Switzerland’s Big Mac costs $7.99 — 38% more than in the United States. Created by The Economist in 1986, the Big Mac Index compares the price of a standardized McDonald’s burger across roughly 100 countries to estimate whether currencies are over- or undervalued against the US dollar. Published twice a year, it covers 78 countries and remains one of the few consistent cross-country price datasets going back four decades.
Big Mac Index: Key Statistics
- $7.99 — Switzerland’s Big Mac price in January 2025, the highest in the world and 38% above the US baseline of $5.79.
- 46% — how undervalued the Japanese yen was against the dollar in January 2025, with a Big Mac priced at $3.11.
- 158% — the rise in the US Big Mac price between 2000 and 2025, from $2.24 to $5.79.
- 775% — Uruguay’s Big Mac dollar-price increase since 2004, from $1.00 to $8.75 by 2026.
- 57.9% — Egypt’s currency undervaluation in the July 2025 index, the deepest in the dataset.
How the Big Mac Index Calculates Currency Values
The method is simple. Divide the local Big Mac price by the US price to get an implied exchange rate, then compare that to the actual market rate. A gap between the two indicates whether a currency is cheap or expensive relative to the dollar.
The January 2025 Japan example makes this clear. A Big Mac cost ¥480 locally. Dividing that by the US price of $5.79 gives an implied rate of ¥82.90 per dollar. The actual market rate was ¥154.15 — meaning the yen was undervalued by roughly 46%.
The Economist also publishes a GDP-adjusted version. Lower-income countries tend to have lower prices across the board because wages and rents are lower — not necessarily because their currencies are cheap. The adjusted index accounts for this.
Big Mac Prices by Country (January 2025)
The January 2025 data covers a wide range of price levels. European countries cluster at the top; Asian manufacturing exporters sit at the bottom. The spread between Switzerland and Indonesia is over $5.45 — more than the entire US price.
| Country | Big Mac Price (USD) | vs. US Baseline |
|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | $7.99 | +38.0% |
| Norway | $6.67 | +15.2% |
| United States | $5.79 | Baseline |
| United Kingdom | $5.73 | −1.0% |
| Denmark | $5.49 | −5.2% |
| Japan | $3.11 | −46.3% |
| Indonesia | $2.54 | −56.1% |
| Taiwan | $2.38 | −58.9% |
| India | $2.38 | −58.9% |
Source: The Economist January 2025 Big Mac Index via Britannica Money; World Population Review
Switzerland’s high price reflects some of the highest average wages in the OECD, expensive commercial real estate, and a structurally strong franc. Norway sits second at $6.67, partly because it’s outside the EU — import costs on food inputs run higher than for euro-area neighbours.
The UK at $5.73 was almost exactly at US parity, suggesting the pound was close to fair value in early 2025. Taiwan, India, and Indonesia all sat at or below $2.54 — roughly 56–59% below the US price. For Taiwan, this is a decades-long pattern, not a recent shock.
Most Over- and Undervalued Currencies — July 2025
By mid-2025, six of the seven most overvalued currencies in the index were European. The Swiss franc’s overvaluation reached 49.6%, up from 38% in January, driven by a local price that translated to roughly USD 9.00 at prevailing exchange rates.
| Country | Currency | Valuation vs. USD | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | CHF | +49.6% | Overvalued |
| Uruguay | UYU | +29.6% | Overvalued |
| Norway | NOK | +22.1% | Overvalued |
| Sweden | SEK | +21.8% | Overvalued |
| Denmark | DKK | +16.6% | Overvalued |
| Eurozone | EUR | +15.2% | Overvalued |
| United Kingdom | GBP | +13.5% | Overvalued |
| Egypt | EGP | −57.9% | Undervalued |
| Indonesia | IDR | −57.0% | Undervalued |
| Japan | JPY | −41.2% | Undervalued |
| Vietnam | VND | −33.0% | Undervalued |
Source: The Economist July 2025 Big Mac Index via TravelMole; Turkish Minute
Uruguay is the only non-European country on the overvalued side. Strong commodity exports and fiscal stabilisation have appreciated its currency, but high domestic inflation has also pushed nominal prices up faster than the exchange rate has adjusted. Its Big Mac now costs the equivalent of 315 Uruguayan pesos.
Japan’s 41.2% undervaluation in July 2025 reflects sustained yen weakness during 2024–2025, not deflation. Domestic prices in Japan have actually been rising. Turkey presents a different case: on the raw index it looks close to fair value, but on the GDP-adjusted version the lira is 26% overvalued because consumer prices have risen far faster than local incomes since 2022.
US Big Mac Price History and Inflation
The US price rose from $2.24 in 2000 to $5.79 in January 2025 — a 158% increase over 25 years. The pace picked up sharply after 2020. From December 2020 to January 2025, the price went from $4.89 to $5.79, an 18.4% rise in roughly four years.
| Year | US Big Mac Price (USD) |
|---|---|
| 2000 | $2.24 |
| 2005 | $2.58 |
| 2008 | $3.21 |
| 2013 | $4.18 |
| 2019 | $4.71 |
| 2020 | $4.89 |
| 2024 | $5.69 |
| 2025 | $5.79 |
Source: Yahoo Finance / EatThis, citing The Economist Big Mac Index; Britannica Money
Research from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis found that from January 2018 to January 2021, Big Mac inflation and overall CPI ran in tandem at around 2%. They diverged after January 2021. CPI peaked at 8.5% in July 2022; Big Mac inflation peaked at 4.5% at the same point. The Fed researchers attributed this to the fact that food-away-from-home costs make up only 5.4% of the CPI basket, so the burger price tracks restaurant inflation rather than headline consumer prices.
Long-Term Big Mac Price Trends by Country (2000–2026)
The sharpest divergence in the dataset is Uruguay. Its Big Mac cost $1.00 in 2004 and $8.75 by 2026 — a 775% increase — making it the second-most expensive in the world after Switzerland. Currency appreciation and sustained domestic inflation both drove the move.
At the other end, Taiwan, Japan, and Vietnam show almost no change. Taiwan’s price went from $2.29 in 2000 to $2.47 in 2026 — a 7.9% increase against the US’s 173% over the same period. Japan moved from $2.77 to $3.02, just 9%. These are not poor countries: Taiwan has a high-income economy. The data reflects structural currency management by Asian manufacturing exporters, a pattern the index has flagged consistently for decades.
| Country | First Price (USD) | 2026 Price (USD) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uruguay | $1.00 (2004) | $8.75 | +775% |
| Poland | $1.28 (2000) | $6.25 | +388% |
| Australia | $1.54 (2000) | $5.70 | +270% |
| China | $1.20 (2000) | $3.66 | +205% |
| United States | $2.24 (2000) | $6.12 | +173% |
| Japan | $2.77 (2000) | $3.02 | +9.0% |
| Taiwan | $2.29 (2000) | $2.47 | +7.9% |
| Vietnam | $2.81 (2015) | $2.89 | +2.9% |
Source: Statbase (The Economist Big Mac Index historical data, 2000–2026)
Where the Big Mac Index Has Documented Limitations
The index has three well-documented blind spots. First, African coverage is thin: McDonald’s operates in only Morocco, Egypt, South Africa, and Mauritius on the continent. A substitute called the KFC Index — using a 15-piece bucket — was created specifically to address this gap.
Second, price manipulation has occurred. In January 2011, The Economist noted that Argentina’s average annual burger inflation of 19% versus an official rate of 10% was larger than any other country, supporting claims that official price data was being falsified. McDonald’s Argentina reportedly sold Big Macs at below-market prices during that period to suppress the country’s index ranking.
Third, Gulf state prices reflect policy rather than market rates. Saudi Arabia and the UAE operate under fixed exchange rate regimes and government fuel subsidies that suppress operating costs. A cheap Big Mac there signals intervention, not genuine undervaluation — the GDP-adjusted index partially corrects for this, but not entirely.
FAQ
What is the Big Mac Index?
The Big Mac Index is an informal currency valuation tool published by The Economist twice a year. It compares the local price of a McDonald’s Big Mac, converted to US dollars, against the US price to estimate whether a currency is over- or undervalued.
Which country has the most expensive Big Mac in 2025?
Switzerland. At $7.99 in January 2025, it was 38% above the US baseline. By July 2025, the Swiss franc’s overvaluation had reached 49.6%, with the local price translating to approximately USD 9.00.
Which currency is the most undervalued according to the Big Mac Index?
Egypt’s pound was the most undervalued in the July 2025 edition at 57.9% below the US baseline, followed closely by Indonesia’s rupiah at 57.0%.
How much has the US Big Mac price changed since 2000?
The US price rose from $2.24 in 2000 to $5.79 in January 2025, a 158% increase over 25 years. Post-pandemic price growth was notably faster: an 18.4% rise between December 2020 and January 2025.
Does the Big Mac Index work in countries without McDonald’s?
No. Countries without McDonald’s locations — most of Africa, for example — are excluded from the index. Alternative indices like the KFC Index were developed to extend similar purchasing power comparisons to markets where McDonald’s doesn’t operate.
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