Disbelief over Perth coffee prices

Melbourne coffee shop manager Christopher Vivian gasped when he heard the typical price of a flat white in Perth and said a coffee on the run at his Birdie Num Num cafe in North Carlton costs only $3.

Though a sit-in coffee cost $3.30, Mr Vivian said $3.50 was the norm for a standard coffee in Melbourne

The price check is glum news for coffee lovers in Perth, where it is difficult to buy a coffee for less than $4 and where $4.50 is becoming the norm.

There are also more affordable alternatives. Milk'd cafes in North Perth and Maylands are at the cheaper end of the market, with a 12oz cup - larger than the standard size in some cafes - costing $4.

Owner Lorena Tati said supply prices had risen in the past three years.

"There's certainly been an impact on cafes (but) a lot of people have been using the excuse to hike up their prices," she said.