analysis
Why There's No McDonald's in Belarus (2026)
McDonald's left Belarus in 2022 after the Ukraine war. The 25 stores rebranded to Mak.by in 2023, then the state seized the chain in 2024. Here's the full story.
Blog
Insights, analysis, and stories from the world of Big Mac economics.
analysis
Why There's No McDonald's in North Macedonia (2026)
All seven McDonald's in Macedonia closed overnight on May 14, 2013 after the corporate franchise was terminated. Thirteen years later, the chain hasn't returned.
analysis
Why There's No McDonald's in Turkmenistan (2026)
Turkmenistan has never had a McDonald's. The Türkmenbaşy cult, Rukhnama, Permanent Neutrality and a dual-rate manat keep every Western brand out of Ashgabat.
analysis
Why There's No McDonald's in Mongolia (2026)
Mongolia has no McDonald's not from sanctions or politics — KFC arrived first in 2013, Burger King followed in 2015, and Ulaanbaatar's local burger scene crowded out the gap.
analysis
Big Mac Price in the Netherlands 2026: €5.95–€8.10 by City
Netherlands' Big Mac is €6.10 (USD 7.08), but the menu combo €13.30 tops the eurozone. €14.71/hr wage floor and Amsterdam rent on the receipt.
analysis
The Eurozone Big Mac Aggregate Is a Fiction: Inside a 25%+ Spread
Five Eurozone Big Mac deep-dives (DEU/FRA/ITA/ESP/NLD) show The Economist's single EUZ data point hides a 25%+ intra-currency spread. Bruegel thesis on the menu board.
analysis
Big Mac Price in Spain 2026: €5.10–€5.70 by City
Spain's Big Mac costs €5.40 (USD 6.26), the cheapest Eurozone heavyweight. SMI €1,221, 10% IVA, coastal-tourism premium, and a Madrid-vs-Sevilla spread.
analysis
Why There's No McDonald's in Bhutan (2026)
Bhutan has never had a McDonald's — not by sanctions or war, but by design. GNH state policy, a $100/day tourism fee, and a country that protects its own kitchen.
analysis
Why There's No McDonald's in North Korea (2026)
North Korea has never had a McDonald's — not under Kim Il-sung, not under Trump-Kim. The Juche doctrine, the Furlanis pizza story, the data black hole.
analysis
Why There's No McDonald's in Yemen (2026)
Yemen has KFC in Sanaa and a Houthi boycott of US brands — but McDonald's has never opened a store. The war, the split currency, the Big Mac data gap.
analysis
Big Mac Price in Italy 2026: €5.50–€6.90 by City
Italy's Big Mac costs €5.90 (USD 6.85). CCNL pay floors instead of a minimum wage, 10% IVA, and a 20% Milan-vs-Naples spread shape the Italian Big Mac.
analysis
Big Mac Index 2026: The Complete Country-by-Country Breakdown
Walk-through of all 54 countries in the January 2026 Big Mac Index — region by region, cheapest and priciest burgers, implied valuations, and the gaps.
analysis
Big Mac Price in France 2026: €4.45 (Vincennes) – €6.90 (Dijon)
France's Big Mac costs €6.35 (USD 7.31), but intra-country spread hits 55% — Vincennes €4.45 to Dijon €6.90. One country hides more PPP variation than two.
analysis
Big Mac Price in Germany 2026: €6.09–€7.79 by Franchise
Germany's Big Mac costs €6.30 (USD 7.31), with 16% franchise spread across cities. Why Germany is the EUZ's hidden Big Mac anchor, plus VAT and SMIC math.
analysis
Why Doesn't Cuba Have McDonald's? (2026)
One McDonald's exists in Cuba — inside Guantánamo Bay US Naval Base, restricted since 1986. Embargo backstory, the one exception, and what Havana eats instead.
analysis
Why Doesn't Bolivia Have McDonald's? (2026)
Bolivia is the only democratic country to lose all McDonald's and never get them back — eight stores 1997-2002. Not a ban; Bolivians didn't buy enough burgers.
analysis
Why Doesn't Iceland Have McDonald's? (2026)
All three Icelandic McDonald's closed October 31, 2009 after the 2008 crisis doubled import costs. The last burger still sits mold-free in a Þykkvabær glass case.
analysis
Why Doesn't Russia Have McDonald's? (2026)
McDonald's opened in Moscow 1990 and exited in 2022 after Ukraine. What happened to 850+ stores, what replaced them, and why the Big Mac Index lost a key data point.
analysis
Why Doesn't Iran Have McDonald's? (2026)
Iran briefly had McDonald's pre-1979 revolution; a 1994 return attempt was burned within days. Why US sanctions keep the chain out — and what Mash Donald's offers.
education
Why PPP Theory Fails: The Hidden Limits of the Big Mac Index
Why the Big Mac Index — and PPP broadly — does not measure what most readers think. Seven structural limits with specific 2026 country examples.