops in each of the biggest cities in the UK on Deliveroo to find the average price of a hot and iced matcha.
From this, we looked at finding the average cost of a matcha if you were to purchase weekly, monthly and annually for:
- 1x per week / 3x per week / 5x per week
- Using ONS average salaries across the UK, we could calculate the % of the salary that is being spent.
Data correct as of July 2025.
