How Much Hotter Is Cayenne Than a Jalapeño?
Cayenne is hotter, at about 40,000 SHU against 5,000 SHU for Jalapeño: about 8× as hot, using typical values. Across the measured ranges the gap runs from 3.1× to 20×.
Data checked October 20, 2026 · How we rank and verify
Side by side
| Cayenne | Jalapeño | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical heat | 40,000 SHU | 5,000 SHU |
| Measured range | 25,000–50,000 SHU | 2,500–8,000 SHU |
| Status | Lab tested | Lab tested |
| Species | Capsicum annuum | Capsicum annuum |
| Origin | Named after Cayenne, French Guiana | Mexico (named after Xalapa, Veracruz) |
| Flavour | Sharp, clean heat | Grassy, green-vegetal when unripe |
| Colours | red | green, red (ripe) |
The Scoville maths
The Scoville scale is linear: a pepper at 2,000,000 SHU has twice the capsaicinoids of one at 1,000,000 SHU. So the ratio is a simple division, 40,000 ÷ 5,000 ≈ 8×. Real pods vary, so the gap between any two fruits can be smaller or larger (3.1× to 20× across the measured ranges).
In between
4 peppers sit between Jalapeño and Cayenne by typical heat.
- Guntur Chilli36,160 SHU
- Kashmiri Chilli20,800 SHU
- Serrano15,000 SHU
- Byadgi Chilli10,000 SHU
About each pepper
Questions
Which is hotter, Cayenne or Jalapeño?
Cayenne. It averages about 40,000 SHU against 5,000 SHU for Jalapeño, about 8× as hot.
How many times hotter is Cayenne than Jalapeño?
About 8× using typical values (40,000 ÷ 5,000). Comparing the extremes of each measured range gives anywhere from 3.1× to 20×.
How hot is Cayenne?
Cayenne: 25,000–50,000 SHU, lab tested.
How hot is Jalapeño?
Jalapeño: 2,500–8,000 SHU, lab tested.
Are Cayenne and Jalapeño the same species?
Yes, both are Capsicum annuum.
People also compare
- Habanero vs CayenneHabanero 5.6×
- Serrano vs CayenneCayenne 2.7×
- Cayenne vs Bird's Eye ChilliBird's Eye Chilli 1.9×
- Tabasco vs Cayenneabout the same
- Kashmiri Chilli vs CayenneCayenne 1.9×
- Guntur Chilli vs CayenneCayenne 1.1×
- Pepper X vs JalapeñoPepper X 539×
- Carolina Reaper vs JalapeñoCarolina Reaper 328×
Sources
- NDSU Extension FN584 'From the Garden to the Table: Salsa!': Cayenne: 30,000-50,000
- UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions, 'Peppers Ranked by Heat': Cayenne: 25,000-50,000
- Texas AgriLife Extension (Dr. Joe Masabni), 'Jalapeno & Other Hot Peppers': Jalapeño: 3,500-4,500 average
- NDSU Extension FN584 'From the Garden to the Table: Salsa!': Jalapeño: 2,500-5,000
Full source lists are on each pepper's page.