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For an equivalent U.S. serving, Pepsi is slightly higher than Coca-Cola Original in all three headline nutrition measures: caffeine, sugar, and calories. The comparison below uses one 12 fl oz (355 mL) serving of each regular cola and then explains why country, package size, ingredient wording, and zero-sugar formulas can change the result.
U.S. 12 fl oz comparison at a glance
The cleanest comparison is one 12 fl oz (355 mL) serving of Coca-Cola Original against one 12 fl oz serving of Pepsi. Coca-Cola’s U.S. FAQ and product information provide the Coca-Cola figures; Pepsi’s U.S. product information and manufacturer nutrition label provide the Pepsi figures.
| Measure | Coca-Cola Original | Pepsi | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caffeine | 34 mg | 38 mg | Pepsi has 4 mg more |
| Total sugars | 39 g | 41 g | Pepsi has 2 g more |
| Calories | 140 kcal | 150 kcal | Pepsi has 10 kcal more |
| Serving basis | 12 fl oz can or serving | 12 fl oz serving | Use the same volume for a fair comparison |
On this specific U.S. serving basis, Pepsi is the higher-caffeine, higher-sugar, and higher-calorie drink. The gaps are small in absolute terms, so the package volume and country printed on the label matter as much as the brand name.
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Pepsi has the higher listed amount
A 12 fl oz serving of Coca-Cola Original lists 34 mg of caffeine. The equivalent Pepsi serving lists 38 mg. That makes Pepsi 4 mg higher per serving under the cited U.S. labels.
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The difference is a comparison between the products’ stated caffeine content, not a claim that every can, bottle, or fountain serving contains the same amount. A larger container carries more of the drink, and therefore more caffeine, if the recipe and concentration are unchanged. A smaller container carries less. Always match the fluid ounces before comparing numbers.
Why the serving basis matters
“A can of Coke” is not a universal measurement. The U.S. figures here use 12 fl oz, while bottles, multipacks, fountain cups, and products sold in other countries may use different volumes. Comparing a 20 fl oz bottle of one cola with a 12 fl oz can of the other can make the larger package appear to have more caffeine even when the beverages have similar concentrations.
For a package-level calculation, divide the container’s total volume by 12 fl oz and multiply the per-serving figure by that number. For example, a container holding two 12 fl oz servings would contain twice the listed caffeine of one serving. That arithmetic is useful only when the label identifies the same regular formula and gives a serving size that can be matched accurately.
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What the caffeine difference does and does not establish
The labels establish a 4 mg difference for these U.S. regular-cola servings. They do not establish a universal worldwide ranking, a difference for every cola variant, or a difference in how an individual will feel after drinking either product. Formulas, package sizes, and regional labels can change the amount.
Is Pepsi higher in sugar than Coca-Cola?
Total sugar per U.S. serving
Pepsi lists 41 g of total sugars per 12 fl oz serving, compared with 39 g for Coca-Cola Original. Pepsi is therefore 2 g higher on the cited U.S. nutrition information.
These are total-sugar figures for the serving, not a statement about one particular sugar molecule or a taste-test result. They are the amounts consumers should use when comparing the regular products on the same volume basis.
How package size changes the total
A nutrition panel normally describes one serving, while a package can contain more than one serving. If a bottle contains two listed servings, the bottle’s total sugar is twice the per-serving number when consumed in full. Check both the serving size and the servings-per-container line instead of reading only the large package description.
The same rule applies when buying multipacks. A 12-pack of 12 fl oz cans contains twelve individual servings; the sugar in the whole case is not the number printed for one can. Dividing a package into its labeled servings prevents an apples-to-oranges comparison.
Ingredient wording is not the same as the nutrition total
The ingredient list identifies what is used in the recipe, while the nutrition panel reports the resulting amount of total sugars in a defined serving. Ingredient order and the grams shown in the nutrition box answer different questions. A list can show more than one sugar-containing ingredient without providing a percentage for each one.
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How many calories are in a can of Coke versus Pepsi?
Per 12 fl oz serving
Coca-Cola Original lists 140 calories per 12 fl oz. Pepsi lists 150 calories for the same stated volume. Pepsi is 10 calories higher on this U.S. comparison.
The calorie difference follows the slightly higher sugar listing, but the two measurements should still be read separately: calories are the energy declaration, while grams are the mass of total sugars. Neither number should be transferred to a different package size without scaling it.
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A can, bottle, cup, or glass does not define a standard serving worldwide. Two containers that look similar can hold different amounts, and one package may list multiple servings. To calculate the amount consumed, multiply the per-serving calories by the number of servings you actually drink.
This approach also helps when a product is poured over ice or mixed with another beverage. Ice changes the volume in the glass but does not remove the calories in the cola; the relevant quantity is the amount of cola poured from the labeled container.
What ingredients are different in Coke and Pepsi?
Listed U.S. ingredients in Coca-Cola Original
Coca-Cola’s cited U.S. ingredient list is:
- Carbonated water
- High fructose corn syrup
- Caramel color
- Phosphoric acid
- Natural flavors
- Caffeine
Listed U.S. ingredients in Pepsi
Pepsi’s cited U.S. list is:
- Carbonated water
- High fructose corn syrup
- Caramel color
- Sugar
- Phosphoric acid
- Caffeine
- Citric acid
- Natural flavor
What the lists have in common
Both cited lists include carbonated water, caramel color, phosphoric acid, caffeine, and natural flavor or natural flavors. Both also identify high fructose corn syrup. Those shared entries describe broad ingredient categories; they do not reveal the precise proportions or the complete flavor formula.
Where the cited lists diverge
Pepsi’s list includes sugar as an additional listed sweetener and includes citric acid. Coca-Cola’s cited U.S. list does not show citric acid and does not separately list sugar after high fructose corn syrup. That difference in the published ingredient wording does not by itself quantify how much of any ingredient is present.
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Ingredients are presented in the order required for the product label, generally from greater to lesser weight at the time of formulation. The list is not a percentage table. You cannot calculate the share of caramel color, acid, caffeine, or flavoring from its position alone, and a later-listed ingredient is not necessarily absent or nutritionally irrelevant.
“Natural flavor” and “natural flavors” are also label categories rather than a full recipe disclosure. The cited lists let you identify that category and compare its wording, but they do not identify every flavor compound.
Why country and package size can change the answer
The U.S. numbers are not worldwide specifications
The headline comparison applies to the cited U.S. regular products and a 12 fl oz serving. It should not be presented as a global formula comparison. Beverage companies can use different recipes, sweetener descriptions, package conventions, and nutrition-label rules in different markets.
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Canadian Coca-Cola example
Coca-Cola Canada lists a 500 mL serving with 200 calories, 55 g of sugar, and 48 mg of caffeine. Its ingredient wording uses “sugar/glucose-fructose,” rather than the U.S. wording shown above. This Canadian example is materially different from the U.S. 12 fl oz Coca-Cola figures because both the package volume and the regional formula or labeling differ.
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A 500 mL container is also a larger volume than 12 fl oz (355 mL), so the figures cannot be compared as though they were equal servings. When a label uses milliliters, compare milliliters with milliliters; when it uses fluid ounces, compare fluid ounces with fluid ounces.
A practical cross-border label check
- Identify the country where the product was packaged or sold.
- Record the serving volume in the units printed on that label.
- Check whether the product is regular, zero-sugar, or another variant.
- Read caffeine, total sugars, and calories from that specific panel.
- Only then compare it with another product using the same volume and product type.
This procedure avoids treating a U.S. can, a Canadian bottle, and a zero-sugar product as interchangeable evidence.
Regular cola versus zero-sugar cola
Coca-Cola Zero Sugar is a separate formulation
Coca-Cola’s U.S. Zero Sugar page lists 0 calories and 0 g of sugar per 12 fl oz. It uses high-intensity sweeteners, so it is not the same formula as Coca-Cola Original.
Why it should not be folded into the regular comparison
Putting Coca-Cola Zero Sugar in the same row as Coca-Cola Original or Pepsi regular would mix different products. The calorie, sugar, and sweetener comparisons would no longer answer the question of how the two regular colas compare. A valid comparison must pair like with like: regular with regular, or zero-sugar with zero-sugar, using the same country and serving size.
The cited Zero Sugar information establishes its listed sugar and calorie values. It does not, by itself, provide a Pepsi zero-sugar figure or prove that the two zero-sugar recipes use the same caffeine amount.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to make an apples-to-apples comparison from any label
Step 1: Match the product category
Confirm that both items are the same type: regular cola, not one regular and one zero-sugar, caffeine-free, cherry, vanilla, or another flavored variant. A familiar brand name does not guarantee an identical recipe across its product range.
Step 2: Match the serving volume
Use identical volumes, such as two 12 fl oz servings or two 500 mL servings. If the panels use different serving sizes, convert the amounts to a common volume only when the label provides enough information to do so accurately.
Step 3: Record caffeine separately
Look for a caffeine declaration in milligrams. The Pepsi manufacturer label explicitly states 38 mg per 12 fl oz, while Coca-Cola’s U.S. FAQ states 34 mg for a 12-ounce can. Do not infer caffeine from sweetness, color, or ingredient order.
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Step 4: Record total sugars and calories
Write down the total sugars in grams and calories for the matched serving. Check whether the package contains multiple servings before calculating the amount in the entire container.
Step 5: Copy the ingredient wording exactly
Ingredient comparisons are sensitive to wording. Keep “natural flavor” and “natural flavors” as printed, and note additions such as citric acid or separately listed sugar without converting the list into assumed percentages.
Step 6: Record country and package information
Save the market, container size, and product name alongside the numbers. This context explains why a Canadian 500 mL label cannot be used to overwrite a U.S. 12 fl oz comparison.
What the numbers mean for common reader questions
“Does Pepsi have more caffeine than Coca-Cola?”
Yes, on the cited U.S. 12 fl oz regular-cola labels: Pepsi lists 38 mg and Coca-Cola Original lists 34 mg.
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Yes, on that same U.S. serving basis. Pepsi lists 41 g of total sugars and Coca-Cola Original lists 39 g.
“Which has more calories?”
Pepsi lists 150 calories per 12 fl oz, while Coca-Cola Original lists 140.
“Are the ingredients basically the same?”
They share several listed base components, including carbonated water, caramel color, phosphoric acid, caffeine, and natural flavor categories. Pepsi’s cited list additionally includes sugar and citric acid, and the two lists use slightly different flavor wording. Ingredient lists do not disclose exact percentages.
“Will the result be the same in every country?”
No. The Canadian Coca-Cola example demonstrates that a different market and a 500 mL serving can carry different caffeine, sugar, calorie, and ingredient declarations. Use the label for the product and country actually being purchased.
Limits of this comparison
This article compares label data for named regular products and one specified serving volume. It does not judge taste, carbonation, sweetness intensity, acidity, health effects, or consumer preference, because those questions require different evidence and definitions. It also does not turn the ingredient order into a recipe or assume that a U.S. formulation applies to every market.
The most dependable conclusion is therefore narrow and useful: for the cited U.S. 12 fl oz servings, Pepsi is modestly higher in caffeine, total sugars, and calories. For any other package, country, or product variant, repeat the label-check process rather than carrying those figures over automatically.
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