Big Mac Index Cheeseburger Index Calculator Currencies World Map Methodology Data API ☾
Updated 2026-05-10 00:24 UTC
Burgernomics · Real-time PPP data

The Real-Time Big Mac Index

Actual daily prices from real McDonald's menus worldwide. A more honest debasement detector than smoothed official CPI.

Editorial · Opinion

Big Mac vs. CPI: A More Honest Inflation Gauge

CPI is engineered. The Big Mac isn't. Why a fixed-quality real-world basket exposes monetary debasement more honestly than smoothed CPI.

Read the article →
Most Overvalued
🇨🇭 Switzerland
+47.0% · $11.45
Most Undervalued
🇿🇦 South Africa
-46.5% · $4.17
US Base Price
--
Anchor for PPP
Tracked Countries
--
Daily-updated menu prices
Expand each country to see per-city price breakdowns. Country price is the median of all sampled cities. View world map → View ranking →
# Country Local Price USD Price PPP Valuation GDP-Adjusted Implied PPP
1
🇨🇭 SwitzerlandCHF5 cities
CHF 8.9 $11.45 +47.0% +33.5% 1.1425
2
🇫🇷 FranceEUR3 cities
EUR 8.85 $10.42 +33.8% +30.1% 1.1361
3
🇬🇧 United KingdomGBP3 cities
GBP 6.49 $8.84 +13.5% +14.3% 0.8331
4
🇮🇪 IrelandEUR3 cities
EUR 7.2 $8.48 +8.8% -10.5% 0.9243
5
🇩🇪 GermanyEUR4 cities
EUR 6.99 $8.23 +5.7% +2.7% 0.8973
6
🇨🇷 Costa RicaCRC3 cities
CRC 3750 $8.21 +5.4% +25.6% 481.3864
7
🇺🇸 United StatesUSD5 cities
USD 7.79 $7.79 0.0% -8.5% 1.0000
8
🇦🇺 AustraliaAUD3 cities
AUD 10.75 $7.79 -0.0% -2.5% 1.3800
9
🇪🇸 SpainEUR3 cities
EUR 6.6 $7.77 -0.2% +2.3% 0.8472
10
🇵🇱 PolandPLN3 cities
PLN 26.9 $7.48 -4.0% +1.3% 3.4531
11
🇵🇹 PortugalEUR4 cities
EUR 6.35 $7.48 -4.0% +4.0% 0.8151
12
🇲🇽 MexicoMXN3 cities
MXN 125 $7.26 -6.8% +14.2% 16.0462
13
🇳🇿 New ZealandNZD3 cities
NZD 11.6 $6.92 -11.2% -8.6% 1.4891
14
🇩🇴 Dominican RepublicDOP2 cities
DOP 410 $6.88 -11.7% +6.4% 52.6316
15
🇨🇱 ChileCLP2 cities
CLP 6140 $6.87 -11.8% +0.9% 788.1900
16
🇨🇦 CanadaCAD3 cities
CAD 8.99 $6.58 -15.6% -16.7% 1.1540
17
🇪🇨 EcuadorUSD2 cities
USD 6.1 $6.10 -21.7% +9.2% 0.7831
18
🇬🇹 GuatemalaGTQ3 cities
GTQ 41 $5.37 -31.1% +0.7% 5.2632
19
🇯🇵 JapanJPY2 cities
JPY 720 $4.60 -41.0% -39.3% 92.4262
20
🇿🇦 South AfricaZAR3 cities
ZAR 68.3 $4.17 -46.5% -27.2% 8.7677
Real-time data from actual menus. Unlike traditional indices that update once or twice a year, our Big Mac Index uses actual prices from real restaurant menus, updated daily. Prices are collected from delivery platforms across multiple cities per country and verified through community submissions. This gives you the most current and accurate Big Mac price data available anywhere.

Try the Big Mac Index Calculator → Compare purchasing power between any two countries using real-time PPP data.
The basics

What is the Big Mac Index?

A purchasing-power-parity benchmark that compares the local-currency price of a Big Mac across countries. The Economist launched it in September 1986 as a teaching tool. Because the burger has the same inputs everywhere — beef, bun, labor, rent — its price functions as a real-world fixed basket measurable in any currency.

If a Big Mac costs $5.79 in the US and CHF 7.20 in Switzerland, the implied PPP exchange rate is 1.24 (7.20 / 5.79). If the actual market rate is lower, the Swiss franc is overvalued against the dollar. If higher, the franc is undervalued.

Why daily prices

The Economist publishes biannually. Currency markets, monetary aggregates, and franchise menus do not. We scrape actual menu prices every day across multiple cities per country, so the index reflects what consumers are paying right now — not a survey from six months ago.

GDP-adjusted comparison

Raw Big Mac prices are misleading across very different income levels. The GDP-adjusted index uses regression to predict what a Big Mac should cost given a country's income, surfacing real currency misalignment rather than just labor-cost differences.

TheBigMacIndex.com vs The Economist

Our index uses daily updated exchange rates and real menu prices, while The Economist updates its index only 1–2 times per year.

TheBigMacIndex.com The Economist
Countries — countries (live, growing daily) ~50 countries
Exchange rates Updated daily Updated 1-2 times per year
Price freshness Prices from real menus collected in recent days Official data often lags weeks behind
Data sources Direct from restaurants + community Editorial team only
Community input Any verified user can submit prices No public submissions

Most Expensive and Cheapest Big Macs in the World (2026)

Based on today's real menu prices, the most expensive Big Mac in the world is in 🇨🇭 Switzerland at style="color:var(--text-secondary);"1.45 (CHF 8.9). The cheapest Big Mac is in 🇿🇦 South Africa at $4.17 (ZAR 68.3).

That means a Big Mac in Switzerland costs 175% more than in South Africa. In the United States, a Big Mac costs $7.79.

Most Expensive Big Macs

1. 🇨🇭 Switzerland style="color:var(--text-secondary);"1.45
2. 🇫🇷 France style="color:var(--text-secondary);"0.42
3. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom $8.84

Cheapest Big Macs

1. 🇿🇦 South Africa $4.17
2. 🇯🇵 Japan $4.60
3. 🇬🇹 Guatemala $5.37

These prices are from actual restaurant menus, updated daily. Use the Big Mac Index Calculator to compare purchasing power between any two countries.

That means a Big Mac in Switzerland costs 174% more than in South Africa. In the United States, a Big Mac costs $7.89.

Most Expensive Big Macs

1. 🇨🇭 Switzerland style="color:var(--text-secondary);"1.42
2. 🇫🇷 France $9.75
3. 🇩🇪 Germany $9.03

Cheapest Big Macs

1. 🇿🇦 South Africa $4.17
2. 🇯🇵 Japan $4.60
3. 🇬🇹 Guatemala $5.37

These prices are from actual restaurant menus, updated daily. Use the Big Mac Index Calculator to compare purchasing power between any two countries.

That means a Big Mac in Switzerland costs 182% more than in South Africa. In the United States, a Big Mac costs $7.99.

Most Expensive Big Macs

1. 🇨🇭 Switzerland style="color:var(--text-secondary);"1.49
2. 🇫🇷 France style="color:var(--text-secondary);"0.35
3. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom $8.79

Cheapest Big Macs

1. 🇿🇦 South Africa $4.08
2. 🇯🇵 Japan $4.58
3. 🇬🇹 Guatemala $5.36

These prices are from actual restaurant menus, updated daily. Use the Big Mac Index Calculator to compare purchasing power between any two countries.

That means a Big Mac in Switzerland costs 178% more than in South Africa. In the United States, a Big Mac costs $7.89.

Most Expensive Big Macs

1. 🇨🇭 Switzerland style="color:var(--text-secondary);"1.38
2. 🇫🇷 France $9.73
3. 🇮🇪 Ireland $8.56

Cheapest Big Macs

1. 🇿🇦 South Africa $4.10
2. 🇯🇵 Japan $4.58
3. 🇬🇹 Guatemala $5.35

These prices are from actual restaurant menus, updated daily. Use the Big Mac Index Calculator to compare purchasing power between any two countries.

That means a Big Mac in Switzerland costs 178% more than in South Africa. In the United States, a Big Mac costs $7.89.

Most Expensive Big Macs

1. 🇨🇭 Switzerland style="color:var(--text-secondary);"1.38
2. 🇫🇷 France $9.73
3. 🇮🇪 Ireland $8.56

Cheapest Big Macs

1. 🇿🇦 South Africa $4.10
2. 🇯🇵 Japan $4.58
3. 🇬🇹 Guatemala $5.35

These prices are from actual restaurant menus, updated daily. Use the Big Mac Index Calculator to compare purchasing power between any two countries.

That means a Big Mac in Switzerland costs 178% more than in South Africa. In the United States, a Big Mac costs $7.99.

Most Expensive Big Macs

1. 🇨🇭 Switzerland style="color:var(--text-secondary);"1.38
2. 🇩🇪 Germany $8.78
3. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom $8.67

Cheapest Big Macs

1. 🇿🇦 South Africa $4.10
2. 🇯🇵 Japan $4.58
3. 🇵🇱 Poland $7.42

These prices are from actual restaurant menus, updated daily. Use the Big Mac Index Calculator to compare purchasing power between any two countries.

That means a Big Mac in Switzerland costs 178% more than in South Africa. In the United States, a Big Mac costs $7.99.

Most Expensive Big Macs

1. 🇨🇭 Switzerland style="color:var(--text-secondary);"1.38
2. 🇩🇪 Germany $8.78
3. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom $8.67

Cheapest Big Macs

1. 🇿🇦 South Africa $4.10
2. 🇯🇵 Japan $4.58
3. 🇵🇱 Poland $7.42

These prices are from actual restaurant menus, updated daily. Use the Big Mac Index Calculator to compare purchasing power between any two countries.

That means a Big Mac in Switzerland costs 178% more than in South Africa. In the United States, a Big Mac costs $7.99.

Most Expensive Big Macs

1. 🇨🇭 Switzerland style="color:var(--text-secondary);"1.38
2. 🇩🇪 Germany $8.78
3. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom $8.67

Cheapest Big Macs

1. 🇿🇦 South Africa $4.10
2. 🇯🇵 Japan $4.58
3. 🇵🇱 Poland $7.42

These prices are from actual restaurant menus, updated daily. Use the Big Mac Index Calculator to compare purchasing power between any two countries.

That means a Big Mac in Switzerland costs 178% more than in South Africa. In the United States, a Big Mac costs $7.99.

Most Expensive Big Macs

1. 🇨🇭 Switzerland style="color:var(--text-secondary);"1.38
2. 🇩🇪 Germany $8.78
3. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom $8.67

Cheapest Big Macs

1. 🇿🇦 South Africa $4.10
2. 🇯🇵 Japan $4.58
3. 🇵🇱 Poland $7.42

These prices are from actual restaurant menus, updated daily. Use the Big Mac Index Calculator to compare purchasing power between any two countries.

That means a Big Mac in Switzerland costs 178% more than in South Africa. In the United States, a Big Mac costs $6.99.

Most Expensive Big Macs

1. 🇨🇭 Switzerland style="color:var(--text-secondary);"1.36
2. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom $8.66
3. 🇩🇪 Germany $8.25

Cheapest Big Macs

1. 🇿🇦 South Africa $4.09
2. 🇯🇵 Japan $4.58
3. 🇺🇸 United States $6.99

These prices are from actual restaurant menus, updated daily. Use the Big Mac Index Calculator to compare purchasing power between any two countries.

That means a Big Mac in Switzerland costs 178% more than in South Africa. In the United States, a Big Mac costs $6.99.

Most Expensive Big Macs

1. 🇨🇭 Switzerland style="color:var(--text-secondary);"1.36
2. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom $8.66
3. 🇩🇪 Germany $8.25

Cheapest Big Macs

1. 🇿🇦 South Africa $4.09
2. 🇯🇵 Japan $4.58
3. 🇺🇸 United States $6.99

These prices are from actual restaurant menus, updated daily. Use the Big Mac Index Calculator to compare purchasing power between any two countries.

That means a Big Mac in Switzerland costs 178% more than in South Africa. In the United States, a Big Mac costs $6.99.

Most Expensive Big Macs

1. 🇨🇭 Switzerland style="color:var(--text-secondary);"1.36
2. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom $8.66
3. 🇩🇪 Germany $8.25

Cheapest Big Macs

1. 🇿🇦 South Africa $4.09
2. 🇯🇵 Japan $4.58
3. 🇺🇸 United States $6.99

These prices are from actual restaurant menus, updated daily. Use the Big Mac Index Calculator to compare purchasing power between any two countries.

That means a Big Mac in Switzerland costs 178% more than in South Africa. In the United States, a Big Mac costs $6.99.

Most Expensive Big Macs

1. 🇨🇭 Switzerland style="color:var(--text-secondary);"1.36
2. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom $8.66
3. 🇩🇪 Germany $8.25

Cheapest Big Macs

1. 🇿🇦 South Africa $4.09
2. 🇯🇵 Japan $4.58
3. 🇺🇸 United States $6.99

These prices are from actual restaurant menus, updated daily. Use the Big Mac Index Calculator to compare purchasing power between any two countries.

That means a Big Mac in Switzerland costs 178% more than in South Africa. In the United States, a Big Mac costs $6.99.

Most Expensive Big Macs

1. 🇨🇭 Switzerland style="color:var(--text-secondary);"1.36
2. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom $8.66
3. 🇩🇪 Germany $8.25

Cheapest Big Macs

1. 🇿🇦 South Africa $4.09
2. 🇯🇵 Japan $4.58
3. 🇺🇸 United States $6.99

These prices are from actual restaurant menus, updated daily. Use the Big Mac Index Calculator to compare purchasing power between any two countries.

That means a Big Mac in Switzerland costs 178% more than in South Africa. In the United States, a Big Mac costs $6.99.

Most Expensive Big Macs

1. 🇨🇭 Switzerland style="color:var(--text-secondary);"1.36
2. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom $8.66
3. 🇩🇪 Germany $8.25

Cheapest Big Macs

1. 🇿🇦 South Africa $4.09
2. 🇯🇵 Japan $4.58
3. 🇺🇸 United States $6.99

These prices are from actual restaurant menus, updated daily. Use the Big Mac Index Calculator to compare purchasing power between any two countries.

World Currencies

All major currencies ranked by M2 money supply. Currencies with Big Mac data show PPP valuation signals.
# Name Price Rate Change Market Cap Circulating Supply PPP Gap

How It Works

Raw Index (PPP)

1
Implied PPP rate = Local Big Mac price / US Big Mac price. This is the exchange rate that would make a Big Mac cost the same everywhere.
2
Compare to market FX rate. If the implied rate diverges from the spot rate, the currency is mispriced according to PPP theory.
3
Valuation % = (Implied PPP / Market Rate - 1) x 100. Positive = overvalued, negative = undervalued vs USD.

GDP-Adjusted Index

1
Raw PPP has a flaw: cheaper goods in poorer countries don't necessarily mean undervalued currencies — labour and trade costs differ.
2
Regression on GDP per capita predicts what the Big Mac "should" cost given a country's income level.
3
Adjusted valuation % = (Actual price - Predicted price) / Predicted price. Strips out the development effect.

For FX Traders

How to read this data: The Big Mac Index is a long-term mean-reversion signal, not a timing tool. Currencies that are deeply undervalued by PPP tend to appreciate over years, not days. Use it as a directional bias filter — if your technical setup aligns with a deeply undervalued currency, PPP supports the long thesis. The GDP-adjusted column is more reliable for developed-market pairs as it controls for income differences. The implied PPP rate is your theoretical fair-value exchange rate — compare it to the current spot rate to gauge how far the market has diverged from purchasing-power equilibrium.

Methodology

Our Approach

TheBigMacIndex.com provides the world's most up-to-date Big Mac Index — also known as burgernomics — by collecting actual prices from real restaurant menus, rather than relying on periodic surveys. Here's how it works.

Data Collection

We collect Big Mac prices from delivery platforms across multiple cities per country. For each city, we sample prices from several McDonald's locations to ensure accuracy. Prices are collected in the local currency and include the standard Big Mac (no meals, combos, or variants).

  • Frequency: Prices are refreshed daily, giving you the most current data available.
  • Coverage: Multiple cities per country to capture regional price variation.
  • Filtering: We exclude meal deals, bundles, and promotional items — only the standalone Big Mac counts.
  • Verification: Community submissions help validate and extend our automated data collection.

Price Calculation

For each country, we take the median price across all sampled cities. The median is more robust than the average because it isn't skewed by outlier prices in unusually expensive or cheap locations.

Prices are converted to US dollars using real-time exchange rates updated daily from financial data providers. This is a key difference from traditional indices that may use exchange rates that are weeks or months old.

Raw PPP Index

The raw purchasing-power parity index works in three steps:

  • Step 1: Calculate the implied PPP rate = Local Big Mac Price / US Big Mac Price. This is the exchange rate that would equalize Big Mac prices between the two countries.
  • Step 2: Compare the implied rate to the actual market exchange rate.
  • Step 3: The valuation percentage = (Implied PPP / Market Rate - 1) × 100. A positive result means the local currency is overvalued against the dollar; negative means undervalued.

GDP-Adjusted Index

The raw index has a well-known limitation: you'd expect Big Macs to be cheaper in poorer countries simply because labour and input costs are lower. A cheap Big Mac in Thailand doesn't necessarily mean the Thai baht is undervalued — it may just reflect lower production costs.

To address this, we run a log-linear regression of Big Mac USD prices against GDP per capita (PPP-adjusted, from the World Bank). This tells us what a Big Mac "should" cost given a country's income level. The GDP-adjusted index then measures how far the actual price deviates from this predicted price.

The GDP-adjusted index is generally considered a better gauge of currency misalignment for comparing countries at different development levels.

How We Differ from The Economist

The Economist invented the Big Mac Index in 1986, and we gratefully build on their foundational work. However, our approach differs in several important ways:

  • Update frequency: We update prices daily; The Economist publishes 1–2 times per year.
  • Data source: We use actual menu prices from delivery platforms; The Economist relies on periodic surveys.
  • City-level data: We provide price breakdowns for individual cities, not just country averages.
  • Community verification: Verified users can submit and validate prices, creating a self-correcting dataset.
  • Exchange rates: We use daily spot rates; traditional indices may use rates from the publication date.

Limitations

The Big Mac Index — including our real-time version — was never intended as a precise gauge of currency misalignment. It is a useful directional indicator and educational tool, not a trading signal. Key limitations include:

  • Big Mac prices are influenced by local factors like taxes, rent, competition, and supply chain costs that have nothing to do with currency valuation.
  • McDonald's may set prices strategically rather than purely based on costs.
  • Delivery platform prices may differ from in-store prices.
  • Not every country has McDonald's (though Big Mac availability is remarkably wide).

Despite these limitations, the Big Mac Index remains one of the most intuitive and widely-cited tools for understanding exchange rate dynamics. Our real-time approach simply makes it more current and granular than ever before.

Ready to try it? Use our Big Mac Index Calculator to compare purchasing power between any two countries using live data.

← Back to Rankings

City Prices

CityLocal PriceUSD Price

Price History (30 days)

← All currencies

PPP Calculator

—

Live PPP via Big Mac equivalence vs market FX rate. Open the full calculator →

Big Mac Price History (30 days)

Cross-Rates vs Other Currencies

Currency Big Mac (local) Implied PPP Market FX PPP Signal

Countries Using This Currency

← Back to Rankings
← Back to Rankings

Ranking

#CountryLocal PriceUSD PricePPP Valuation
← Back to Rankings

Comparison

Big Mac Index Calculator

Compare purchasing power between countries using real-time Big Mac prices from actual restaurant menus

Compare Two Countries

Based on real menu prices updated daily. See methodology.

Purchasing Power Comparison

Select two countries to compare

What Is the Big Mac Index? Definition & Meaning

The Big Mac Index — also known as burgernomics — is an economic tool invented by The Economist in 1986 that uses the price of a McDonald's Big Mac to compare purchasing power parity (PPP) between countries. It is based on the theory that exchange rates should adjust so that identical goods — in this case, a Big Mac — cost the same everywhere. Because a Big Mac is made to a standardized recipe in nearly every country on Earth, it serves as a practical “basket of goods” for measuring whether a currency is overvalued or undervalued against the US dollar.

Our version at TheBigMacIndex.com takes it further: instead of relying on twice-yearly surveys, we use actual prices from real restaurant menus, updated daily, making it the most current Big Mac Index available anywhere.

The Big Mac Index Formula

The Big Mac Index formula uses two simple equations to determine whether a currency is overvalued or undervalued relative to the US dollar:

Implied PPP Rate = Local Big Mac Price US Big Mac Price
Valuation % = ( Implied PPP Rate Actual Exchange Rate − 1 ) × 100

How to Calculate the Big Mac Index: 3 Steps

Here is how the Big Mac Index is calculated, step by step:

1

Find the Implied Exchange Rate

Divide the local Big Mac price by the US Big Mac price. This gives you the exchange rate that would make a Big Mac cost the same in both countries — the implied PPP rate.

Implied Rate = Plocal / PUS
2

Compare to the Market Exchange Rate

Look up the actual market exchange rate between the local currency and USD. Compare it to the implied rate from Step 1. If they differ, the currency is mispriced according to PPP theory.

Gap = Implied − Actual
3

Interpret the Result

Calculate the valuation percentage. A positive result means the currency is overvalued (Big Mac is more expensive locally). A negative result means it's undervalued (Big Mac is cheaper).

% = (Implied / Actual − 1) × 100

Worked Example with Live Data

Live example using today's real menu prices

Let's calculate the Big Mac Index for 🇨🇭 Switzerland using today's actual menu prices:

1A Big Mac costs CHF 8.9 in Switzerland and $6.99 in the United States.
2Implied PPP rate = 8.9 / 6.99 = 1.2732 CHF per USD
3Market exchange rate: 0.7833 CHF per USD.
4Swiss Franc is 62.5% overvalued against the US dollar by Big Mac PPP.

The GDP-Adjusted Big Mac Index Formula

The raw Big Mac Index has a well-known limitation: Big Macs are naturally cheaper in poorer countries because labour and input costs are lower. A cheap Big Mac in Thailand doesn't necessarily mean the Thai baht is undervalued — it may just reflect lower production costs.

To address this, we calculate a GDP-adjusted index using a log-linear regression:

ln(Big Mac USD Price) = α + β × ln(GDP per capita) + ε

This regression predicts what a Big Mac should cost given a country's income level. The GDP-adjusted valuation measures how far the actual price deviates from this predicted price, giving a more accurate picture of currency misalignment between countries at different development levels.

Purchasing Power Parity Conversion

This calculator goes beyond simple currency conversion. Instead of using market exchange rates, it uses Big Mac PPP rates to show what your money is actually worth in another country. If you earn $100 in the US, this calculator shows the equivalent purchasing power in any other country — not just the currency conversion, but what that money can actually buy.

Real-Time vs Traditional Big Mac Index

Unlike The Economist's original Big Mac Index (updated 1–2 times per year with survey data), our calculator uses actual prices from real restaurant menus, updated daily. Prices are collected from delivery platforms across multiple cities per country, combined with live exchange rates from financial data providers. This means the worked examples above use prices that people are actually paying today — not data from a survey conducted months ago.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you calculate the Big Mac Index?
The Big Mac Index is calculated by dividing the local price of a Big Mac by the US price to get an implied PPP exchange rate. This implied rate is then compared to the actual market exchange rate. If the implied rate is higher than the actual rate, the local currency is overvalued; if lower, it's undervalued. Our version uses real-time prices from actual restaurant menus rather than periodic surveys, making it more current and accurate.
What is the Big Mac Index formula?
The formula is: Implied PPP Rate = Local Big Mac Price / US Big Mac Price. Then, Valuation Percentage = (Implied PPP Rate / Actual Exchange Rate - 1) x 100. A positive result means the currency is overvalued against the US dollar; a negative result means it's undervalued. For the GDP-adjusted version, a log-linear regression against GDP per capita predicts what a Big Mac "should" cost, and the deviation from that prediction is the adjusted valuation.
How do I use the Big Mac Index to compare currencies?
Select two countries in the calculator above. The tool will show you the Big Mac price in each country, the implied PPP exchange rate, the actual market exchange rate, and the valuation gap. For example, if a Big Mac is much cheaper in Country B than Country A (in USD terms), it suggests Country B's currency may be undervalued, meaning your money goes further there in real purchasing power terms.
Is the Big Mac Index accurate?
The Big Mac Index was never intended as a precise gauge of currency misalignment — it's a simplified model. However, academic studies have shown it has predictive power for long-term exchange rate movements. Our real-time version improves accuracy by using actual daily menu prices rather than surveys, but local factors like taxes, rent, and competition still influence Big Mac prices independently of currency valuation.
What is purchasing power parity (PPP)?
Purchasing power parity is an economic theory that says exchange rates should adjust so that identical goods cost the same in every country. In practice, PPP serves as a long-term equilibrium model. The Big Mac Index uses a Big Mac as the "identical good" because it's sold in nearly every country with a standardized recipe, making it a practical (if imperfect) test of PPP theory.
How often is the Big Mac Index updated?
The Economist's original Big Mac Index is updated 1-2 times per year. Our version at TheBigMacIndex.com updates daily using actual prices scraped from real restaurant menus across multiple cities per country, combined with live exchange rates. This makes it the most current Big Mac Index data available anywhere.
Explore more: View the full Big Mac Index rankings for all countries, check our methodology to understand how we collect data, or browse world currencies ranked by money supply with PPP valuation signals.

API Documentation

Base URL: https://api.thebigmacindex.com/api/v1/burger
GET/currencies
Get all world currencies with exchange rates, M2 money supply, and Big Mac PPP valuation where available.
?item=bigmac Optional. Item type: bigmac or cheeseburger.
GET/latest
Get all countries' latest Big Mac Index data with city breakdowns.
?country=us Optional. Filter by country ID.
GET/history
Get historical index data for a country.
?country=us Country ID (default: us)
?days=30 Number of days (default: 30, max: 365)
GET/rankings
Get countries ranked by a chosen metric.
?metric=raw_ppp_index One of: raw_ppp_index, gdp_adjusted_index, absolute_price_index, usd_price
?order=desc Sort order: asc or desc
?limit=50 Max results (max: 100)
GET/compare
Compare Big Mac prices across countries with pairwise implied exchange rates.
?countries=us,ch,de Required. Comma-separated country IDs (2-5).
GET/countries
List all configured countries with their cities, currencies, and GDP data.
GET/scrape/status
Get the status of the web scraper including last run time and configuration.
POST/calculate
Manually trigger index recalculation for today's data.

Browse Big Mac Prices by Country

United States
New York · Los Angeles · Chicago · Houston · Phoenix
Switzerland
Zurich · Geneva · Basel · Bern · Lausanne
Germany
Berlin · Munich · Frankfurt · Hamburg · Cologne
Japan
Tokyo · Osaka · Yokohama · Nagoya · Fukuoka
Australia
Sydney · Melbourne · Brisbane · Perth · Adelaide
Canada
Toronto · Vancouver · Montreal · Calgary · Ottawa
Mexico
Mexico City · Guadalajara · Monterrey · Cancun · Puebla
China
Shanghai · Beijing · Guangzhou · Shenzhen · Chengdu
India
Mumbai · Delhi · Bangalore · Chennai · Hyderabad
Brazil
Sao Paulo · Rio de Janeiro · Brasilia · Salvador · Curitiba
Portugal
Lisbon · Porto · Braga · Coimbra · Faro
Thailand
Bangkok · Chiang Mai · Phuket
Argentina
Buenos Aires · Cordoba · Rosario
South Africa
Johannesburg · Cape Town · Durban
Norway
Oslo · Bergen · Stavanger
Turkey
Istanbul · Ankara · Izmir
Real-time Big Mac Index — prices from actual restaurant menus, updated daily. Inspired by The Economist®. Not affiliated with McDonald's.
Calculator · Methodology · Dataset · API · Currencies · Big Mac vs. CPI · World Map · Ranking