Dark
🌙

Big Mac vs Whopper Prices by Country (2026): Full Global Breakdown

📅 Updated August 13, 2026 · 📊 PriceMyMeal data
McDonald's logo🍔
🍔
Big Mac
McDonald's
$5.99
VS
Burger King logo🍔
🍔
Whopper
Burger King
$7.99

In the US, the Whopper ($7.99) costs more than the Big Mac ($5.99). In the UK the gap narrows. In some markets the two chains price almost identically. McDonald's and Burger King set prices independently in every country — using local wages, real estate and competitive positioning. The result: the relative price of the world's two most famous burgers shifts depending on where you order.

⚖️ Quick Matchup
The Big Mac is cheaper than the Whopper in the US by $2.00 and holds a price advantage in most markets. In PPP-adjusted terms, both burgers are within $0.50 of each other in most countries — the chains track each other closely. For nutrition, the Whopper edges it on protein; for price, the Big Mac wins the US and most English-speaking markets.
US Price
Big Mac
$5.99 vs $7.99
UK Price
Big Mac
Big Mac slightly cheaper
Calories
Big Mac
580 vs 670 kcal
Protein
Whopper
31g vs 25g
Global footprint
Big Mac
McDonald's in more countries
Value overall
Big Mac
Cheaper in most markets
Nutrition Comparison
Big Mac vs Whopper — US standard serving

Nutrition Breakdown

Big Mac
Whopper
Calories kcal
580
670
Protein g
25
31
Fat g
34
39
Carbs g
45
54
Sodium mg
1,060
1,170

Price History

How the price of each item has changed since launch — US dollars.

Big Mac vs Whopper — US price history
Share on X Share on Reddit Save to Pinterest Share on WhatsApp

Timeline

Big Mac Whopper
1957
The Whopper is created by Burger King founder James McLamore who wants a bigger burger than competitors. It launches at 37 cents.
1965
Franchisee Jim Delligatti starts lobbying McDonald's for a bigger burger to compete with Burger King's Whopper. Corporate repeatedly says no.
April 22, 1967
The Big Mac debuts for 45 cents at Delligatti's Uniontown, Pennsylvania restaurant.
1968
McDonald's takes it nationwide. 21-year-old secretary Esther Glickstein Rose names it 'Big Mac' — her colleagues laughed.
1969
The Big Mac accounts for 19% of all McDonald's US sales within just one year of going national.
1974
The legendary jingle airs: 'Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame-seed bun.'
1974
Burger King launches 'Have It Your Way' — directly attacking McDonald's uniformity by letting customers customise their Whopper.
1985
The Whopper becomes the world's best-selling burger, a title it holds for decades.
1986
The Economist introduces the Big Mac Index to compare currency values worldwide.
2012
McDonald's executive chef reveals the Big Mac Sauce recipe on YouTube.
2016
Jim Delligatti dies aged 98 having eaten at least one Big Mac per week his entire adult life.
2019
Burger King launches the Impossible Whopper — a plant-based version that sparks the plant-based fast food trend.
Today
Sold in 100+ countries with an estimated 1 billion sold annually worldwide — McDonald's second best-selling item after fries.
Today
The Whopper is sold in over 100 countries and is the benchmark against which all other fast food burgers are measured.

Did You Know?

Big Mac Whopper
🏛️
The Big Mac Index has been published by The Economist since 1986 and is used by real economists to evaluate currency valuations.
🏆
Jim Delligatti invented the world's most valuable fast food item and received only a plaque. McDonald's CEO Ray Kroc made billions.
🇮🇪
In 2019 an EU court ruled McDonald's couldn't prove consistent commercial use of 'Big Mac' in Europe — a win for Irish chain Supermac's.
🏗️
The Big Mac was designed for hungry Pittsburgh steel mill workers who weren't satisfied by regular McDonald's burgers.
🏪
There is a Big Mac Museum Restaurant in North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania with a 14-foot replica of the burger.
🌏
In India the Big Mac is made with chicken (Maharaja Mac) — never beef, as cows are sacred in Hindu culture.
🔥
The Whopper was the first major fast food burger to be flame-grilled rather than fried on a flat-top — a distinction BK still uses as its primary differentiator.
🎵
'Have It Your Way' launched in 1974 is one of the most recognised fast food jingles ever — a direct attack on McDonald's standardised menu.
🌱
The 2019 Impossible Whopper was controversial — some customers didn't realise it wasn't beef, triggering a lawsuit over the shared grill with meat products.
👑
Despite being founded 2 years after McDonald's, Burger King was the first chain to introduce the concept of customising your order.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Big Mac or Whopper cheaper?

In the US, the Big Mac ($5.99) is considerably cheaper than the Whopper ($7.99) — a $2.00 gap. In most markets worldwide the Big Mac holds a price advantage, though in some lower-cost markets where Burger King prices more aggressively the gap narrows. Both chains tend to price their flagship burgers within 15-20% of each other in any given market.

Which country has the cheapest Big Mac?

On a PPP-adjusted basis, Egypt consistently ranks as the country with the cheapest Big Mac globally — typically around $1.80 USD equivalent. Pakistan, Vietnam and Indonesia also rank near the bottom. The cheapest markets tend to be in Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia, reflecting lower local wages and operating costs.

Which country has the most expensive Whopper?

Sweden consistently has some of the most expensive Whopper prices globally on a PPP-adjusted basis — around $7.90 USD equivalent. Singapore, UAE and Australia also rank near the top. High labour costs, expensive real estate and strong currencies drive prices in these markets.