Minutes of labour† required to buy a pack of cigarettes (Marlboro or local brand) compared with a Big Mac, bread, and rice: 2000
| Minutes of labour | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country | City | Marlboro* | Local brand | Big Mac | Bread (1 kg) | Rice (1 kg) |
| *Marlboro or nearest equivalent international brand. | ||||||
| †Price divided by the weighted net hourly wage in 12 occupations. | ||||||
| Source: Union Bank of Switzerland (2000) and Economist Intelligence Unit. | ||||||
| Argentina | Buenos Aires | 21 | 15 | 29 | 23 | 22 |
| Australia | Sydney | 28 | 24 | 13 | 13 | 7 |
| Austria | Vienna | 22 | 20 | 16 | 13 | 11 |
| Bahrain | Manama (Bahrain) | 18 | – | 27 | 29 | 26 |
| Belgium | Brussels | 22 | 20 | 21 | 13 | 17 |
| Brazil | Rio de Janeiro | 22 | 18 | 45 | 52 | 13 |
| Sao Paulo | 17 | 17 | 36 | 27 | 11 | |
| Canada | Montréal | 19 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 9 |
| Toronto | 21 | 17 | 13 | 10 | 11 | |
| Chile | Santiago de Chile | 38 | 33 | 62 | 19 | 25 |
| China | Shanghai | 62 | 56 | 55 | 103 | 47 |
| “China, Province of Taiwan” | Taipei | 11 | 7 | 20 | 22 | 12 |
| “China, Hong Kong SAR” | Hong Kong | 27 | 27 | 9 | 15 | 7 |
| Colombia | Bogota | 25 | 16 | 57 | 29 | 15 |
| Denmark | Copenhagen | 23 | 23 | 19 | 12 | 11 |
| Finland | Helsinki | 29 | 27 | 25 | 28 | 26 |
| France | Paris | 20 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 20 |
| Germany | Berlin | 18 | 19 | 17 | 10 | 11 |
| Frankfurt | 17 | 17 | 16 | 9 | 18 | |
| Greece | Athens | 24 | 17 | 20 | 10 | 10 |
| Hungary | Budapest | 71 | 54 | 82 | 25 | 42 |
| India | Mumbai | 102 | 77 | 105 | 34 | 79 |
| Indonesia | Jakarta | 62 | 62 | 146 | 85 | 28 |
| Ireland | Dublin | 31 | 30 | 16 | 8 | 18 |
| Israel | Tel Aviv | 29 | 17 | 42 | 16 | 13 |
| Italy | Milan | 26 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 22 |
| Japan | Tokyo | 9 | 8 | 9 | 14 | 15 |
| Kenya | Nairobi | 158 | 92 | 178 | 64 | 109 |
| Luxembourg | Luxembourg | 12 | 10 | 15 | 11 | 14 |
| Malaysia | Kuala Lumpur | 21 | 20 | 22 | 20 | 25 |
| Mexico | Mexico city | 49 | 40 | 66 | 49 | 25 |
| Netherlands | Amsterdam | 19 | 17 | 16 | 10 | 10 |
| New Zealand | Auckland | 35 | 33 | 15 | 9 | 7 |
| Norway | Oslo | 38 | 38 | 21 | 14 | 15 |
| Panama | Panama | 81 | 81 | 41 | 32 | 15 |
| Philippines | Manila | 42 | 32 | 75 | 52 | 46 |
| Poland | Warsaw | 56 | 40 | 54 | 21 | 23 |
| Portugal | Lisbon | 26 | 26 | 32 | 15 | 13 |
| Republic of Korea | Seoul | 27 | 17 | 25 | 25 | 22 |
| Russian Federation | Moscow | 71 | 43 | 74 | 25 | 152 |
| Singapore | Singapore | 43 | 40 | 22 | 31 | 14 |
| South Africa | Johannesburg | 20 | 20 | 19 | 11 | 9 |
| Spain | Barcelona | 21 | 11 | 20 | 9 | 9 |
| Madrid | 21 | 11 | 21 | 9 | 9 | |
| Sweden | Stockholm | 28 | 27 | 19 | 18 | 23 |
| Switzerland | Geneva | 12 | 12 | 16 | 9 | 11 |
| Zurich | 11 | 11 | 15 | 10 | 7 | |
| Thailand | Bangkok | 35 | 23 | 43 | 23 | 14 |
| Turkey | Istanbul | 30 | 22 | 52 | 13 | 31 |
| United Arab Emirates | Abu Dhabi | 20 | 11 | 37 | 15 | 19 |
| UK | London | 40 | 40 | 18 | 6 | 8 |
| USA | Chicago | 18 | 18 | 13 | 9 | 8 |
| Houston | 17 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 8 | |
| Los Angeles | 20 | 20 | 11 | 18 | 8 | |
| New York | 18 | 18 | 12 | 15 | 9 | |
| Venezuela | Caracas | 29 | 29 | 93 | 62 | 19 |