Might be a good indicator of huge differences in prices in general in CH- be it food, rental or house prices.

Here in my Neuchatel Jura, a coffee is 2.90

What is the price of a normal coffee where you are?

My morning double espresso take away from Migros is 5.20. Do I sound bitter?

... and about the same down here in the foggy metropolis.

I got charged 5 CHF for an espresso on the Bärenplatz in Bern recently.

I don't get out for coffee much, but the last time I got a medium-size filter coffee at Starbucks on the Rennweg, it was ~6,50 CHF if I remember right. Granted, it's starbucks but still, damned expensive. I think back in Boston the large filter coffee was only $3 when I left the states.

3.80 to 4.20 in Liestal. But more in Basel.

1.80 in Chicago when I left.... Here, though, the venti is about 5.40. Expensive, but not quite as bad as you remembered.

Starbucks is not coffee

Are you serious ?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starbucks

Tosh! I don't go there because of the industrial ambience, but I've had excellent espressos there. It's all the the barista and how long the ground coffee's been sitting there.

Well, Rennweg is in the heart of the city where folks wipe with 100chf notes so, I'll have to check the next time I'm down there, but I really thought it was over 6. Still a rather sobering price.

Here in Thurgau, in my favourite 4* hotel in Romanshorn that overlooks the lake, 4.60 in a real cup with a biscuit and small glass of water (tip is obviously extra - that am happy to give for the excellent service/ambiance). I have paid similar in self service without water.
Oddly the price of coffee and draft beer seem very similar. The cheapest we ever paid for small draft beer was 3.60 - that was a surprise - that was outside a shopping centre in Amriswil.
The most expensive paid for coffee was in Italy, in Venice in St Marks Square, 12.60 Euro - about 7 years ago - single expresso - dont know what they charge this year!

Small beer here is 3CHF. Croque-Monsieur 3.50. Menu with starter and pud, 16.00. And a jar of home found, home pickled 'écailleux' to ahve with your racletter, 15CHF! Beat that, lol. Not 5 *, and no lake view - but lovely valley and woods.

I paid something like 6.60Fr for a medium latte in Starbucks last year. As that is double London prices, and without the freebies (we have a prepay card which gives free extra shots,soy milk, flavours etc.) I never went again.

I get a "cafe creme" (double espresso with a little carton of fat-laden milk) just over the border in France for around 2.50Fr.

Or I have espressos/lattes at home. My 12 year old espresso machine, which cost around £90, is still going strong.

What I really miss/want is a really comfy or quirky cafe in the centre of Basel which serves decent coffee, for a normal price, and leaves you to chill. Heck, even for a high price.

Caffe Fortuna on Guterstrasse in good ol' Gundeli has a nice feel about it - haven't sat there for hours with a paper and one cafe creme though. Have heard Colombiana opposite BahnhofeingangGundeldingen, as they say on the tram, same street, is good coffee, doesn't look so nice to hang out though.

Sorry, no price info. Though my recollection of a Starbucks iced coffee with extra espresso shot is more like the 8 CHF mark. My memory's not that reliable though.

One more edit... 4.20 for a small cafe creme in Rheinfelden (Swiss side) last w/e

Blimey - we nearly head a heart attack when we were charged 4CHF in Zug this Summer - but it seems that was 'cheap'

The machine at the office is free, and satisfies 95% of my working-week caffeine needs.

CHF 3.50 in the boulangerie in my Commune's square. That comes with a free read of two local newspapers which saves me the bother of buying one. I only get in there at weekends for coffee but we buy our daily bread there. Vive la boulangerie!

My morning cappuccino at Cafe Spetacolo costs me about 5 bucks. They have a special at the mo, 5.50 for a cappuccino and a marmalade croissant.

I don't suppose they'd know what a Cappucino is around here, lol. but you could ask for a 'renversé'

Well they have no idea here. They use UHT milk and think that a cappuccino just means a load of over-steamed foam. I have to tell them 'less foam, a little more milk' - I'd love to hop over the counter and show them how to steam milk, but they are just drones.