Caffeine in Coffee: Exact Milligrams and Measurement Guide
A standard 240 ml cup of drip coffee contains 96 mg of caffeine.
- Drip coffee (240 ml): 96 mg.
- Cold brew (240 ml): 200 mg.
- Single espresso (30 ml): 63 mg; double: 126 mg.
- Decaf (240 ml): 3 mg.
- FDA recommended upper limit for healthy adults: 400 mg/day.
Standard caffeine measurements in common coffee drinks
The table below lists measured values from aggregated product and menu data so you can answer "caffeine mg in coffee" for the drink in your hand. Serving sizes are the dataset values; do not assume different cup sizes have the same milligrams.
| Drink (serving) | Volume | Caffeine (mg) | mg/100 ml (when available) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Espresso (single) | 30 ml | 63 mg | |
| Espresso (double) | 60 ml | 126 mg | |
| Ristretto | 20 ml | 63 mg | |
| Americano | 240 ml | 126 mg | |
| Latte | 240 ml | 68 mg | |
| Flat white | 160 ml | 130 mg | |
| Cortado | 90 ml | 79 mg | |
| Mocha | 240 ml | 95 mg | |
| Drip coffee | 240 ml | 96 mg | 40 mg/100 ml |
| Pour over | 240 ml | 145 mg | 60.4 mg/100 ml |
| French press | 240 ml | 107 mg | 44.6 mg/100 ml |
| Cold brew | 240 ml | 200 mg | 83.3 mg/100 ml |
| Nitro cold brew | 240 ml | 215 mg | 89.6 mg/100 ml |
| Instant coffee | 240 ml | 62 mg | 25.8 mg/100 ml |
| Decaf coffee | 240 ml | 3 mg | 1.2 mg/100 ml |
| Turkish coffee | 60 ml | 50 mg | |
| Starbucks Pike Place Brewed (Grande) | 473 ml | 310 mg | |
| Starbucks Blonde Espresso (shot) | 30 ml | 85 mg |
How brewing method, grind and size change the mg
Caffeine concentration depends on extraction efficiency: grind size, water temperature, contact time and coffee-to-water ratio. Pour over (240 ml = 145 mg) and cold brew (240 ml = 200 mg) differ because pour-over extracts quickly at hot temperatures, while cold-brew uses longer contact and often a higher coffee-to-water ratio—hence higher mg per 100 ml.
Typical contributors to variation
- Bean type and roast: lighter roasts often show slightly higher measured caffeine by volume than darker roasts when all else is equal.
- Grind and extraction time: finer grind and longer brew increase extraction (more mg).
- Serving volume: cafés vary sizes—use mg/100 ml from lab values when scaling serving sizes.
Comparing coffee to other caffeinated drinks
Coffee provides more caffeine per serving than most sodas and teas. For scale: a 240 ml drip cup (96 mg) contains roughly three times the caffeine of a 355 ml cola (~34 mg) and half the caffeine of a 240 ml cold brew (200 mg). Energy drinks and concentrated supplements can exceed a single cup easily—Bang (473 ml) contains 300 mg.
Estimating caffeine in your cup: simple math and lab methods
Laboratories use HPLC to measure mg precisely; at home you can estimate by volume and known mg/100 ml when available. Example: a 350 ml pour-over can be estimated from the dataset's 60.4 mg/100 ml: 350 ml × 0.604 = 211 mg.
Another example: a 350 ml large latte labeled as "large, 2 shots" with dataset value 126 mg is a measured serving—don’t recalculate by espresso shots unless you know shot size and strength.
Decaying caffeine: how much remains over time
Caffeine follows first-order kinetics with a population-average half-life of about 5.7 hours. That means roughly 69% remains after 3 hours, 48% after 6 hours, 33% after 9 hours and 23% after 12 hours. The table below shows concrete remaining mg from three common doses.
| Time | % remaining | Cold brew (200 mg) | Espresso double (126 mg) | Drip (96 mg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 h | 100% | 200 mg | 126 mg | 96 mg |
| 3 h | ≈69% | 139 mg | 87 mg | 67 mg |
| 6 h | ≈48% | 96 mg | 61 mg | 46 mg |
| 9 h | ≈33% | 67 mg | 42 mg | 32 mg |
| 12 h | ≈23% | 47 mg | 29 mg | 22 mg |
Safety, timing and practical advice
Safety limits: the FDA cites about 400 mg/day as a safe upper limit for most healthy adults; for pregnancy many authorities (including EFSA summaries and clinical guidance) advise limiting to about 200 mg/day. The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages caffeine for adolescents. For anxiety, arrhythmia or sensitivity, individual thresholds can be much lower.
Timing vs sleep: because ~48% remains after 6 hours, a 3 PM 200 mg cold-brew will leave ~96 mg at 9 PM—enough to disturb some people's sleep. If you track intake and timing, apps like CoffeeLog automate these calculations and help you see mg per day and mg remaining by bedtime.
Practical checklist: measuring and reducing intake
- Use known serving mg from menus or the table above rather than guessing.
- Scale by volume using mg/100 ml when available (example math shown above).
- Choose decaf (3 mg/240 ml) or smaller servings to reduce intake fast.
- Consult sources: USDA FoodData Central for raw food values, Mayo Clinic and FDA for health guidance, and AAP for adolescent recommendations.
Medical caution: this page is informational, not medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional for pregnancy, suspected overdose, withdrawal, anxiety or heart conditions.
Frequently asked questions
How many mg of caffeine are in a single espresso shot?
A single 30 ml espresso shot contains 63 mg of caffeine according to the dataset.
What's the caffeine mg in a 240 ml cup of cold brew?
The dataset lists 240 ml of cold brew at 200 mg of caffeine, roughly 83.3 mg per 100 ml.
How long does caffeine stay in your body?
Population-average half-life is ~5.7 hours: about 69% remains at 3 h, 48% at 6 h and 23% at 12 h. Individual metabolism varies widely.
Can I drink 400 mg of caffeine a day safely?
FDA guidance cites 400 mg/day as an upper limit for most healthy adults; pregnant people are generally advised to keep intake around 200 mg/day. Ask your clinician for personal advice.
How can I estimate caffeine mg when cup sizes vary?
Use mg/100 ml values when available (e.g., pour over 60.4 mg/100 ml). Multiply that rate by your cup volume. Apps like CoffeeLog can track servings and compute totals automatically.
Is decaf caffeine-free?
No—decaf in the dataset contains 3 mg per 240 ml. It’s very low but not zero.