The World's Priciest McDonald's Big Mac Is In This Tourist Paradise

When traveling internationally, there can be a strange comfort in finding something familiar. This is why, for many, seeing the golden arches of a McDonald's can feel like finding a safe place where you already know what's on the menu — no translation required. However, depending on where you're traveling you could be in for quite a shock when it comes to not just the menu items available, but also the price tag attached — currency conversion absolutely required.

For starters, it's important to understand that there's something known as the Big Mac index. The index, invented by The Economist magazine in 1986, looks at the long-term exchange rates between countries by tracking the cost of a McDonald's Big Mac. While the index is, obviously, not a precise tool for measuring purchasing-power parity it does serve as an easier-to-understand tool for the theories surrounding exchange rates. Plus, by measuring Big Mac prices across countries, the index allows you to understand if one particular currency is undervalued or overvalued when compared to another currency. This is sometimes also referred to as burgernomics.

All of this is to say that how much a Big Mac is at your vacation destination could potentially tell you a lot about that country's economy. With that in mind, you could face sticker shock visiting a McDonald's in a foreign country, where the concept of fast food can be less cheap and easy than Americans tend to think of it. This brings us to the country with the most expensive Big Mac in the world, Switzerland.

According to the latest Big Mac index, as of June 2024, a McDonald's Big Mac costs $5.69 in the United States, but 7.10 Swiss francs in Switzerland, which is equivalent to around $8 in the U.S. — noticeably higher than what Americans pay. This means the index found that the Swiss franc was 41.8% overvalued when compared to the U.S. dollar. While the index focuses more specifically on the exchange rates of Big Mac purchases to make broader assumptions about currency values, it's important to realize that there are also far more basic factors at play when it comes to why a Big Mac costs so much more in Switzerland. (Also, remember to avoid travel mistakes when it comes to unfavorable currency conversions.)

For starters the cost of living in Switzerland is significantly higher than it is in the U.S., including important categories like rent, utilities, and food. This can and does affect a McDonald's location's ability to operate, especially when you factor in Switzerland's higher labor costs. As of June 2024, there were 180 McDonald's locations in Switzerland, with 90% of these locations being owned and operated by 42 franchisees. This leaves owners and operators having to navigate the higher costs of operating their businesses in Switzerland, which oftentimes leads to higher costs for customers. On the flip side, higher pay and generally higher prices across the board makes consumers more used to and willing to pay higher prices for items like food.

It's also important to realize the differences in international McDonald's compared to the same company in the U.S. From different menu items to the physical restaurant design, an American traveler might be surprised. While they might assume they know what to expect from a McDonald's when they walk into one on vacation, they could find themselves in an entirely different experience altogether.

In 2019, Jacques Mignault, McDonald's Switzerland's managing director shared with Food Chain Magazine how the company was embracing self-ordering screens in the country: "With our kiosks, our guests can place their order at their own pace, and during rush hour they are a fantastic solution when it comes to assisting the higher number of people wishing to order. Meanwhile, our complimentary table service enables our guests to choose a seat after ordering and wait in a relaxed atmosphere for their orders to be delivered directly to them." They also began offering their own home delivery service, called, you guessed it, McDelivery.

Another important offering at Switzerland McDonald's that marks a noticeable departure from U.S. locations is the offering of higher-end or premium burger offerings with significantly healthier ingredients. Unlike the U.S., which tends to focus on McDonald's as a purely fast food, and therefore, casual place to grab a meal, other countries have embraced a higher-end sit-down experience with their respective McDonald's locations. Mignault also shared that, at the time, McDonald's Switzerland was serving over 290,000 people daily, showing that McDonald's popularity isn't going anywhere, even with a pricier Big Mac.