A Big Mac costs $6.29 at checked US prices in October 2026 — sandwich only, before tax. That is the short answer. The longer one covers what the meal version runs, why the price on your receipt may differ by a dollar or more, how the Big Mac compares to the McDouble sitting two rows down the same menu, and the calorie count (580) that makes the Big Mac the most-asked-about burger in fast food.
Every figure here comes from the same checked data as our McDonald’s menu with prices — no scraped mirror numbers.
How Much Is a Big Mac Meal?
There is no single national Big Mac Meal price — meals are priced by each restaurant. The honest way to budget it: the sandwich is $6.29, and the classic trio (Big Mac, medium fries, medium drink) totals $13.75 à la carte at the same checked prices, so a bundled meal at your store should land at or under that figure. If a location quotes well above it, ordering the pieces during a McValue or app deal window is the regulars’ workaround.
Why Big Mac Prices Vary So Much
Roughly 95% of US McDonald’s restaurants are franchised, and franchisees set their own prices within the company’s framework. The same Big Mac that is $6.29 at our checked location can be a dollar less in a low-cost market and noticeably more in airports, highway plazas and high-rent cities. McDonald’s own app is the ground truth for your store: the price you see there is the price you pay, which is why every serious answer to this question ends with “check the app.”
Big Mac vs McDouble: the $2.50 Question
| Item | Price | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Big Mac | $6.29 | 580 |
| McDouble | $3.79 | 390 |
| Double Cheeseburger | $4.19 | 440 |
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese | $5.99 | 520 |
The McDouble is the Big Mac’s budget twin — two patties, cheese, pickles, onions — missing the middle bun, the lettuce and the Mac sauce, and $2.50 cheaper. It is also the base of the most famous order on the McDonald’s secret menu: a McDouble ordered with Mac sauce and shredded lettuce (“like a Mac”), a hack a former McDonald’s corporate chef publicly recommends. The Quarter Pounder, meanwhile, costs nearly Big Mac money for a bigger single patty and 60 fewer calories.
How Many Calories Are in a Big Mac?
580 calories in the standard US build, with 25 g of protein, 34 g of fat, 45 g of carbohydrates and 1,060 mg of sodium. (If you have seen 590 quoted elsewhere, that is an older figure still circulating on mirror sites — 580 is the current published number, and it is the one used across our McDonald’s nutrition chart.) For scale: 580 is more than a Quarter Pounder with Cheese (520) and just under half of what the 1,020-calorie Big Arch carried at launch.
The Big Mac Price Story: 45 Cents to $6.29
The Big Mac was created by franchisee Jim Delligatti and launched in Pittsburgh in 1967–68 at 45 cents, going nationwide in 1969. The Economist has used it since 1986 for the Big Mac Index, its lighthearted measure of currency purchasing power — which is why “how much is a Big Mac” is also an economics question. Adjusted for inflation, the 45-cent original is roughly $4 in today’s money: the modern Big Mac costs more than inflation alone explains, which is the whole value debate in one sandwich.
How Much Is a Big Mac? FAQs
How much is a Big Mac in 2026?
$6.29 for the sandwich at checked US prices (October 2026). Prices are set by each franchised restaurant, so your local price can run about a dollar either way — the McDonald’s app shows your store’s exact price.
How much is a Big Mac meal?
There is no fixed national meal price. At checked prices, a Big Mac with medium fries and a medium drink totals $13.75 bought separately, so a meal bundle should cost that or less.
How many calories are in a Big Mac?
580 calories, with 25 g protein and 1,060 mg sodium in the standard US build.
Why is the Big Mac cheaper in some states?
About 95% of McDonald’s restaurants are franchised and set their own prices, reflecting local rent, wages and competition. Airports and highway locations typically price highest.
Is the McDouble the same as a Big Mac?
Close but not identical: the McDouble ($3.79, 390 cal) has two patties and cheese like the Big Mac but no middle bun, lettuce or Mac sauce. Ordered with Mac sauce and lettuce, it is the famous budget approximation.
Conclusion
The Big Mac is $6.29, 580 calories, and still the reference point every other burger price gets judged against — including McDonald’s own. For the other 133 items on the board, the full McDonald’s menu has them all at the same checked prices.
Prices and nutrition checked October 2026 from McDonald’s published data. Prices vary by restaurant. McDonald’s and Big Mac are trademarks of the McDonald’s Corporation; this site is not affiliated with McDonald’s.
