Updated October 2024 · BLS Average Price Data
Cost of Living in the West: A Homemade Cheeseburger Costs $3.06
A homemade cheeseburger in the West costs $3.06 as of October 2024, built from current BLS retail prices on ground beef, American cheese, white bread, iceberg lettuce, and a slice of tomato. That is 7.8% below the U.S. national average of $3.32, and -0.3% versus the same month last year.
West Cheeseburger Snapshot
| Current Cost (October 2024) | $3.06 |
| vs U.S. National Average | -7.8% ($3.32) |
| Year-over-Year Change | -0.3% |
| Month-over-Month Change | -3.8% |
| 12-Month Average | $3.00 |
| Months of BLS Data | 31 |
How West Stacks Up
At $3.06 per homemade burger, the West runs 7.8% below the U.S. average of $3.32. The discount usually traces to lower grocery markups in less dense metros and proximity to agricultural supply.
Among the four U.S. Census regions tracked here, the West ranks #3 of 4 for cost (1 = cheapest). The cheapest region right now is the Northeast at $0.00; the most expensive is the South at $3.16 — a spread of $3.16 per burger.
What's Driving the West Burger Cost?
Ground Beef (80% lean) is the single biggest line item in the West burger — $2.03, or 66% of the total cost. American Cheese is next at $0.37 (12%). The other three ingredients combined make up the rest. Beef and dairy prices are the dominant swing factors month-to-month; produce (lettuce, tomatoes) varies more by season.
Ingredient Cost Breakdown (October 2024)
| Ingredient | Per Burger | Cost | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef (80% lean) | 0.33 lbs | $2.03 | 66% |
| American Cheese | 0.063 lbs | $0.37 | 12% |
| White Bread | 0.125 lbs | $0.28 | 9% |
| Tomatoes | 0.125 lbs | $0.23 | 8% |
| Iceberg Lettuce | 0.063 lbs | $0.15 | 5% |
Is the West Burger Getting Cheaper or More Expensive?
Cost in the West has held roughly steady — up -0.3% year-over-year, -3.8% month-over-month into October 2024. Year-to-year shifts of less than 3 percentage points are inside the noise range for retail food pricing and signal a flat trend.
Across 31 months of BLS price history, the West burger has ranged from a low of $2.14 in April 2017 to a high of $3.18 in August 2024 — a peak-to-trough swing of $1.04, or 49% of the low. Today's reading of $3.06 sits in the upper half of that range.
Last 12 Months of West Cost
| Month | Cost | MoM | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2024 | $3.06 | -3.8% | -0.3% |
| August 2024 | $3.18 | +0.6% | 0.0% |
| July 2024 | $3.16 | +6.4% | 0.0% |
| May 2024 | $2.97 | -2.3% | 0.0% |
| April 2024 | $3.04 | +3.0% | 0.0% |
| March 2024 | $2.95 | -2.3% | 0.0% |
| February 2024 | $3.02 | +1.0% | 0.0% |
| January 2024 | $2.99 | -2.9% | 0.0% |
| December 2023 | $3.08 | +0.7% | 0.0% |
| November 2023 | $3.06 | -0.3% | 0.0% |
| October 2023 | $3.07 | +30.1% | 0.0% |
| February 2020 | $2.36 | +1.7% | 0.0% |
How This Cost Is Calculated
The Cheeseburger Index combines five U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics retail price series — ground beef (APU0000703112), American cheese (APU0000710212), white bread (APU0000702111), iceberg lettuce (APU0000FL2101), and tomatoes (APU0000712311) — into a single composite cost weighted by a real recipe: a 1/3 lb 80%-lean beef patty, one 1 oz cheese slice, a 2 oz white bun, 1 oz iceberg lettuce, and one 2 oz tomato slice. Regional prices are the BLS Census-region averages (codes 0100 NE, 0200 MW, 0300 South, 0400 West). Every input is public-domain government data, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI Average Price Data — public domain, updated monthly. Cite as: "Burgernomics, October 2024 reading. Data: BLS Average Price Data."
Last updated 2026-05-08 · 87 months of national data, 31 months for the West.
This answer pulls from BLS Consumer Price Index and per-chain published menu prices, the authoritative federal source for U.S. fast-food cheeseburger prices. The headline number above is the direct answer; what follows is the additional context most readers need to use the answer for a real decision rather than just a fact lookup.
A practical caveat: the headline answer above reflects the most recent BLS Consumer Price Index and per-chain published menu prices vintage; underlying data is often revised for months after first publication, and the right reference for any specific decision is whichever vintage is current at the time of the decision. The as-of date is stamped on every page.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI, 2026.