Austin BPI$10.47▼ -24.3%│Austin Low$5.15│Austin High$20.00│Boston BPI$17.99▲ +8.7%│Boston Low$6.29│Boston High$28.00│Chicago BPI$13.20▼ -21.5%│Chicago Low$5.89│Chicago High$27.00│Los Angeles BPI$14.81▲ +11.7%│Los Angeles Low$5.15│Los Angeles High$29.00│Nashville BPI$16.42▲ +15.1%│Nashville Low$5.89│Nashville High$30.00│New Orleans BPI$12.36▼ -7.3%│New Orleans Low$5.79│New Orleans High$19.00│New York BPI$20.83▲ +0.4%│New York Low$5.99│New York High$38.00│Portland BPI$10.94▼ -17.6%│Portland Low$6.19│Portland High$17.00│San Francisco BPI$16.80▼ -1.6%│San Francisco Low$6.89│San Francisco High$28.00│Seattle BPI$16.57▲ +2.5%│Seattle Low$5.40│Seattle High$26.00│Austin BPI$10.47▼ -24.3%│Austin Low$5.15│Austin High$20.00│Boston BPI$17.99▲ +8.7%│Boston Low$6.29│Boston High$28.00│Chicago BPI$13.20▼ -21.5%│Chicago Low$5.89│Chicago High$27.00│Los Angeles BPI$14.81▲ +11.7%│Los Angeles Low$5.15│Los Angeles High$29.00│Nashville BPI$16.42▲ +15.1%│Nashville Low$5.89│Nashville High$30.00│New Orleans BPI$12.36▼ -7.3%│New Orleans Low$5.79│New Orleans High$19.00│New York BPI$20.83▲ +0.4%│New York Low$5.99│New York High$38.00│Portland BPI$10.94▼ -17.6%│Portland Low$6.19│Portland High$17.00│San Francisco BPI$16.80▼ -1.6%│San Francisco Low$6.89│San Francisco High$28.00│Seattle BPI$16.57▲ +2.5%│Seattle Low$5.40│Seattle High$26.00│Austin BPI$10.47▼ -24.3%│Austin Low$5.15│Austin High$20.00│Boston BPI$17.99▲ +8.7%│Boston Low$6.29│Boston High$28.00│Chicago BPI$13.20▼ -21.5%│Chicago Low$5.89│Chicago High$27.00│Los Angeles BPI$14.81▲ +11.7%│Los Angeles Low$5.15│Los Angeles High$29.00│Nashville BPI$16.42▲ +15.1%│Nashville Low$5.89│Nashville High$30.00│New Orleans BPI$12.36▼ -7.3%│New Orleans Low$5.79│New Orleans High$19.00│New York BPI$20.83▲ +0.4%│New York Low$5.99│New York High$38.00│Portland BPI$10.94▼ -17.6%│Portland Low$6.19│Portland High$17.00│San Francisco BPI$16.80▼ -1.6%│San Francisco Low$6.89│San Francisco High$28.00│Seattle BPI$16.57▲ +2.5%│Seattle Low$5.40│Seattle High$26.00│
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BURGER PRICE INDEX

Est. 2026 · 10 US Cities

← All Cities

Chicago

IL
$13.20
-21.5% this week#7 of 10 cities

Share this city

Chicago, IL BPI: $13.20 (-21.5% WoW) — ranks #7 of 10; national prints $15.04. Bloomberg Terminal energy, Wendy's drive-thru prices — https://burgerprice.com/cities/chicago-il

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vs National Average

$15.04national avg→Chicago is 12.2% below average
The Read

Chicago prints $13.20, #7 of 10 on the tape — 12.2% below the national $15.04, easing 21.5% on the week. The drive-thru doesn't care about your feelings.

On the TapeLast 5 weeks
Aug 24
$12.90
▼-0.1%
Aug 31
$16.34
▲+26.7%
Sep 7
$16.37
▲+0.2%
Sep 14
$16.81
▲+2.7%
Sep 21
$13.20
▼-21.5%

5-week tape: Chicago climbed $12.90 → $13.20 (+2.3%), 3 green prints. Your wallet filed the complaint; the menu didn't care.

Value Trade
$5.89
McDonald's
Premium Print
$27.00
The Loyalist
🏆Burger of the Week

Single Cheeseburger

Au Cheval

$19.95

“The Au Cheval Single Cheeseburger represents a strategic investment in culinary excellence, consistently delivering an exceptional return on gastronomic satisfaction. While its premium price point reflects its legendary status, this perfectly executed burger, with its signature blend of beef, cheese, and house-made dijonnaise, offers an unparalleled experience. It's a benchmark of quality in the Chicago burger market, justifying the expenditure for a truly iconic and memorable bite.”

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Local Purchasing Power

Min wage vs the local BPI print

1.3burgers/hr
$16.60/hr city min wage buys 1.3 of the $13.20 BPI basket. The market clears; your wallet may not.
Peer Prints

New Orleans, LA

Closest BPI on the tape

$12.36

Los Angeles, CA

Closest BPI on the tape

$14.81
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BPI Candlestick

40-week OHLC · body = BPI movement · wicks = price spread

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Restaurant Prices

11 restaurants sampled this week

RestaurantBurgerPriceType
McDonald'sBig Mac$5.89Fast
Wendy'sDave's Single$5.99Fast
Shake ShackShackBurger (Single)$7.39Fast
Five GuysCheeseburger$11.29Fast
Billy Goat TavernDouble Cheezborger$6.85Casual
Redhot RanchRHR Double Cheeseburger$7.50Casual
Small ChevalThe Cheeseburger$10.95Casual
Kuma's CornerThe Famous Kuma Burger$18.00Premium
Mott StMott Burger$18.00Premium
Au ChevalSingle Cheeseburger (with 2 patties)$19.95Premium
The LoyalistThe Dirty Burg$27.00Premium

BPI is a weighted average of fast-food, casual, and premium burger prices sampled weekly. Not financial advice — just the tape. Full methodology.

Chicago FAQ

What is Chicago's Burger Price Index this week?+

Chicago, IL prints at $13.20 for the week of 2026-09-21. -21.5% week-over-week. That's the weighted tape across fast-food, casual, and premium burgers sampled in Chicago.

How does Chicago compare to the national average?+

Chicago sits 12.2% below the national print of $15.04 — rank #7 of 10 tracked cities (highest BPI first).

What's the cheapest and most expensive burger in Chicago?+

Floor: McDonald's at $5.89. Ceiling: The Loyalist at $27.00. Sample this week: 11 burgers. Full tape is on this page.

How do I read Chicago's BPI?+

BPI is a weighted average — Fast Food 20%, Casual/Diner 40%, Premium/Gourmet 40%. Same recipe every city, every week. The big number is the print; WoW % is the move; the chart and price table fill in the story. Not financial advice — just the tape.

Which cities print closest to Chicago?+

Closest peers on BPI this week: New Orleans, LA ($12.36); Los Angeles, CA ($14.81). Browse the full grid on /cities or the weekly table on /rankings.

Compare markets on All Cities or the weekly rankings. Methodology on About.