I’ve been trying to monitor my daily caffeine intake more carefully because I’ve noticed I sometimes feel jittery or have trouble sleeping at night. I drink coffee regularly throughout the day – usually in the morning to wake up and sometimes in the afternoon to get through that mid-day slump. I’ve heard different things from different people about how much caffeine is actually in coffee, and I’m not sure what to believe.
I typically drink regular drip coffee from my home coffee maker, nothing fancy – just standard ground coffee from the grocery store brewed in a regular automatic drip machine. I’m not talking about espresso shots or specialty drinks from coffee shops, just a normal 8-ounce cup of home-brewed coffee. Sometimes I have a second cup, so I’m trying to figure out if I’m consuming too much caffeine overall.
I know there are probably variables that affect this – like the type of coffee beans, how strong I brew it, and the serving size – but I’m looking for a general, average amount so I can get a baseline understanding. Is there a standard amount of caffeine that’s typically in a regular cup of coffee? I want to know what I’m actually consuming so I can make better decisions about how many cups I should have per day and whether I need to cut back. How much caffeine is in a cup of coffee?

Caffeine Content in Coffee

Standard Amount

A typical 8-ounce (240 ml) cup of brewed coffee contains approximately 95 mg of caffeine on average.

Range by Brewing Method

Brewed/Drip Coffee

• 8 oz cup: 70-140 mg
• 12 oz cup: 105-210 mg
• 16 oz cup: 140-280 mg

Espresso

• 1 shot (1 oz/30 ml): 63-75 mg
• Double shot: 125-150 mg

Instant Coffee

• 8 oz cup: 30-90 mg (average 60-80 mg)

Cold Brew

• 8 oz cup: 100-200 mg
• 16 oz cup: 200-400 mg

French Press

• 8 oz cup: 80-135 mg

Pour Over

• 8 oz cup: 95-165 mg

Percolated Coffee

• 8 oz cup: 60-120 mg

Turkish Coffee

• 2 oz serving: 50-65 mg

Factors Affecting Caffeine Content

Coffee Bean Type

• Robusta beans: 2.2-2.7% caffeine by weight (nearly double Arabica)
• Arabica beans: 1.2-1.5% caffeine by weight

Roast Level

• Light roast: Slightly more caffeine by volume
• Dark roast: Slightly less caffeine by volume (beans are less dense)
• By weight: Minimal difference

Grind Size

• Fine grind: Extracts more caffeine
• Coarse grind: Extracts less caffeine

Brewing Time

• Longer brewing time: More caffeine extraction
• Shorter brewing time: Less caffeine extraction

Water Temperature

• Hotter water (195-205°F/90-96°C): Better caffeine extraction
• Cooler water: Less efficient extraction

Coffee-to-Water Ratio

• Stronger brew (more coffee): Higher caffeine content
• Weaker brew (less coffee): Lower caffeine content

Serving Size

• Small (8 oz): 95 mg average
• Medium (12 oz): 145 mg average
• Large (16 oz): 190 mg average
• Extra large (20 oz): 235 mg average

Commercial Coffee Shop Comparisons (16 oz/Grande size)

Starbucks

• Pike Place Roast: 310 mg
• Blonde Roast: 360 mg
• Dark Roast: 260 mg
• Caffè Americano: 225 mg
• Cold Brew: 205 mg

Dunkin’

• Brewed Coffee (Medium/14 oz): 210 mg
• Brewed Coffee (Large/20 oz): 270 mg

McDonald’s

• Premium Roast (Medium/16 oz): 145 mg
• Premium Roast (Large/21 oz): 180 mg

Peet’s Coffee

• Brewed Coffee (Medium/16 oz): 267 mg

Tim Hortons

• Brewed Coffee (Medium/14 oz): 205 mg
• Brewed Coffee (Large/20 oz): 270 mg

Decaffeinated Coffee

• 8 oz cup: 2-15 mg (average 3-5 mg)
• Not completely caffeine-free

Comparison to Other Beverages (per 8 oz)

• Black tea: 40-70 mg
• Green tea: 25-50 mg
• Energy drinks: 70-100 mg
• Cola: 20-40 mg
• Hot chocolate: 5-10 mg

Daily Caffeine Recommendations

• FDA recommended limit for adults: Up to 400 mg per day (about 4 cups of coffee)
• Pregnant women: Up to 200 mg per day
• Adolescents: Up to 100 mg per day
• Children: Not recommended