Which is cheaper, Starbucks or Subway?

Starbucks is cheaper, averaging $4.13 per item versus $5.57 for Subway — a 26% difference. Based on 157 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, Starbucks or Subway?

Subway has more menu items (83 vs 74). The total combined menu across both chains is 157 items.

Which has lower calories, Starbucks or Subway?

Starbucks averages 308 calories per item, compared to 586 for Subway. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are Starbucks and Subway similar?

Starbucks (13,502 US locations) and Subway (16,177 US locations) compete on 0 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 0%.

Starbucks vs Subway (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 74 items at Starbucks vs 83 items at Subway.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, Starbucks averages $4.13 per item across 74 menu items, while Subway averages $5.57 across 83 items. Starbucks is $1.44 cheaper per item (26% difference). Starbucks has lower average calories (308 vs 586 per item).

Quick Comparison

Starbucks vs Subway: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	Starbucks	Subway	Winner
Avg Price	$4.13	$5.57	Starbucks
Menu Items	74	83	Subway
Avg Calories	308	586	Starbucks
US Locations	13,502	16,177	Subway
Secret Menu	15	3	Starbucks

Starbucks is 26% cheaper on average than Subway ($1.44 less per item).

Cheapest Items

Starbucks

Chocolate Chip Cookie $1.95

Salted Caramel or Birthday Cake Pop $1.95

Freshly Brewed Coffee $2.10

Teavana® Shaken Iced Tea $2.25

Double Chocolate Chunk Brownie $2.35

Subway

Chocolate Chip Cookie $0.59

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie $0.59

Double Chocolate Cookie $0.59

White Chip Macadamia Nut Cookie $0.59

Dark Chocolate Cherry Cookie $0.59

Lowest Calorie Options

Starbucks

Skinny Vanilla Latte 70 cal

Mango Dragonfruit Refresher (Grande) 90 cal

Strawberry Acai Refresher (Grande) 100 cal

Iced Coffee (with or without Milk) 120 cal

Pink Drink (Grande) 140 cal

Subway

1% Low Fat Milk 160 cal

Little Cheesesteak 180 cal

Cookie 200 cal

Fountain Drink (Medium) 200 cal

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie 200 cal

Deep Comparison: Starbucks vs Subway

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

Starbucks delivers 5.04¢/cal on average, while Subway delivers 1.46¢/cal. Subway gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

Starbucks and Subway share 0 menu categories (0% Jaccard overlap). Low overlap — these chains serve mostly different food categories.

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: Starbucks fits 3 items (310 cal), Subway fits 0 items
$15 budget: Starbucks fits 3 items (1100 cal), Subway fits 3 items (1380 cal)
$20 budget: Starbucks fits 3 items (1100 cal), Subway fits 3 items (1520 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

Starbucks ranks #49 of 414 on price (cheaper than 88% of tracked chains). Subway ranks #132 of 414 (cheaper than 68% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At Starbucks, 92% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At Subway, 50% are under 500 calories. Starbucks offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: Starbucks ($4.13 avg vs $5.57)
More variety: Subway (83 items)
More locations: Subway (16,177 US locations)
Best calorie value: Subway (1.46¢/cal)

Full Menus

Starbucks Menu Subway Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide