In order to reduce the cost of copper-based MOF (i.e. HKUST-1), HKUST-1 was prepared by hydrothermal synthesis using inexpensive benzoic acid (BA), which partially replaced homophthalic acid (H3BTC). The structure and morphology of the product were characterized using XRD, SEM and N2 adsorption and desorption tests, while the adsorption performance of the product on methylene blue was also investigated. The experimental results showed that the sample HKUST-1 was the most cost-effective at the molar ratio of H3BTC to BA of 3:1, when its BET specific surface area was 1129.311 m2/g , and the maximum adsorption amount of methylene blue could reach 402.501 mg/g. By adjusting the molar ratio of H3BTC to BA, HKUST-1 with high-performance and low-cost could be successfully prepared.