How Much Does Matcha Cost?
Matcha prices range widely, from around £5 to £55 or more for a 30g tin or packet.
If you've browsed the matcha aisle (or fallen down an online rabbit hole), you've probably noticed this spread and wondered what's going on.
The variation reflects real differences in quality, origin, and how the tea is grown and processed. A £10 tin and a £40 tin aren't just different price points. They're different products entirely, made with different methods and resulting in very different cups.
Understanding what drives these prices helps you find the right matcha for your daily ritual.
Whether you're whisking up a morning latte or baking matcha cookies, there's a grade that makes sense for what you're doing and what you're willing to spend.
Matcha Price Comparison
We researched the UK matcha market to give you a realistic sense of what each grade typically costs.
| Grade | Price (per 30g) | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Culinary | £5 to £15 | Baking, cooking, smoothies |
| Low-End Ceremonial | £15 to £25 | Cheap lattes, casual drinking |
| High-End Ceremonial | £25 to £55+ | Quality home lattes, ceremonies |
For context, a single matcha latte at Blank Street or Pret typically costs £4 to £5. That’s £120 to £150 per month if you have one per day.
So making matcha at home offers significant savings regardless of what grade you choose. Even at the high-end, you're looking at a fraction of café prices per cup.
Plus you get to make it exactly how you like it.
What Makes Some Matcha More Expensive?
Price differences in matcha aren't just made up. They come down to specific factors in how the tea is grown, harvested, and processed. Each of these adds cost, but also adds quality you can taste.
Harvest Timing
First-harvest leaves, picked in spring, are considered the highest quality. After a winter of rest, the tea plant puts all its energy into these early leaves, making them the most prized of the year.
These young, tender leaves are richer in nutrients and naturally sweeter with more umami. They haven't been exposed to summer heat and haven't developed the tougher cell structure of later growth.
Later harvests produce leaves with more bitterness and astringency, typically used for culinary or low-end ceremonial matcha. This isn't necessarily bad, it just means stronger, sharper flavors that don't get lost alongside other ingredients.
Shade-Growing
High-end ceremonial grade matcha comes from tea plants shaded for several weeks before harvest. Farmers cover the plants with screens or tarps, limiting sunlight and forcing the leaves to adapt.
This process increases chlorophyll, giving matcha its vibrant green color, and boosts L-theanine, the amino acid responsible for matcha's calm, focused energy. The result is a smoother, sweeter leaf with less bitterness.
Shade-growing requires more labor and infrastructure, adding to the cost. Someone has to put those covers up and take them down at just the right time. It's hands-on work that simply can't be rushed or automated.
Stone-Milling
Traditional stone grinding produces an ultra-fine powder with a smooth texture. Granite mills turn slowly, sometimes taking an hour to produce just 30g of matcha.
This slow process preserves delicate flavor compounds and prevents heat damage. When matcha is ground too fast, friction creates heat that degrades the very qualities you're paying for.
Industrial grinding is faster and cheaper but produces a coarser powder with less nuanced flavor. You'll notice the difference in texture when you whisk it. High-end ceremonial grade matcha froths into a smooth, creamy consistency while lower grades can feel gritty.
Origin and Terroir
Like wine, matcha is shaped by where it's grown. The same plant grown in different regions will produce different-tasting tea.
Soil quality, climate, altitude, and the expertise of cultivators all influence the final flavor. Our 753 Matcha, for example, comes from Honyama in the misty mountains of Shizuoka, where dramatic temperature shifts between morning and evening deepen the tea's fragrance and flavor. Matcha from renowned regions like this commands higher prices than blends from mixed or unspecified sources.
Different cultivars also contribute distinct characteristics to the final cup. Just as wine grapes have varieties like Cabernet and Pinot Noir, tea plants have cultivars like Asahi, Okumidori, and Saemidori, each bringing something different to the blend.
What Grade of Matcha Should You Choose?
The right grade depends entirely on how you plan to use it.
For baking, cooking, or blending into smoothies, culinary grade works well since the matcha flavor will mix with other ingredients. You don't need the subtle notes of a quality matcha when it's competing with chocolate chips or banana. Save your money here.
For occasional lattes or when budget is the priority, low-end ceremonial grade offers okay flavor without bitterness. It's a step up from culinary and will give you a pleasant cup without breaking the bank. If you're just getting into matcha or only drink it now and then, this tier does the job.
For a daily matcha ritual you actually look forward to, high-end ceremonial grade makes a noticeable difference in every cup. Whether you drink it straight or as a latte, this is where you taste the umami, the sweetness, the smooth finish that makes matcha feel special.
The price difference between low-end and high-end ceremonial often works out to just 30-50p per cup. That's a small upgrade for something you drink every day.
Is Ceremonial Grade Matcha Worth It for Daily Drinking?
Here's how we think about it.
A 30g tin of our 753 Matcha makes roughly 15 servings. That's half a month of matcha if you're having one cup a day. At £28 for a 30g tin, that works out to less than £2 per cup.
That's well under café prices and only slightly more than lower-grade options.
For that you get first-harvest, single-origin ceremonial grade matcha from Honyama, Shizuoka, crafted from Asahi, Okumidori, and Saemidori cultivars for a smooth, umami-rich cup.
You get the vibrant color, the layered flavor, the kind of quality that actually makes you want to slow down and enjoy the moment. And honestly, we think your daily ritual deserves that.
