[Edaily Reporter Bang Sung Hoon ] It has been revealed that U.S. workers can buy 10,215 Big Macs with one year’s worth of income. This is the highest number among the 32 countries surveyed. South Korea ranked 8th overall, but when measured by hourly wages, it dropped to 15th place.

According to the “McWages” index calculated by The Economist on the 25th (local time), U.S. workers ranked first, able to purchase a total of 10,215 Big Macs with their annual salary. Switzerland and Australia followed in second and third place, respectively, followed by New Zealand, Israel, Canada, Japan, and South Korea. Mexico ranked last, followed by Greece, Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland. The Economist did not disclose the number of Big Macs that could be purchased in countries other than the United States.

The Big Mac Index measures the wage levels of different countries by determining how many Big Macs the average worker can buy with their income. Since exchange rates fluctuate wildly, converting wages to dollars for comparison at any given moment can easily distort the actual standard of living. In contrast, the Big Mac is the same size and contains the same ingredients in every country, and it is sold everywhere. This is why The Economist has used the “Big Mac Index” since 1986 as a yardstick to measure whether currency values have stabilized.

Here’s how it’s calculated. First, data on average wages by country is collected from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Since the rates of income tax and social security contributions vary from country to country, the tax rates are applied to the wages of a childless single-person household worker—McDonald’s primary customer base—to determine take-home pay. Dividing this amount by the price of a Big Mac in each country yields the number of Big Macs an average worker can afford.

The Economist also calculated the number of Big Macs a worker can buy per hour worked, taking into account the varying working hours in each country. Wages were based on data from last year or the most recent available figures, while Big Mac prices were based on July of last year. Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Iceland, Luxembourg, and Türkiye were excluded from the calculations.

The U.S.’s top ranking is partly a result of its long working hours. When calculated on an hourly basis to reflect working hours, the rankings are reversed. A Swiss worker can buy seven Big Macs for one hour of work, while a U.S. worker can buy only six, swapping the top two spots. Australia maintained third place with five Big Macs.

South Korea’s drop was much steeper. While it ranks 8th in terms of annual salary, it slips seven spots to 15th when calculated based on hourly wages. This means South Koreans work longer hours to earn the annual salary equivalent to an 8th-place ranking. Although the exact number of Big Macs South Korea can buy was not disclosed, it is estimated to be in the mid-7,000 range.

Latvia saw the greatest increase in purchasing power over the past few years. Compared to two years ago, workers there can now buy one more Big Mac for every two hours worked. Conversely, Germany has taken a step backward, as wages have remained stagnant while the price of a Big Mac has risen.