The Michelin Guide has been chronicling the who’s who of global dining culture for over a century. While it was originally established in 1900 to provide French motorists with information about car mechanics, petrol stations, and hotels throughout France — encouraging travel and increasing Michelin tire sales — the guide’s 1926 edition introduced the now-coveted star awarded to exceptional fine dining establishments.
Nowadays, the guide features over 3,500 restaurants in over 40 countries and territories, and encourages gourmands across the globe flock to the establishments achieving one, two, and three-star status. And while there’s no denying that some of these meals are worth shelling out cash for, the exorbitant cost of hitting up Michelin-tier restaurants can wreak havoc on one’s checking account.
To that end, food magazine Chef’s Pencil cataloged the median prices of 3,309 Michelin-starred restaurants included in the guide. The survey took place between March and April 2024, and was based on the highest tasting menu price at each restaurant. It did not factor in drink pairings, service charges, or gratuity.
The data was displayed by country and by a handful of notable cities. Only countries with at least three Michelin-starred restaurants were included in the final roundup, so nations like Estonia and Latvia were not listed in the country rankings. For the city list, all considered had to have at least five Michelin-starred establishments, with exceptions made for resort towns and North American cities.
For some, it may come as no surprise that Denmark’s Copenhagen — home to legendary Noma — tops the list of most expensive cities with an average of $443 per Michelin-starred meal. Macao, a Chinese special administrative region (SAR), trails behind in second place with an average Michelin-level dining price of $283. Macau also has one of the highest densities of Michelin-starred restaurants per mile, boasting 16 awarded dining establishments within the region’s 45.5 square miles. A cluster of American, European, and Asian cities make up the remainder of the list, including San Francisco, New York, Hong Kong, and Munich.
If you’re looking for a somewhat budget-friendly Michelin meal, head to China, South America, or oddly enough, France. The Chinese city of Chengdu holds the crown as the least expensive city for Michelin-tier dining, as well as the only city with an average tasting menu price below the triple-digit mark. And despite Paris ranking as one of the ten most expensive European cities to snag a Michelin-level meal, five of the fifteen least-expensive cities in the world for Michelin dining can also be found in France, including Montpellier, Dijon, and Bordeaux.
Keep reading to discover the rest of the most expensive and least expensive cities in the world for Michelin-starred dining.
Most Expensive
| Ranking | City | Average Tasting Menu Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Copenhagen | $443 |
| 2 | Macau | $283 |
| 3 | Hong Kong | $266 |
| 4 | San Francisco | $263 |
| 5 | Dubai | $259 |
| 6 | New York | $258 |
| 7 | Miami | $257 |
| 8 | Monaco | $256 |
| 9 | Venice | $256 |
| 10 | Munich | $248 |
| 11 | Atlanta | $245 |
| 12 | Singapore | $241 |
| 13 | Basel | $241 |
| 14 | Los Angeles | $238 |
| 15 | Brussels | $229 |
Least Expensive
| Ranking | City | Average Tasting Menu Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chengdu | $88 |
| 2 | Vancouver | $113 |
| 3 | Hangzhou | $114 |
| 4 | São Paulo | $115 |
| 5 | Taichung | $116 |
| 6 | Montpellier | $128 |
| 7 | Nara | $130 |
| 8 | Rio de Janeiro | $133 |
| 9 | Dijon | $133 |
| 10 | Lyon | $139 |
| 11 | Bordeaux | $139 |
| 12 | Athens | $140 |
| 13 | Dublin | $143 |
| 14 | Toulouse | $144 |
| 15 | Bangkok | $146 |
