I don’t eat Big Macs — they have no taste — but a travellin’ man is always checking price vs purchasing power. I saw a standard muffin sold for US$3 in San Francisco, then $4.50 in a Las Vegas casino deli.
Economist magazine started the Big Mac index in 1986 and it is still referred to widely.
But Dana would be keener on the Starbucks Tall Latte index, introduced by Economist in 2004.
The graphic shows 2004 prices. You must subscribe to Economist on-line to get the up-to-date statistics. That’s to keep the poor (who might disagree with their pro-globalization, pro-Starbucks editorial policy) ignorant.
PS
I’ve often told people that Starbucks was owned indirectly by big tobacco. That’s wrong — in fact, the company is zealously non-smoking at all outlets, even in China.
Rick McCharles 
Indeed Dana likes this Starbucks Latte Index and have the following comments:
I have had my lattes in Madrid Spain and I believe that they were indeed cheaper than London and as for Japan – please note that a tall is about the size of a shot glass or an espresso – no kidding, scouts honor! So the index is not really relative the actual size!
Cheers Rick!