At Konditorei, a cozy cafe nestled in the picturesque Sun Valley resort of Idaho, patrons can indulge in a cup of coffee for a mere $4. While this price may seem affordable for most, it caught the attention of none other than Astrid Buffet, the wife of the legendary billionaire investor, Warren Buffet. Despite being on the lower end of coffee prices, Astrid was taken aback by what she considered an extravagant cost for a simple beverage.

Warren Buffet, known for his prudent financial decisions, exemplifies a frugal lifestyle by continuing to reside in the original Omaha home he purchased back in 1958 for a modest $31,500. This penchant for frugality seems to be shared by his wife, as she expressed her concerns about the cost of the coffee, even though their combined wealth amounts to a staggering $115 billion.

A closer look at coffee prices across various US cities reveals that what she paid may as well represent the lowest-price range for coffee available: 

In Virginia, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, New York and San Francisco, coffee costs about $5.75, $5.40, $5.37, $5.32 and $5.21 a cup, respectively.  Comparatively, Astrid’s $4 coffee at the Sun Valley resort appears relatively more reasonable. Some cities do offer lower-priced coffee options, like Riverside, CA, and Cincinnati, OH, where a cup of coffee can be enjoyed for $3.88 and $3.95, respectively. However, it seems Astrid’s experience at Konditorei might actually fall within the lower-price range for coffee when considering the broader context of coffee prices in the US.

To Astrid Buffet, coffee at the Sun Valley resort must have been overpriced: she opined that she could purchase a full pound of coffee at another venue at the same cost. 

Some of the lowest prices are in Riverside, CA, and Cincinnati, OH, at $3.88 and $3.95 a cup respectively.  

Related: coffee prices in the US