The hamburger is one of the pillars of American gastronomy. Its origin is German, as indicated by its name. The combination with fries and a soda has been a success, and is part of the country's culture. Hamburgers were imported from Germany and have been exported to the rest of the world.
The formula is now so international that the weekly magazine The Economist has chosen the Big Mac combo, which is the same in all countries, as the basis for comparing the purchasing power of different currencies. It is the Big Mac Index.
San Francisco is the most expensive
In America, there is no need for a Big Mac index because everything is paid for in dollars. MoneyGeek has collected how much the burger, fries, and soda combo costs in each city. The list is as follows:
- San Francisco, California = $15.30
- Los Angeles, California = $14.59
- New York, New York = $14.22
- Long Beach, California = $13.08
- Washington, D.C. = $12.94
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania = $12.89
- Boston, Massachusetts = $12.69
- Sacramento, California = $12.67
- Seattle, Washington = $12.58
- Mesa, Arizona = $12.46
Out of the top ten cities, four are in California, including the top two: San Francisco ($15.30) and Los Angeles ($14.59). Long Beach ($13.08) ranks fourth, and Sacramento ($12.58) is eighth.
New York is the third most expensive city for the combo ($14.22). Washington D.C. ($12.94) is fifth. Philadelphia, Boston, Seattle and Mesa round out the top ten.
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Nevertheless, the experience of enjoying a burger, fries and a soda is cheaper in Tulsa, Oklahoma than in any other of the 50 cities surveyed by MoneyGeek. It makes for a good plan in times of rising inflation, if you don't have to go out of your way to get there.
- Tulsa, Oklahoma: $6.55
- Wichita, Kansas: $7.22
- El Paso, Texas: $7.79
- New Orleans, Lousiana: $7.93
- Detroit, Michigan: $8.79
- Austin, Texas: $8.88
- Denver, Colorado: $9.19
- Memphis, Tennessee: $9.28
- Indianapolis, Indiana: $9.30
- Atlanta, Georgia: $9.36
