Pumpkin spice season is ramping up, and I gotta be honest, coffee prices this year are kind of a buzzkill. I'm not sure who Starbucks thinks they are (and I used to work there!), but paying over $6 for a 16-ounce drink is not doable with my coffee budget.
But Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks and Dunkin' aren't the only ones available. And since I can't kick my PSL habit completely, I compared medium-size lattes at six different shops to find the best value. If you're pinching pennies like me, avoid Starbucks and Dutch Bros. and opt for McDonald's for the best value per ounce this fall.
Here's the breakdown for the best price on a PSL, along with steps to cheat a tiny bit and spice up an iced coffee to save nearly $2.
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McDonald's has the cheapest pumpkin spice latte this year.
Since medium means something different at every coffee chain, I broke this down by price per ounce. You'll pay $2 less for the McDonald's PSL compared to Starbucks, which works out to 31% less per ounce.
If you live near a Tim Hortons, you've got access to the second-best-value PSL at $0.28 per ounce. Rounding out the top three is Krispy Kreme at $0.32 per ounce.
If you prefer the big-name coffee chains, Dunkin' rings up at $0.33 per ounce, which is still 15% less than Starbucks.
Pumpkin spice latte prices have been steadily increasing.
Even though it has the cheapest PSL for 2025, McDonald's increased the price of its pumpkin spice drink the most over the past year. It's up $0.69, and the 19% increase is the biggest jump on our list. Starbucks and Krispy Kreme haven't increased at all (but maybe that's because they were too high to begin with).
Here's a look at prices over the past few years.
| Store | 2022 Price* | 2024 Price | 2025 Price | '24 - '25 Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDonald's | $3.19 | $3.60 | $4.29 | 19% |
| Tim Hortons** | $4.09 | $4.29 | $4.59 | 7% |
| Krispy Kreme | $3.99 | $4.49 | $4.49 | 0% |
| Dunkin' | $3.59 | $4.39 | $4.59 | 5% |
| Starbucks | $5.95 | $6.25 | $6.25 | 0% |
| Dutch Bros. | N/A | $6.49 | $6.75 | 4% |
*Note: I did my best to find accurate pricing for 2022, but as always, prices vary by location. **Tim Hortons changed their cup sizes, so we're comparing their 20-ounce size which is larger than the other coffee chains.
Spice up an iced coffee and create an Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte dupe for $1.70 cheaper.
Alright, here's what I do to save even more (especially since I like iced coffees better than hot). Many coffee shops have iced coffee options, and it costs less to doctor up a cold coffee than it does to order a specialty latte. The caveat? You won't be getting espresso. But you'll still get a creamy, fall-spiced caffeine kick for nearly $2 less.
McDonald's — along with having the cheapest PSL — also makes this super easy. Order their Pumpkin Iced Coffee directly off the menu for $2.79 and pay $1 less than their hot PSL.
Here's a price breakdown when you order a customized medium iced coffee ( not a cold brew) compared to an iced PSL at Starbucks:
-
Grande Iced Coffee : $3.95
-
Add Pumpkin Sauce : $0.80
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Add a splash of cream : Free
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Add whipped cream : Free
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Add cinnamon powder : Free
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Total: $4.75
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Ice PSL price: $6.45
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Savings: $1.70
KCL TIP : Iced coffee requires fewer Starbucks Stars, so you can get one of these pumpkin spice dupes for free with 100 Stars instead of redeeming 200 Stars for the latte.
You'll see similar savings at Dunkin' ($3.99 vs. $5.29; $1.30 saved) and other chain coffee houses. And if you order one PSL per week for the entire season, you'll save over $20.
So go ahead. Enjoy the fall season with a PSL in your hand. You'll get the cheapest option at McDonald's for both hot and iced drinks. But don't be afraid to use the mobile apps to your advantage and create some custom coffees that are cheaper than menu-board pricing.
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