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Inflation has regularly been front-page news in recent years, with far-reaching impacts on many things that consumers regularly buy. From fast food to grocery staples to holiday essentials, prices on many everyday items are rising at rates that many shoppers may find alarming.
The soda aisle is another area where consumers are feeling the pinch of inflation. To see how true that sentiment actually is, the FinanceBuzz research team combed through government data and years' worth of old supermarket circulars to track how much soda costs have risen in the last five years.
Key findings
- Government data shows that the average price of a 12-pack of soda increased by 45% from 2020 to 2025, 20 percentage points above the 25% national inflation rate during that period.
- 2-liter costs have risen by 30% in that same time, per government data
- When limiting data to name-brand sodas sold in major retailers, 12-pack prices have nearly doubled since 2020, increasing by 89%.
- Name-brand 2-liter costs have gone up by 62%.
- The average price of a 12-pack of Coke, Pepsi, or similar brands was $5.18 in 2020 and has risen to $9.79 in 2025, an increase of $4.61.
How much have soda prices increased since 2020?
A cold can of soda with a meal, for a mid-day caffeine boost, or just to help unwind after a long day is a beloved treat for many, but how expensive has it gotten to indulge in those sweet sips?
Since 2020, the national inflation rate has been 25%, and no matter how you look at it, soda prices have outpaced inflation in the last five years.
Brands like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Dr. Pepper are household names that are enjoyed by millions of consumers every day. While cheaper generic and store-brand alternatives are available, many people prefer the specific taste of these industry leaders and are willing to pay a little extra for them. With that in mind, we focused our analysis on how prices for these name-brand sodas have changed.
Our team found that prices for 2-liter soda bottles have risen at more than double the rate of inflation since 2020, going up by 62% at a time when the national inflation rate was 25%. The cost increases are even more drastic for 12-pack boxes of soda cans. From 2020 to 2025, the average price for 12-packs nearly doubled, rising by 89% overall, which is more than triple the rate of inflation during that time.
While things are more budget-friendly for frugal consumers willing to drink cheaper generic and store-brand sodas, data indicate that prices for those beverages have also risen faster than inflation.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) regularly collects and publishes pricing data for common consumer goods, including soda. The BLS data encompasses all sodas sold in grocery stores, and even with non-name-brand drinks included, the data shows the following inflation-exceeding price changes for soda since 2020:
- +30% price increase on 2-liter bottles
- +45% price increase on 12-pack boxes
Average soda prices by year
It's one thing to analyze the percentages, and another to show what these increases look like in actual dollars spent at checkout.
The average price for both 2-liter bottles of soda and 12-packs of soda cans increased every single year from 2020 to 2025. 2-liter costs rose between 5 and 55 cents annually, with the biggest jump coming from 2022 to 2023, when the average price jumped from $2.09 to $2.64. All told, costs for 2-liter soda bottles rose by $1.20 in this period.
Increases were even more pronounced for 12-packs, with prices rising by more than 50 cents each year from 2020 to 2025. That includes jumps of more than $1 from 2021 to 2022 (+$1.13) and again from 2022 to 2023 (+$1.25).
Those incremental cost hikes have added up quickly. A 12-pack of cans from a leading soda company cost a little more than $5 in 2020 ($5.18), and just five years later, the average price for that same pack of soda is approaching $10 ($9.79), an increase of more than $4.50.
Budget for your favorite sodas
Even though soda prices have risen above the rate of inflation, there are still plenty of ways to save money when buying your favorite soda.
- Earn cash back for your next restock. Maximize your savings the next time you purchase your favorite soda with a high-earning cash back card.
- Get rewarded when enjoying a soda with dinner. Pay your tab with one of the best credit cards for dining to earn redeemable rewards.
- Deliver a 12-pack for someone and get paid. Uber Eats offers delivery services from grocery, convenience, and liquor stores. Signing up to deliver with Uber Eats can be a fruitful side hustle for extra money in your budget.
Methodology
Government data found via the Consumer Price Index published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Government data encompasses all sodas sold in retail stores, including generic and store brands.
Historic soda prices for name-brand sodas were sourced by manually reviewing archived circulars at four major grocery retailers. Circulars found via Rabato. In limited cases where circulars were unavailable, historic prices were found via a retailer's official website using the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine. Current prices collected via each retailer's official website. Only full price (non-sale) cost data was collected for both historic and current prices.
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