The Economist's Big Mac Index, a Meaty Guide for Traveling on the Cheap

The Economist has released something a little less dry – even juicier – than its normal fare: The annual Big Mac index, which compares burger prices around the world.

The burger indices, which the august weekly has been releasing for over twenty years, always spark cocktail party debates between economists about the valuation of various currencies and the legitimacy of using strange indicators (men's underwear is also popular) to determine whether exchange rates are being manipulated. For travelers the results can be felt more concretely.

The taste of home costs too much in Brazil, for instance, but can be grabbed on the cheap in Mexico.

The lovely graphic below, compiled by the good folks over at Credit Sesame, gives a cursory visual guide to Big Mac-Ronomics. Reversion to the mean is as good a reason as any to get to India now.


Credit Sesame