Caviar prices in Australia range from under $100 to well over $500 per 100g, and the spread confuses a lot of first-time buyers. This guide explains what actually drives the price of a tin, what you should expect to pay for genuine sturgeon caviar, and how much you need for the occasion you have in mind.
What drives the price of caviar
Species. The sturgeon species matters more than anything else. Large, slow-maturing species such as Kaluga (river beluga) take many years to produce roe and yield the large, glossy pearls that command the highest prices. Faster-maturing species produce smaller eggs at lower cost.
Grade and pearl size. Within a species, tins are graded on pearl size, firmness, colour and finish. Royal-Grade selections are drawn from the top of the harvest — pearls above 3mm with an even colour and a clean finish.
Fresh versus pasteurised. Unpasteurised (fresh) caviar is the reference standard: the texture and flavour are unaltered, but it demands an unbroken cold chain from farm to door. Pasteurised caviar is shelf-stable and cheaper, at a real cost to texture.
Salt and additives. Traditional malossol curing (“little salt”, around 3–4%) preserves the roe without masking it. Very cheap tins sometimes lean on heavier salting or preservatives such as borax, which is a compromise worth avoiding.
Current KHAVIYAR prices
As a reference point, here is what Royal-Grade, unpasteurised caviar — cured with nothing but salt and delivered freshly chilled, never frozen — costs in Australia today:
| Caviar | 30g (serves 2) | 50g (serves 3–4) | 100g (serves 7–8) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaluga Hybrid — Royal-Grade | $149.95 | $239.95 | $419.95 |
| Kaluga — Royal-Grade | $189.95 | $299.95 | $519.95 |
Per gram, larger tins are always better value: Kaluga Hybrid works out at roughly $5.00 per gram in a 30g tin but about $4.20 per gram in a 100g tin.
How much caviar do you need?
For a proper tasting, allow 12–15g per person. A 30g tin serves two comfortably, 50g covers a table of three to four, and 100g will host a dinner party of seven to eight. If caviar is one canapé among many, you can stretch these numbers further.
Why is some caviar so cheap?
If a price looks too good to be true, check three things: whether it is actually sturgeon roe (lumpfish and salmon roe are often styled as “caviar”), whether it has been pasteurised or frozen, and whether preservatives beyond salt appear on the label. Genuine fresh sturgeon caviar carries CITES certification and a farm-traceable origin.
The KHAVIYAR difference
We are a second-generation caviar house. Our roe travels direct from farm to Australia with no middle people, which is why Royal-Grade fresh caviar at these prices is possible. Every order is packed in isothermal packaging so the cold chain holds from our fridge to your door, with express chilled delivery across Australia for orders placed before 10am Monday to Wednesday.