Melbourne beer prices: what should a pot, schooner or pint cost?

What does a beer cost in Melbourne?

The average listed regular pint in Greater Melbourne is $14.70, across 493 venues. Half of the contributing venue averages sit between $14.00 and $15.92. That gives you a useful reference point; it is not a price every pub or every beer should match.

Price snapshot: 1 November 2026 · Australian dollars · regular prices

A dash means fewer than three contributing venues. Averages with fewer than ten venues are marked as a small sample. Serving names follow the listings; confirm the glass volume with the pub.

Start with the glass, then the beer

A pot and a schooner are different serves, so a lower number on the menu does not settle the value question. Compare the same beer in the same size first. If the menu gives a volume, use that rather than guessing from the shape of the glass.

Is the price in front of you expensive?

Put it alongside the matching average. Start with the serving, then select the beer if it is available. The result shows the difference in dollars and percentage, without turning an average into a verdict on the pub.

A worked example

If a pint were $17.00, it would be $2.30 above this guide’s $14.70 average — about 16% more. For four people ordering one each, that difference would add $9.20 to the bill. This is an illustration, not a quoted price at a particular pub.

That is a reason to compare, rather than proof you are being ripped off. Check the same beer, glass volume and conditions at a nearby venue. An imported stout, a house lager and a stronger specialty beer are not interchangeable. Neither are a weekday happy hour and a regular Saturday price.

Compare the same beer

These pint comparisons have at least three contributing venues in Melbourne. Select a name for its average, range and contributing listings.

If your beer is not in this shortlist, search the full Melbourne price directory.

A cheaper glass is not always cheaper beer

Read the millilitres on the menu. Outside South Australia, common serves are a 285 mL pot or middy, a 425 mL schooner and a 570 mL pint. Adelaide commonly uses schooner for 285 mL and pint for 425 mL; 570 mL is an imperial pint. A jug’s volume also needs checking rather than assuming it holds two of your glasses.

For example, a $12 schooner at 425 mL costs about $2.82 per 100 mL. A $15 pint at 570 mL costs about $2.63 per 100 mL. The pint costs more to buy, but less for the same volume. Those are example prices and volumes; use the amounts printed on the menu.

Price ÷ millilitres × 100 = price per 100 mL

For a jug, divide its price by its stated volume and use the same calculation. Comparing two different beers or an unspecified jug size will not give you a fair answer.

Where to look for better value

If food is part of the plan, the cheapest single beer may not make the cheapest outing. Compare the drink you want, the meal you would actually order and any offer conditions.

What these figures cover