Chipotle Mexican Grill vs Taco Bell: Menu Prices Compared (2026)

Updated August 27, 2026 4 items matched

The short answer

Taco Bell is the cheaper of the two. Of the 4 directly comparable items we could match across both menus, Taco Bell is cheaper on 4 of them, by an average of $2.84 per item.

Typical menu price: Chipotle Mexican Grill $9.79 · Taco Bell $4.29

Matched Items, Side by Side

The same item on both menus, priced against each other. Where names differ, we matched the closest equivalent — Chipotle Mexican Grill's wording first.

Item	Chipotle Mexican Grill	Taco Bell	Difference
Quesadilla (chicken)	$11.25	$6.29	$4.96 cheaper at Taco Bell
Chicken Burrito	$9.79	$4.79	$5.00 cheaper at Taco Bell
Fountain Drink (regular)vs Fountain Drink (medium)	$3.15	$2.49	$0.66 cheaper at Taco Bell
Bottled Water	$3.05	$2.29	$0.76 cheaper at Taco Bell

Chipotle Mexican Grill vs Taco Bell at a Glance

	Chipotle Mexican Grill	Taco Bell
Typical menu price	$9.79	$4.29
Average menu price	$8.26	$5.07
Cheapest item	Bottled Water — $3.05	Cheesy Bean & Rice Burrito — $1.99
Most expensive item	Quesadilla (steak) — $12.95	Party Pack (12 tacos) — $22.99
Items priced	37	38
Menu sections	5	6
Price range	$$	$
Founded	1993	1962
Headquarters	Newport Beach, California	Irvine, California
Locations	More than 3,700 restaurants in the United States	More than 7,200 restaurants in the United States

Which One Should You Order From?

Taco Bell has the lower typical menu price of the two — $4.29 against $9.79 — but a typical price only tells you where the middle of the menu sits. At the value end, Taco Bell gets you in cheaper at $1.99.

Chipotle Mexican Grill is strongest on Chicken Burrito Bowl, Steak Burrito, Chips & Guacamole; Taco Bell on Crunchwrap Supreme, Chalupa Supreme, Bean Burrito. Neither chain's app prices match the counter, and both discount heavily through their loyalty programmes, so the deals below usually matter more than the few cents between the two menus.

Deals Worth Knowing at Both

Chipotle Mexican Grill

A veggie bowl at $9.29 comes with guacamole free — order it with double beans and fajita veggies and it is the cheapest filling meal on the menu by a wide margin.
Bowl, burrito, salad and tacos are priced identically per protein, so the format is a free choice; a bowl simply holds more before it overflows.
Chicken and sofritas at $9.79 sit nearly $2 below steak and barbacoa at $11.68 for the same build — the protein is the only real lever on price.

Taco Bell

The $5.99 Cravings Box is the strongest value in American fast food right now — the same four items à la carte run about $12.
The Cheesy Bean & Rice Burrito at $1.99 and the Bean Burrito at $2.49 are the two cheapest filling items on any national menu.
Taco Bell Rewards gives a free item at 250 points and runs frequent app-only deals; the app price is often below the in-store board price.

About these prices: menu prices are set by individual franchise owners and change without notice. The figures on this page are researched estimates for 2026 and are provided for reference only. Confirm the current price with the restaurant before ordering. Menu Price Book is not affiliated with this chain.

Chipotle Mexican Grill vs Taco Bell — FAQ

Is Chipotle Mexican Grill cheaper than Taco Bell in 2026?

Taco Bell is cheaper on most matched items — 4 of 4. Across the whole menu Taco Bell is the lower-priced of the two, at $4.29 for a typical item against $9.79 at Chipotle Mexican Grill.

What is the price difference between Chipotle Mexican Grill and Taco Bell?

On matched items the average difference is $2.84, or about 39% overall. Chipotle Mexican Grill averages $8.26 across 36 priced items; Taco Bell averages $5.07 across 38.

Which has the cheaper entry price, Chipotle Mexican Grill or Taco Bell?

Chipotle Mexican Grill starts at $3.05 (Bottled Water) and Taco Bell at $1.99 (Cheesy Bean & Rice Burrito).

Are these prices the same at every location?

No. Both chains let franchise owners set prices, so figures move by a dollar or more between markets and run highest at airport, stadium and highway locations. Treat these as the typical U.S. price, not a quote.