14 Cheapest McDonald's Items in 2025

There are many reasons to make a fast food pit stop, and feasting on an affordable meal made up of the cheapest McDonald’s items is one of them.

When life seems more expensive than ever, what’s more welcome than a treat from the McDonald’s Value Menu? The chain's most affordable items give us all a way to eat food we didn’t cook ourselves without breaking the bank. Best of all, in an effort to offer better value to customers amid rising prices, McDonald's has added new McValue menu items in recent months. 

But, with so many dishes to choose from, which of the cheapest McDonald’s items will net you the best bang for your diminutive buck? No matter what you’re after, these 14 cheapest McDonald’s items — from sides to sandwiches and everything in between – offer the most cost-effective ways to get your fix. 

 Jump to Section

• How We Found the Cheapest Items at McDonald's
• The 14 Cheapest McDonald's Orders
• What’s on the McDonald’s Dollar Value Menu?
• What Is the Cheapest Item at McDonald's?
• How To Save Money at McDonald’s

How We Found the Cheapest Items at McDonald's 

Okay, we’re going to level with you: a list of the true “cheapest items at McDonald’s” would be pretty unsatisfying. You’d wind up with a whole menu of beverages and side dishes and nothing substantial, leaving you wondering if the cheapest McDonald’s meal was a cobbled-together hodgepodge of fountain drinks and McDonald's sauces.

So, rather than looking at a list of prices and pulling out the 14 lowest options, we focused on the best value, not necessarily the absolute cheapest items at McDonald’s. This gives us the chance to showcase a wide range of suitable options, from the cheapest McDonald's breakfast to the best fast food burgers that come in at surprisingly affordable prices. 

A Note on McDonald's Pricing 

One more thing to note: the pricing of the cheapest McDonald’s items isn’t uniform nationwide. Since McDonald’s is a franchise, owners of individual stores can adjust pricing, and you’ll see the same variation in prices from state to state as you will at the gas station and other fast food chains. 

To get around this, we based this list of the cheapest McDonald’s items on nationwide average prices according to a major aggregator. This means that the number you see on the menu board in your home state might not match the figure in this article exactly. Don’t worry, our fact-checkers aren’t slacking off: there’s just no way to account for every regional price variation!

What you can be sure of is that these are still cheap fast food options, no matter where you are — but “cheap” is always relative.  

The 14 Cheapest McDonald's Orders

1. Apple Slices 

Not only one of the cheapest McDonald’s items right now, but it’s also one of the healthiest items at McDonald's. Apple Slices land at a cool $1.39 per packet. That’s one (admittedly tiny) packet of wholesome fruity goodness for less than a buck-fifty — not bad for a place repeatedly panned as one of the unhealthiest fast food chains.

No one is pretending that a packet of apple slices is enough for a meal: this diminutive side was never meant to be anything but that. But if you’re looking for a cheap, healthy add-on to another of the cheapest McDonald’s orders, they’re a great option. Never overlook the power of a little produce. 

McDonald’s Apple Slices Price: $1.39

2. Hot Chocolate 

McDonald’s is hardly the first place anyone would associate with a steaming cup of hot cocoa. But it’s actually one of the cheapest things on the menu. At $2.99 on average, it beats out the vast majority of the chain’s novelty drinks.

That includes smoothies, shakes and fancy coffee — if you’re looking for a sweet drink that doesn’t come from a soda dispenser, this is one of the cheapest McDonald’s orders there is.

Although hot chocolate isn’t one of McDonald’s most popular beverages, it’s a great pick-me-up on a chilly winter afternoon. And no matter what the difference in quality may be, it’ll cost you much less than the equivalent at Starbucks. 

McDonald’s Hot Chocolate Price: $2.99

3. Chicken McGriddle 

Some of the cheapest fast food breakfast on the planet comes from the Golden Arches, and this is a prime example. For the nationwide average price of just $2.99, you can grab a breakfast that delights one’s taste buds as much as it would horrify one’s dietitian: a crispy fried chicken patty between two pancake-like griddle cakes.

It’s definitely a more basic breakfast option, with none of the usual eggs or cheese. But that’s what makes it one of the cheapest McDonald’s items, proudly holding out at a lower-than-expected price in a sticker-shock era. It’s one of several breakfast sandwiches at McDonald’s to follow that trend as well. 

McDonald’s Chicken McGriddle Price: $2.99

4. Cheeseburger

McDonald’s isn’t necessarily known for its burgers. While it may once have been, it’s other items like McNuggets and those addictive fries that now get all the attention. But a burger still remains one of the cheapest McDonald’s items.

So if you’re looking for a cheap meal at McD’s, a $2.99 (on average) cheeseburger is a pretty good bet. We also found it to be one of the tastiest cheeseburgers from a fast food chain. 

For a price of under $3, you’ll get a patty, cheese, pickles and condiments sandwiched between a soft and buttery bun. Ask to add extra salad vegetables for a nominal fee, and you’ll make your sandwich even more substantial without adding much to its price. 

McDonald’s Cheeseburger Price: $2.99 

5. Hot Fudge Sundae  

We at Cozymeal like sugar way too much to neglect adding some of the best fast food dessert to this list of the cheapest McDonald’s items! And when you consider just how far ahead of the game McDonald’s is when it comes to fast food ice cream, this one really starts to look like a bargain.

Currently, the national average price of the Hot Fudge Sundae at McDonald’s is $3.99. While there are cheaper items on this menu, that’s about as cheap as fast-food dessert comes. Six-ish ounces of the best soft serve in the business, covered in a thick blanket of gooey hot fudge for less than $5? We think yes. 

McDonald’s Hot Fudge Sundae Price: $3.99

6. 4-Piece McNuggets 

An order of McNuggets is a dangerous thing. Who has ever actually felt like their order was big enough? Who among us hasn’t done the walk of shame back up to the counter to order a second box? We won’t ask for a show of hands, but we suspect that a lot of us are guilty.

The good news? You can add a 4-piece order of McNuggets to your meal for only $3.19 (on average).

While that quantity of nuggets is definitely more of a side dish than a meal, it’s affordable enough to throw in with your hodgepodge of Value Menu items. And if you’re just passing through between meals, it’s one of the cheapest McDonald’s items for a snack, too. 

Buying another item, such as a small fries, McChicken or Cheeseburger? If so, you can get a six-piece nuggets from the McValue menu for only $1

McDonald’s 4-Piece McNuggets Price: $3.19

McDonald’s 6-Piece McNuggets McValue Price: $1

7. Medium Iced Coffee 

Coffee at McDonald’s ranges from the ultra-basic and very cheap to the decidedly less-affordable novelty drinks that are all the rage these days.

At $2.79 for a medium drink, iced coffee is one of the cheapest McDonald’s items for coffee lovers, while still managing to feel a little bit less dull than a standard order of hot black coffee.

Best of all, it’s not just the plain iced coffee that costs under $3. You can get a caramel iced coffee or a French vanilla iced coffee for the same low price. 

Could you make it cheaper at home? Probably. But would it feel the same? It really wouldn’t.

McDonald’s Medium Iced Coffee Price: $2.79

8. Vanilla Cone  

You know how we were just singing the praises of McDonald’s ice cream? Yeah, you actually don’t need hot fudge to make it totally worth your order. And if you leave off the toppings, it becomes even cheaper and more competitive with the cheapest McDonald’s items across the board.

You’ll only pay $3.19 for a vanilla cone, lopping 80 cents off the price of the hot fudge sundae. Not too shabby, is it? 

McDonald’s Vanilla Cone Price: $3.19

9. Small Fries 

McDonald’s is well-known for having some of the best fast food French fries in the business. There’s been more than one study conducted to investigate what exactly they’re putting in the things to make them so addictive. Luckily for everyone who can’t stop eating them, they’re now one of the cheapest McDonald’s items.

While a small order of fries is no one’s idea of a meal (or at least, we hope it’s not), they make an affordable add-on at $2.89 for a small order. Again, nationwide average — check your store’s pricing to make sure.

So even if you’re on a budget, you can snack to your heart’s content, as fries are undoubtedly one of the most affordable options on the McDonald’s menu. And, if you order them alongside another item, like a burger, you can usually get a small fries for $1 from the McValue menu.

McDonald’s Small Fries Price: $2.89

McDonald’s Small Fries McValue Price: $1

10. Hash Brown  

Are you starting to see a trend here? Sides tend to be the cheapest McDonald’s options, giving you plenty of ways to beef up your meal without racking up painful charges.

At breakfast, you can accomplish this by adding a hash brown for the price of $2.99. Sure, it’s a little more expensive than an order of fries, but who cares? It feels like actual food, and that’s something even the most ardent fans of McDonald’s fries can’t claim. 

And, this item features on the McValue Menu. This means that if you order any other breakfast item, such as a McMuffin, you can get a hash brown for just $1.

McDonald’s Hash Brown Price: $2.99 

McDonald’s Hash Brown McValue Price: $1

11. McChicken  

Debates about the best fast food chicken sandwich have been raging for years now, but the McChicken rarely comes up in that conversation. And perhaps it can’t compete with the famous sandwiches at Popeyes or Chick-fil-A, but it does have one thing going for it: its price.

The McChicken is one of the cheapest McDonald’s items if you’re looking for an actual meal and not just an assortment of side dishes. It’s currently $3.59 on average for a solo McChicken, and with McDonald’s new combo menu and “add one for $1” McValue promotion, you can add some sides to that for a surprisingly low cost. 

McDonald’s McChicken Price: $3.59

McDonald’s McChicken McValue Price: $1

12. Apple Pie 

Apple Pie has to be one of the most overlooked McDonald’s options. When was the last time you heard anyone talking about it, anyway? 

It’s always McFlurry this, milkshake that — but never any love for the delicious handheld fruit concoction that clocks in at a mere $3.19 for two.

But this isn’t only a super-affordable dessert, or just one of the cheapest McDonald’s items on the whole. It’s also probably the only McDonald’s dessert you could reasonably get away with eating for breakfast, and in our eyes, that’s always a win. 

Plus, if you have a major sweet tooth, you can take advantage of a TikTok food trend and combine it with a plain sundae. The result? A decadent apple pie sundae for under $7.

McDonald’s Apple Pie Price: $3.19

13. Sausage McMuffin  

Another of the McDonald’s breakfast sandwiches that can be had for a bargain price, the Sausage McMuffin comes in at a cool $2.99. If you’re looking for a way to start your morning with some protein without breaking the bank, it’s one of the cheapest McDonald’s items to accomplish that. 

While it’s not the ultra-substantial Sausage, Egg & Cheese McMuffin, it’s a nice budget alternative that still has many of the same perks. We highly recommend this one if you’re stopping by in the morning for, say, a cheap iced coffee. 

As with the hash browns, when you purchase select other breakfast items, you can get a Sausage McMuffin for only $1. Want to change things up? The Sausage Biscuit is the same price.

McDonald’s Sausage McMuffin Price: $2.99

McDonald’s Sausage McMuffin McValue Price: $1

14. Oatmeal 

For our last recommendation among the cheapest McDonald’s items, we’ve got a surprisingly healthy breakfast pick.

For $2.89 on average, you can have one of the only McDonald’s items that truly has any fiber to speak of, and an excellent addition to any combination of the cheapest things at McDonald’s that you might want to cobble together for breakfast.

If you often feel like the cheapest McDonald’s items are just a little too greasy for comfort, this budget-friendly oatmeal is a great way to offset some of that oiliness.

McDonald’s Oatmeal Price: $2.89

What’s on the McDonald’s Dollar Value Menu? 

The great news about trying to order the McDonald’s cheapest food is that there’s a little bit of everything on the more-affordable McValue Menu. This menu currently replaces the more well-known Dollar Value Menu, offering items that are a dollar when purchased with other items, and also offering some meal deals for around $5.

If you have a favorite McDonald’s item, it’s likely that the super-basic version of that item is on the value menu for an unbeatable price. 

At the time of publication, the McDonald’s McValue Menu is as follows:

Buy One, Add One for $1 Breakfast Menu

• Hash Brown
• Sausage Biscuit
• Sausage McMuffin
• Sausage Burrito 

Buy One, Add One for $1 Lunch and Dinner Menu

• Double Cheeseburger
• McChicken 
• 6-Piece Chicken McNuggets
• Small Fries

Meal Deals, Starting at $5

• McChicken Meal Deal: McChicken, Chicken McNuggets, Small Fries, Small Coca-Cola.
• McDouble Meal Deal: McDouble, Chicken McNuggets (4-piece), Small Fries, Small Coca-Cola.
• Daily Double Meal Deal: Daily Double, Small Fries, Small Coca-Cola, Chicken McNuggets (4-piece).

What Is the Cheapest Item at McDonald's?

We’re going to assume that the free tap water and $0.29 sauces don’t count here. So if we’re looking at the cheapest paid item at McDonald’s right now, that would be the apple slices.

Coming in at an average of $1.39, they’re the cheapest food item on the menu. They even beat out fountain drinks, which currently cost an average of $1.69. 

What Are the Cheapest McDonald’s Breakfast Menu Items? 

With some of the cheapest fast food breakfast out there, McDonald’s is a popular stop in the mornings. And the cheapest McDonald’s items to order in the morning are currently hash browns, the Sausage McMuffin, the Sausage Biscuit and the Chicken McGriddle. The oatmeal is also affordable at an average of $2.89 per order.

However, other breakfast items are less than a dollar more expensive. Currently, the cheapest McDonald’s breakfast items under $5 are:

• Oatmeal: $2.89
• Hash Brown: $2.99
• Sausage McMuffin: $2.99
• Sausage Biscuit: $2.99
• Chicken McGriddle: $2.99
• Sausage Burrito: $3.99
• Sausage McGriddle: $3.99

Don’t forget that hash browns, Sausage McMuffin (or biscuit) and the Sausage Burrito are currently on the McValue menu, allowing you to mix and match and get your second item for only $1. 

What Is the Cheapest McDonald’s Meal Combo? 

As McDonald’s tries to corner the “I can’t afford to eat out” market, they’ve made a recent addition to the menu that attempts to offer some of the cheapest McDonald’s meals.

One of those is the “buy one, add one for $1” combo, where you can add an extra item to an order of some of the most popular McDonald's items for $1. 

There’s a better deal to be had, though, and that’s the “Meal Deals Starting at $5” option. Some of the cheapest McDonald’s meals fall into this category, including a sandwich of choice with 4-piece McNuggets, a small order of fries and a beverage.

While the exact pricing of this meal will depend on your location, McDonald’s promises prices not much higher than the astronomically low $5 for the whole meal. 

How To Save Money at McDonald’s 

What’s better than knowing how to order the cheapest items at McDonald’s? Knowing that there are plenty of ways to make the cheapest items at McDonald’s even cheaper.

And it goes beyond the Meal Deals, the Value Menu, and even the free birthday food you can cash in on by creating a McDonald’s account.

Download the App

Firstly, sign up for the McDonald’s App. Like all the best fast food apps, it’ll give you access to deals that normal customers don’t get, allowing you to pop in for McDonald’s cheapest food whenever you can smell a bargain.

You also gain points with every order, which can be redeemed toward future orders, potentially getting you an item or a whole order for free. 

Use the Secret Menu and Turn Sides Into a Meal

And it also pays to go off-script. While ordering off the McDonald's secret menu is unlikely to save you very much, you can create your own high-value combo meals by combining items from the value menu that are cheaper and more satisfying than the advertised combos.

If you're ordering a sandwich, you can always ask about adding extra produce (like lettuce, tomatoes or pickles) as well. Even if you're charged for it, it won't add much to the price of your meal. And you'd be amazed how much more substantial a meal can feel with the addition of just a little fresh produce.

Check for Coupons

While most of the active deals and money-off offers at McDonald's will be shown in the app, you can sometimes find extra coupons by scrolling through coupon and money-saving websites.

McDonald's still sometimes mails out coupon sheets as well. While these will likely all be available on the app, saving your coupon flyer could allow you to redeem a one-time offer a second time if you've used the coupon in the app. 

Sadly, we live in a world where even the cheapest items at McDonald’s aren’t immune to inflation. Ordering the cheapest thing at McDonald’s might not look quite as wallet-friendly as it used to.

But with smart orders and careful planning, it’s possible to have a substantial meal at the Golden Arches for less than you’d pay almost anywhere else. So don’t fret — McDonald’s cheapest food is still some of the cheapest in the business. 

For even more ways to explore your favorite foods, check out other experiences happening on Cozymeal.