In an Instagram video posted on May 20, Sam Meany compared menu prices at a McDonald’s outlet in Singapore’s Boat Quay with those in the U.K., highlighting what he described as a significant price gap between the two countries.
Sam said a medium Big Mac meal in the U.K. costs around £7.70 (US$10.32), while the same meal in Singapore is priced at about S$10.05 (US$7.85), making it noticeably cheaper despite Singapore’s reputation for high living costs, The Independent Singapore news site reported.
“Is Singapore really expensive? In McDonald’s it turns out the U.K. (costs) more than Singapore,” he said.
Besides the price, he also pointed out other differences in the menu, with the one in Singapore offering more options.
“Sweet BBQ McSpicy… Egg and cheese…” he muttered, before noticing criss-cut fries in the list. “We only get normal fries,” he lamented.
Meaney also expressed envy over menu items unique to Singapore, including bone-in fried chicken and a wider dessert selection featuring offerings such as the Mango Nata de Coco Pie.
While browsing Singapore’s dessert menu, Meaney enthusiastically highlighted items such as the Mango Nata de Coco Pie and the Iced White Chocolate Macadamia Latte.
“They got some banging desserts. We get shockers at home; we literally get a couple of McFlurries,” he said, before asking: “Why does every other McDonald’s in the world get better desserts than us?
His video quickly drew reactions from Singaporean viewers, with many agreeing that local McDonald’s outlets offer better value and a wider variety than those in the U.K.
“So true! I’ve not had better McDonald’s elsewhere, but I thought I was biased,” one Singaporean netizen commented.
Some viewers questioned whether the lower prices in Singapore might come down to smaller portion sizes, but others who said they had lived in the U.K. strongly disagreed, Singaporean news site 8Days reported.
“As a Singaporean studying in the U.K., I can tell you absolutely not, the burgers in the U.K. are somehow smaller than Singapore’s, and worse,” one user wrote.
Another commented: “I can vouch that McDonald’s in Singapore is definitely cheaper and tastes better than here (London)!”
The debate has also prompted some Singaporeans to joke that the city-state may have more to boast about than just iconic dishes such as chilli crab and chicken rice.
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