Israel reached the second spot in The Economist’s Big Mac Index for 2026, published on Thursday, July 30, indicating the high price of a McDonald’s hamburger in the Jewish state, preceded only by Switzerland.

Dubious honor

The index, started 40 years ago by the U.K.-based newsweekly, compares the relative price worldwide of McDonald’s flagship hamburger.

Although informal and somewhat humorous, the aim of the index is to simplify the implication of market exchange rates and their effect on the prices of similar goods.

Israel’s sharp climb to the second place in the index’s list is largely due to the appreciation of the shekel over the past year.

When the exchange rate stood at 3.8 shekels to the dollar in July 2024, the price of a Big Mac in Israel ranked lower than in most Western countries in The Economist’s index at the time.

Same ingredients everywhere

The Bank of Israel’s representative rate for July 31 was 3.0570 to the dollar.

Now, a Big Mac in Israel costs $7.67, in the United States $6.22 and in Taiwan $2.42, the index showed.

The McDonald’s Big Mac was chosen by the magazine due to the global presence of the U.S. giant chain, and because the sandwich remains largely the same in all countries.

Originally published at: https://www.jns.org/news/israel-news/israel-ranked-second-in-big-mac-index-2026