Where to open a Starbucks franchise
27 cities ranked for coffee shop / specialty café locations, using real footfall, competition and rent data.
About Starbucks
International coffeehouse chain operating through licensed stores rather than classic franchising in most markets.
Source: Starbucks Licensed Stores →Reference market: Licensed-store markets. Brand contract terms vary by country.
Published brand costs
Original currency and reference market are preserved.
Initial investment
Not publicly disclosed
Franchise / licence fee
Not publicly disclosed
Verified break-even
Not publicly disclosed
Not publicly disclosed · Licensed-store markets · verified 2026-09-22. Starbucks does not publish a verifiable licensed-store investment or fee range on this page.
Local WhereToOpen.ai scenario
Estimated investment
€65,000 - €180,000
WhereToOpen.ai estimate
Modelled category ROI
35-55%
WhereToOpen.ai estimate
Estimated payback
12-24 months
WhereToOpen.ai estimate
Brand Location Score
83/100
Cities with sufficient data
27
Data status
Declared estimates
Best cities and areas
| City | Best area | Score | ROI estimate | Payback | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seoul | Itaewon | 98/100 | 39-59% | 8-20 mo | 88% |
| Berlin | Friedrichshain | 94/100 | 39-59% | 8-20 mo | 88% |
| Sydney | Newtown | 94/100 | 38-58% | 8-20 mo | 88% |
| Tokyo | Asakusa | 94/100 | 38-58% | 8-20 mo | 88% |
| Barcelona | Gràcia | 92/100 | 38-58% | 9-21 mo | 88% |
| New York | Lower East Side | 92/100 | 38-58% | 9-21 mo | 88% |
| Turin | San Salvario | 92/100 | 39-59% | 9-21 mo | 88% |
| Rome | Monti | 89/100 | 37-57% | 9-21 mo | 88% |
| Singapore | Holland Village | 88/100 | 38-58% | 9-21 mo | 88% |
| Amsterdam | Jordaan | 85/100 | 37-57% | 10-22 mo | 88% |
| Dubai | Jumeirah | 82/100 | 37-57% | 10-22 mo | 88% |
| Los Angeles | Downtown LA | 82/100 | 37-57% | 10-22 mo | 72% |
| Madrid | AZCA/Castellana | 82/100 | 37-57% | 10-22 mo | 72% |
| Milan | Porta Nuova | 82/100 | 37-57% | 10-22 mo | 72% |
| Paris | La Défense | 82/100 | 37-57% | 10-22 mo | 72% |
| Toronto | Financial District | 82/100 | 37-57% | 10-22 mo | 72% |
| London | Canary Wharf | 79/100 | 36-56% | 10-22 mo | 88% |
| Hong Kong | Tsim Sha Tsui | 78/100 | 36-56% | 10-22 mo | 88% |
| Lisbon | Bairro Alto | 78/100 | 36-56% | 10-22 mo | 88% |
| Bologna | University | 75/100 | 36-56% | 11-23 mo | 72% |
| Florence | San Lorenzo | 75/100 | 36-56% | 11-23 mo | 72% |
| Genoa | Boccadasse | 75/100 | 37-57% | 11-23 mo | 72% |
| Naples | Spanish Quarters | 75/100 | 36-56% | 11-23 mo | 72% |
| Palermo | Ballarò | 75/100 | 37-57% | 11-23 mo | 72% |
| Venice | Murano | 75/100 | 36-56% | 11-23 mo | 72% |
| Verona | Fair District | 75/100 | 37-57% | 11-23 mo | 72% |
| Chicago | The Loop | 72/100 | 35-55% | 11-23 mo | 72% |
Published brand costs retain their original market and currency. Local ROI and payback are separate WhereToOpen.ai modelled scenarios based on category, rent, competition and Brand Location Score; they are not earnings guarantees. Last reviewed 2026-09-22. Brand cost source: Starbucks Licensed Stores; local rankings: WhereToOpen.ai location dataset.