Which is cheaper, McDonald's or Subway?

Subway is cheaper, averaging $5.57 per item versus $6.03 for McDonald's — a 8% difference. Based on 247 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, McDonald's or Subway?

McDonald's has more menu items (164 vs 83). The total combined menu across both chains is 247 items.

Which has lower calories, McDonald's or Subway?

McDonald's averages 413 calories per item, compared to 586 for Subway. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are McDonald's and Subway similar?

McDonald's (13,786 US locations) and Subway (16,177 US locations) compete on 1 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 4%.

McDonald's vs Subway (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 164 items at McDonald's vs 83 items at Subway.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, McDonald's averages $6.03 per item across 164 menu items, while Subway averages $5.57 across 83 items. Subway is $0.46 cheaper per item (8% difference). McDonald's has lower average calories (413 vs 586 per item).

Quick Comparison

McDonald's vs Subway: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	McDonald's	Subway	Winner
Avg Price	$6.03	$5.57	Subway
Menu Items	164	83	McDonald's
Avg Calories	413	586	McDonald's
US Locations	13,786	16,177	Subway
Secret Menu	15	3	McDonald's

Subway is 8% cheaper on average than McDonald's ($0.46 less per item).

Cheapest Items

McDonald's

Butter $0.15

Syrup $0.25

Creamy Ranch Sauce $0.30

Spicy Buffalo $0.30

Honey Mustard $0.30

Subway

Chocolate Chip Cookie $0.59

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie $0.59

Double Chocolate Cookie $0.59

White Chip Macadamia Nut Cookie $0.59

Dark Chocolate Cherry Cookie $0.59

Lowest Calorie Options

McDonald's

Honey Mustard 60 cal

Medium Frozen Fanta® Wild Cherry 80 cal

Medium Frozen Coca-Cola® 80 cal

Medium Frozen Fanta® Blue Raspberry 80 cal

Mayonnaise Packet 90 cal

Subway

1% Low Fat Milk 160 cal

Little Cheesesteak 180 cal

Cookie 200 cal

Fountain Drink (Medium) 200 cal

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie 200 cal

Deep Comparison: McDonald's vs Subway

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

McDonald's delivers 6.07¢/cal on average, while Subway delivers 1.46¢/cal. Subway gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

McDonald's and Subway share 1 menu categories (4% Jaccard overlap). Shared categories: breakfast. Low overlap — these chains serve mostly different food categories.

Price Differences by Shared Category

Where these chains overlap, here is who undercuts whom on average price:

breakfast: McDonald's avg $3.63 vs Subway $6.54 — McDonald's is 44% cheaper

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: McDonald's fits 1 item (290 cal), Subway fits 0 items
$15 budget: McDonald's fits 0 items, Subway fits 3 items (1380 cal)
$20 budget: McDonald's fits 3 items (260 cal), Subway fits 3 items (1520 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

McDonald's ranks #156 of 414 on price (cheaper than 63% of tracked chains). Subway ranks #132 of 414 (cheaper than 68% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At McDonald's, 70% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At Subway, 50% are under 500 calories. McDonald's offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: Subway ($5.57 avg vs $6.03)
More variety: McDonald's (164 items)
More locations: Subway (16,177 US locations)
Best calorie value: Subway (1.46¢/cal)

Full Menus

McDonald's Menu Subway Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide