What A McDonald's Big Mac Meal Costs In Different Cities: Brooklyn's Price Tag Is Unexpected

McDonald's works its hardest to provide a consistent experience for customers across the United States, but while its menu items likely taste the same from area to area, prices can vary in unexpected ways. To find out which cities offer the most and least expensive McD's experiences, we researched prices for the classic Big Mac meal. A few surprising facts emerged, especially that Brooklyn, New York, of all places, offers a pretty decent deal.

A Big Mac meal consists of the famed burger plus medium fries and a fountain drink. It's not the most bougie lunch, but given the stereotype that everything is more expensive in big cities (especially New York City), it's interesting that this meal costs as little as $8 for a medium combo to around $11 for a large in Brooklyn. That may not sound super cheap to everyone, but take a look at how much a Big Mac cost in 2000 versus 2025, and you'll understand why this 3-piece meal isn't too shabby.

What's one city that might give you a shock when you order a Big Mac meal? In Boston, Massachusetts, the Golden Arches may charge you somewhere between $13 and a little over $13.60. Some customers from the Greater Boston area allege that they've paid $15 to almost $18 for the popular meal. Massachusetts has been named as the most expensive state for a Big Mac, according to a survey by CashNetUSA, making these numbers just a little less surprising.

We also found some interesting Big Mac meal prices further away from the East Coast. Honolulu, Hawaii, is another city with costly Big Mac meals, as you could pay $13 or more. Hawaii is known for its high food prices due to expensive import fees on goods from the mainland U.S., among other factors. In Los Angeles, California, a Big Mac meal can cost around $12.60 to $14, though some citizens claim that the McDonald's combo is actually priced closer to $10 or $12.

In contrast to these expensive spots, the McDonald's that has the cheapest Big Mac in the U.S. is located in Stigler, Oklahoma. Add fries and a drink, and you'll pay only around $8 for your Big Mac meal in this southeast city. Likewise, Houston, Texas, prices its Big Mac combos affordably, with McD's customers reporting totals at $8 to $8.60. Not bad for the fourth most populous city in America. And since Indiana is one of the U.S. states with the lowest fast food prices, it's no surprise that Indianapolis sells Big Mac meals for just under $8 or up to $9.50.

A few other major cities are on the same wavelength as Brooklyn. Residents of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have claimed on Reddit that a Big Mac meal costs approximately $11 after taxes. Chicago, Illinois, is slightly cheaper at $9.60 or so. We could go on, but at the end of the day, at least you know what to expect when you get your order: a triple-decker burger with tangy special sauce, an icy drink, and thin and crispy fries. No matter the price, it'll always be McDonald's.