{"id":1496,"date":"2026-06-19T10:00:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T08:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.jkc-dev.nl\/big-mac-index-international-pricing\/"},"modified":"2026-09-03T16:15:43","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T14:15:43","slug":"big-mac-index-prijsstrategie-internationaal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jkc.media\/nl\/big-mac-index-international-pricing\/","title":{"rendered":"Wat mag jouw product kosten in het buitenland?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You have a great product or service. Customers in the Netherlands are happy with it. And now you are looking across the border. But what should it cost in Germany? Poland? Or the US? Good news: there is a surprisingly simple tool to test that. A hamburger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hamburger that knows more than your accountant<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Big Mac Index<\/strong> is a concept that has been around for decades. It was originally devised by The Economist as a light-hearted way to illustrate purchasing power parity<\/strong> between countries. The idea is simple: a Big Mac consists of the same ingredients everywhere in the world, and it is made and sold the same way. So what a Big Mac costs in different countries tells you something about local purchasing power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the Netherlands you currently pay around \u20ac5.20 for one of those burgers. In India? Roughly \u20ac2.40 in converted terms. In Switzerland, a good \u20ac7.50. Those differences are not random. They reflect wages, rents, tax levels and what people are willing to pay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For business owners this means the following:<\/strong> if your subscription, service or product is priced for the Dutch market, then in some countries that price is ridiculously expensive. And in other countries you are leaving money on the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From hamburger to pricing strategy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Say you sell a SaaS subscription for \u20ac5 per month. Sounds affordable. In the Netherlands that is 0.2% of an average monthly salary. In Vietnam that same amount is a larger share of the average income. In Norway it is close to pocket money. Same price, completely different perception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is exactly why a well-considered international pricing strategy<\/strong> is essential if you seriously want to grow outside the Netherlands. Not just in terms of competitiveness, but also in terms of conversion. A price that does not match local purchasing power drives people away, even if your product is excellent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Big Mac Index does not give you an exact formula, but it does give you a reliable feel for the market. And the best part? You do not have to be an economist. All you need is a good prompt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The AI prompt that does the work for you<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Justin from JKC tested it himself: simply ask AI what the right prompt is to see how your price compares to the Big Mac Index per country. What comes out is a direct, usable analysis, per country, including an estimate of affordability for the local population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the prompt you can copy and use right away in ChatGPT, Claude or another AI:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I sell [describe your product or service] for [price] per [month \/ year \/ one-time]. It is a [B2B \/ B2C] product aimed at [target audience, e.g. small businesses \/ consumers \/ freelancers].<\/p>\n\n\n

Use the Big Mac Index (most recent data available) and purchasing power parity (PPP) to analyze how affordable this price is in the following countries: [fill in countries].<\/p>\n\n\n

Assume that a price is “acceptable” if it amounts to less than 1% of the average net monthly income in that country.<\/p>\n\n\n

For each country, report in a table with four columns:<\/p>\n\n\n

Finish with a top 3 of the most promising markets based on the analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n

Present the outcome clearly, country by country.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Tip: replace the parts between brackets with your own details.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is what the result looks like<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To show that this really works, we tested the prompt with a concrete example: a subscription of \u20ac5 per month. Below you see a simplified overview of the outcome. This is the kind of insight you would normally hire a market research agency for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Country<\/th>Price verdict<\/th>Affordable for<\/th>Advice<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddf1 Netherlands<\/td>\u2705 Acceptable<\/td>~90% of the population<\/td>No adjustment needed<\/td><\/tr>
\ud83c\udde9\ud83c\uddea Germany<\/td>\u2705 Acceptable<\/td>~88% of the population<\/td>No adjustment needed<\/td><\/tr>
\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf1 Poland<\/td>\u26a0\ufe0f On the high side<\/td>~65% of the population<\/td>Consider a lower entry price<\/td><\/tr>
\ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf3 India<\/td>\u274c Relatively expensive<\/td>~30% of the population<\/td>Local pricing recommended<\/td><\/tr>
\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 United States<\/td>\u2705 Acceptable<\/td>~92% of the population<\/td>Possibly even raise it<\/td><\/tr>
\ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddf7 Brazil<\/td>\u26a0\ufe0f On the high side<\/td>~50% of the population<\/td>Consider a freemium model<\/td><\/tr>
\ud83c\uddef\ud83c\uddf5 Japan<\/td>\u2705 Acceptable<\/td>~85% of the population<\/td>No adjustment needed<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

* This is an illustrative example based on AI analysis. Use it as a starting point, not as a definitive benchmark.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

See the pattern? With a single prompt you already know for which markets your price works and where you should consider adjustments. That gives direction. Direction gives focus. Focus produces growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why this matters for your growth strategy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

AI is increasingly being used by business owners who want to make decisions faster and smarter. Not because AI knows everything, but because it can turn enormous amounts of data into usable insight. The Big Mac Index is a perfect example: publicly available economic data, combined with a good prompt, delivers actionable information within 30 seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This fits exactly with how JKC looks at AI: not as hype, but as a tool. We do not believe in AI as a replacement for human thinking. We do believe in it as an amplifier. Whether you want to sharpen your digital strategy<\/a> or solve concrete marketing challenges<\/a>, AI helps you reach the answer faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key points at a glance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n