analysis
Why There's No McDonald's in Iraq (2026)
Iraq has no McDonald's — not in Baghdad, not in Erbil. MaDonal in Sulaymaniyah and Burger King in Erbil are the closest shadow proxies. Corporate never granted a franchise.
Blog
Insights, analysis, and stories from the world of Big Mac economics.
analysis
Why There's No McDonald's in Libya (2026)
Libya has oil wealth, 758 fast-food shops and a fake McDonald's the police shut down in 2021 — but no real one. Gaddafi, the war, the dinar split.
analysis
Why There's No McDonald's in Syria (2026)
Damascus had KFC from 2006 until war shut it in 2013. McDonald's never opened at all — Caesar Act sanctions, 15 years of war, and now the HTS transition.
analysis
Why There's No McDonald's in Kazakhstan (2026)
McDonald's exited Kazakhstan in early 2023 after Russian beef supply collapsed. The 24 stores rebranded to I'm. Here's the full story and what the I'm Double Big Burger says about prices in Almaty in 2026.
analysis
Big Mac Price in Uzbekistan 2026: Why Tashkent Still Has No McDonald's
Uzbekistan has no McDonald's in 2026 despite an 8-year run of announcements. Reach Impex's trademark, the Burger King precedent, and what Tashkent actually pays for a burger.
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.
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
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
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 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
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
The Economist's January 2026 Big Mac Index release — walk-through of 52 countries, region by region. Refreshed July 17, 2026 against the actual Jan 2026 CSV (an earlier draft was inadvertently running on Jan 2025 numbers).
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 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 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 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 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.
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.