BigMac Index: Argentina more expensive than US

[bigbadwolf]

Boy, BigBad, have you lived in the United States in this century? Or is my perspective skewed by living in a semi-socialist (that is, northeastern) state?

Do you mean the 20th or the 21st? If the latter, we're still living in the "Second Gilded Age." If the former, there was some disquiet and unrest in the early decades, but the Roosevelts nipped it in the bud.

 

[mini]

It is difficult to find a "good burger" outside of the US because it is not a traditional "dish" anywhere else in the world and the "locals" like them to taste differently than they do in the US. (I think that fast food & franchising is an oddity & an exception.) Basically your complaint is the same as if I were to complain that I can't find good fondue outside of Switzerland, which is true! There is no good fondue to be eaten outside of Switzerland. This doesn't mean that there is a lack of entrepreneurial spirit. It just means that fondue is not a typical food of any other country other than Switzerland or simply that other cultures like their fondue the way they like it, which is different than it is in Switzerland. Pizza is another example. People outside of Italy like their pizza different than they do in Italy. Italians will certainly complain that it is difficult to find a good pizza outside of Italy.
Now to those who say why eat a burger when you can eat steak: A good burger is like a good steak tartare or a good carparccio. You must start with the best & the freshest meat. When these foods are done well with quality ingredients, they are fantastic! Now clearly we are not talking of the fast food burgers.

 

[steveinbsas]

I noticed a billboard yesterday that advertised the Big Mac at 7 pesos. They were 11 pesos a few years ago...when the exchange rate was 3.09 to one, making the price about $3.59 US. At today's rate of about 3.80 to one that makes the cost of a Big Mac at about $1.85 US.

Unfortunately, of course, the taste is still the same so I doubt this will cause a great influx of new expats seeking the ever more elusive "cheap" life in BA...nonetheless, it's a rather amazing price reduction of at least one item here.

 

[kikedeolivos]

I noticed a billboard yesterday that advertised the Big Mac at 7 pesos. They were 11 pesos a few years ago...when the exchange rate was 3.09 to one, making the price about $3.59 US. At today's rate of about 3.80 to one that makes the cost of a Big Mac at about $1.85 US. If you use a Banco Santander Rio debit card (Monday through Thursday) you get a 20% discount bringing the price down to less than $1.50.

Unfortunately, of course, the taste is still the same so I doubt this will cause a great influx of new expats seeking the ever more elusive "cheap" life in BA...nonetheless, it's a rather amazing price reduction of at least one item here.

The price maybe cheaper now but, have you noticed how small a BigMac is today in Argentina? Smaller than an alfajor.

 

[steveinbsas]

The price maybe cheaper now but, have you noticed how small a BigMac is today in Argentina? Smaller than an alfajor.

There are probably a few readers who don't know what an alfajor is: a multi-layered cookie dipped in chocolate or some other unidentifiable sugary substance. I did choke down a Big Mac yesterday so I could attest to it's quality (or lack thereof). I didn't try to eat the box, but I would imagine the flavor to be quite similar, do to the direct contact with the bun.

I can say (as a recovering alfajor addict) that the Big Mac is easily twice (if not three times) the size of any alfajor (which is why I had to eat so many of the latter and became addicted).

The chances of my becoming addicted to Big Macs, however, are nil, regardless of the price.

 

[Liam3494]

Not having a clue how much a Big Mac runs for in any country, I made a few enquiries here in Dublin (I;ll be back in BsAs in two weeks), and the local cost is Euro 3.99, which at present exchange rates equates to around AR$ 22.50 - So that seems to show quite a difference, although not sure what conclusion we can take from that. Is it that Argentina is cheap, or, more likely, Ireland is damn expensive!

 

[SFMike]

The Big Mac here is the same size as it is in the US, and just as poor. As a kid I remember it being a more significant sandwich, but it's possible that I've just gotten bigger in relation to it.

I swear that the Burger King Whopper is significantly better here. Though I think it's about twice the price of a Big Mac. I can not tell you about Wendy's, because square burgers are illegal here.

I will also attest to the Argentine deliciousness of the Aberdeen Angus beef patties that are in every supermercado.

I suspect that that the malcontents on this board were unhappy where they were, and are unhappy in where they are, and will continue to be unhappy wherever you go. There are problems with this city, sure, but even heaven (aka San Francisco) has its issues. You can't live life like that, or at least you can't really call it living if you do.

 

[orwellian]

The US is not a superpower anymore and turning into a third world country. Get used to it...

YES WE CAN!

 

[elhombresinnombre]

Not having a clue how much a Big Mac runs for in any country, I made a few enquiries here in Dublin (I;ll be back in BsAs in two weeks), and the local cost is Euro 3.99, which at present exchange rates equates to around AR$ 22.50 - So that seems to show quite a difference, although not sure what conclusion we can take from that. Is it that Argentina is cheap, or, more likely, Ireland is damn expensive!

http://www.economist.com/markets/bigmac/

 

[22nick22]

The US is not a superpower anymore...

lol! 3rd world country? yeesh