America's 11 Most Budget-Friendly Big Mac Hotspots—and Where McDonald’s Costs the Most

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In the past, quick meals were a simple method for saving both funds and hours spent eating. These days, this isn’t always true anymore. The price tag of a fast-food dinner might now match what you’d pay at a conventional eatery, depending on your location.

Not long ago, CashNetUSA, an online lending company, examined McDonald’s pricing throughout the country to determine which areas make dining at this well-known quick-service eatery more or less budget-friendly.

The firm utilized the official McDonald’s app to gather pricing information from several restaurant outlets across the most populated metropolitan regions within each state as well as Washington, D.C. Subsequently, they employed this data to determine the mean cost of different McDonald’s menu offerings for every metropolitan area and state.

The analysis uncovered some intriguing data. Should you desire an affordable hamburger, particularly a Big Mac, Texas would serve as your best bet since it boasts the lowest national price at $4.67 on average. In contrast, consider Massachusetts, which has the highest nationwide cost for the same sandwich at $6.72.

Here’s an examination of the metro areas where McDonald’s is most and least affordable.

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Where McDonald's offers the lowest and highest prices

Want to give your bank account a break? Out of the 71 metro areas for which CashNetUSA analyzed McDonald’s prices, these are the metros where the average price of a Big Mac is lowest (including multiple ties):

1) Austin, Texas: $4.36

2) Houston, Texas: $4.52

3) Fort Worth, Texas: $4.66

4) Milwaukee, Wisconsin: $4.86 (a tie)

4) Tulsa, Oklahoma: $4.86 (tied)

4) San Antonio, Texas: $4.86 (tied)

7) Baton Rouge, Louisiana: $4.89

8) Indianapolis, Indiana: $4.92

9) Knoxville, Tennessee: $4.96 (a tie)

9) Charlotte, North Carolina: $4.96 (tied)

9) Dallas, Texas: $4.96 (tied)

You'll need to carry some extra cash when ordering a Big Mac in these cities, where the typical cost of a large Big Mac is at its peak.

1) Seattle, Washington: $7.06

2) Springfield, Massachusetts: $6.96

3) San Diego, California: $6.86

4) Tucson, Arizona: $6.82

5) Buffalo, New York: $6.72 (tie)

5) Boston, Massachusetts: $6.72 (tie)

7) San Francisco, California: $6.66

8) San Jose, California: $6.59 (tied)

8) New York City, New York: $6.59 (tied)

10) Washington, D.C.: $6.52

Read Next: Low on Funds but Not Without Choices: 7 Fiscal Tactics to Assist You

In which locations is McDonald’s relatively more and less affordable compared to local wages?

Certainly, people receive varying pay across different regions. Hence, CashNetUSA has categorized metropolitan areas based on where a Big Mac meal, including fries and a beverage, turns out to be the most and least affordable compared to their earnings.

Here are the cities where the expense of a large Big Mac meal represents the lowest portion of the typical hourly income. In San Jose, for instance, a large Big Mac meal averages around $12.42. While this isn’t inexpensive, it equates to just 31.7% of the median hourly pay, which stands quite high at $39.17.

1) San Jose, California: 31.7%

2) Austin, Texas: 35.3%

3) Denver, Colorado: 36.2%

4) Stamford, Connecticut: 37.6%

5) Boston, Massachusetts: 37.9%

6) Fort Worth, Texas: 38.2%

7) Washington, D.C.: 38.3%

8) Milwaukee, Wisconsin: 38.9%

9) Minneapolis, Minnesota: 39.0%

10) Indianapolis, Indiana: 39.1%

However, in regions where incomes are lower or where McDonald's prices are comparatively high, or possibly both, purchasing a Big Mac meal has a more significant impact on one's budget. Below are the metropolitan areas where the cost of a standard Big Mac meal represents the highest proportion of the typical hourly wage.

1) Tucson, Arizona: 59.4%

2) Springfield, Massachusetts: 52.4%

3) Orlando, Florida: 52.2%

4) New Orleans, Louisiana: 52.1% (tied)

4) San Diego, California: 52.1% (tied)

6) Las Vegas, Nevada: 51.9%

7) Jacksonville, Florida: 51.1%

8) Little Rock, Arkansas: 50.8%

9) Tampa, Florida: 50.1%

10) Fresno, California: 49.9%

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