Pearls for pennies: Great value bubble tea brands
Save money with these highly affordable and widely available teas
The rising cost of living is no joke in Taipei, with housing and food expenses outpacing average wage increases in recent years. Fortunately, you can still get a hit of bubble tea for a bargain.
This Is Taipei went on the hunt for highly affordable, widely available beverages. In 2026, we found plain teas starting from NT$20 and milk tea with tapioca balls for no more than NT$50.
So if you're watching your spending but still want something refreshing, try one of these three brands that offer tapioca pearls at great prices.
#1: ComeBuy
A Taipei brand built on freshly brewed tea traditions
ComeBuy opened its first store in 2002 with a focus on freshly brewed tea rather than pre-made mixes. Today, ComeBuy has dozens of locations scattered across the city.
If you're trying to save money, Ceylon Black Tea and Jasmine Green Tea, each NT$25 for a regular and NT$30 for a large, were the cheapest items on the menu when This Is Taipei stopped by a store in New Taipei City’s Yonghe District in March 2026.
We opted to try a slightly more filling option: Bubble Milk Tea. It tasted decent, was laden with tapioca balls, and at NT$50, cheaper than many competitors.
ComeBuy’s menu also has a wide range of toppings for an extra NT$10 each. These include Coconut Jelly, Lychee Jelly, Taro Balls, and Aiyu Jelly, meaning you can customize a basic tea drink with something sweet and chewy at a very low cost.
#2: Beitou Black Tea
A traditional flavor rooted in northern Taipei’s tea culture
Beitou Black Tea takes its name from Taipei’s Beitou District, where tea cultivation expanded during the Japanese colonial period and later evolved into a local drinking culture, according to an article by UDN.
Today, as well as referring to many independent vendors selling the distinctive style of tea, Beitou Black Tea is used by drink shop chains as their brand name across Taipei. These outlets typically specialize in large cups of brewed tea sold at low prices, and often use white, black, and red signage resembling Taiwanese street food stalls, giving them an unpretentious, local feel.
At one outlet This Is Taipei visited in New Taipei City’s Yonghe District in April 2026, a regular-sized Beitou black tea (北投紅茶, běi tóu hóng chá) was priced at NT$20, while a large was NT$25. These prices are the same for a green tea and oolong tea as well.
This Is Taipei recommends drinks with Beitou Black Tea’s speciality black sugar tapioca balls. A regular-sized fresh milk tea with that sweet, chewy ingredient costs NT$55. This is cheaper than many other bubble chain stores which tend to charge higher prices for fresh milk beverages.
#3: Kebuke Tea Company
A brand known for strong flavors and classic drinks
Kebuke Tea Company was founded in Taichung City in 2008 and has since grown into one of Taiwan’s most recognizable tea brands. Reflecting the brand’s focus on affordable, everyday tea drinking, the name echoes a phrase meaning “Are you thirsty?”
The company is known for a mix of conventional and innovative elements, such as traditional black tea and less common white tapioca balls.
The Signature Black Tea is one of the cheapest options available, priced at NT$35 for a medium-sized cup. Other basic teas such as Green Tea and Signature Roasted Oolong are also available at the same highly affordable price.
If you’re after some chewy texture, a regular-sized Bubble Milk Tea costs just NT$50 for a medium and NT$60 for a large, for instance.
