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The short answer depends on what you want. Per 100 ml, the original green Monster and Red Bull carry exactly the same caffeine: 32 mg. They differ on can size, sugar and price. Pick Monster if you want one big dose in a single can and a lower price per litre (500 ml, 160 mg). Pick Red Bull if you want a smaller dose you can drink later in the day with less impact on sleep, or a drink with no sweetener (250 ml, 80 mg).
Side by side
Figures for the cans sold in Europe, taken from our original green Monster and Red Bull 250 ml pages, where each value links to its source (manufacturer or Open Food Facts). US cans can have different sizes and recipes: check the label of the can you actually buy.
| Monster | Red Bull | |
|---|---|---|
| Can size | 500 ml | 250 ml |
| Caffeine per can | 160 mg | 80 mg |
| Caffeine per 100 ml | 32 mg | 32 mg |
| Sugar per can | 42 g | 27.5 g |
| Sugar per 100 ml | 8.4 g | 11 g |
| Calories per can | 185 kcal | 115 kcal |
| Taurine per can | 2,000 mg | 1,000 mg |
| Sweetener | yes (sucralose, on top of sugar) | no |
| Other sizes in our catalogue | 500 ml only | 355 ml (114 mg), 473 ml (151 mg) |
| Price in France, checked 7 Oct 2026 | €1.68 a can, €3.36 per litre (Houra) | €1.49 a can, €5.96 per litre (Monoprix) |
The two prices come from two different French retailers. Read them as an order of magnitude; they change often.
What actually sets them apart
Dose: one Monster equals two Red Bulls
With the same concentration, the can size decides everything. A 500 ml Monster delivers 160 mg of caffeine, a 250 ml Red Bull delivers 80 mg. Drinking one Monster is the same as drinking two Red Bulls back to back. Red Bull also comes in 355 ml (114 mg) and 473 ml (151 mg), which brings the large can close to a Monster.
Sugar: for the same caffeine, Monster has less
Can for can, Monster is sweeter (42 g against 27.5 g). At equal caffeine the gap reverses: 160 mg takes two Red Bulls, so 55 g of sugar, against 42 g in one Monster. Red Bull is the sweeter drink per litre (11 g per 100 ml against 8.4 g). Either way, a single can goes past the 25 g a day of free sugars that the WHO gives as the ideal target.
Recipe: sucralose on one side, sugar only on the other
The green Monster sold in France contains sugar and a sweetener, sucralose (ingredient list on Open Food Facts). Classic Red Bull is sweetened with sugar only. If you avoid sweeteners, that settles it. Monster also declares twice the taurine (2,000 mg against 1,000 mg).
Price: Monster is cheaper per litre
At the prices we checked on 7 October 2026, a litre of Monster costs €3.36 and a litre of Red Bull €5.96. For the same caffeine, Monster is also cheaper: €1.68 for 160 mg, against €2.98 for two Red Bulls.
Which one to pick
- For one strong can and nothing else, Monster. Its 160 mg stay under the 200 mg single dose that EFSA considers safe for healthy adults.
- If you drink in the afternoon or evening, the 250 ml Red Bull. EFSA notes that 100 mg close to bedtime can already affect sleep in some adults; 80 mg leaves you more room.
- On a budget, Monster, clearly cheaper per litre.
- If you avoid sweeteners, classic Red Bull.
- If you want to skip sugar, neither classic version fits. Go for the Zero Sugar Monster (160 mg, 0 g sugar, 11 kcal) or Red Bull Sugarfree (80 mg, 0 g, 7.5 kcal). The caffeine is the same as in the sugared version, as we explain in our piece on sugar-free energy drinks.
Whatever the can, France’s food safety agency ANSES (page in French) advises against energy drinks before or during exercise, against mixing them with alcohol, and against them during pregnancy and for children and teenagers.
Where to buy
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Frequently asked questions
Which is stronger, Monster or Red Bull?
Per can, Monster: 160 mg against 80 mg for a 250 ml Red Bull. Per 100 ml they are level at 32 mg. The difference comes from the size of the can.
Which has more sugar?
Monster per can (42 g against 27.5 g), Red Bull per litre (11 g per 100 ml against 8.4 g). For the same caffeine, two Red Bulls carry 55 g of sugar and one Monster 42 g.
Can I drink a Monster and a Red Bull on the same day?
Together they add up to 240 mg of caffeine. That is under EFSA’s 400 mg a day for healthy adults, but over the 200 mg single dose if you drink them one after the other. Coffee, tea and soft drinks count toward the total.
Which one is cheaper?
Monster per litre: €3.36 against €5.96 for Red Bull, at French prices checked on 7 October 2026 at Houra and Monoprix.
Read next
Sources
- Monster caffeine and sugar: Monster Energy France official page; calories, taurine and ingredients: Open Food Facts.
- Red Bull caffeine: Red Bull France; sugar, calories, taurine: Open Food Facts.
- Caffeine guidance: EFSA. Precautions: ANSES. Free sugars: WHO.
