Pizza vs Burger: Calories, Nutrition & Which Is Better?
One slice of cheese pizza (~107g) has about 285 calories, while one beef burger (~190g) has about 561 calories — almost double, though a burger is also a bigger, more complete meal on its own. Per 100g they are close (266 vs 295 kcal), so the real difference is how many slices of pizza you actually eat versus one burger.
🍕 Cheese Pizza
Calories per 100g: ~266 kcal
Per 1 slice (107g): ~285 kcal
Protein: 11.8g · Carbs: 35.3g · Fat: 10.7g
Fiber: 2.5g
Best for: a quick meal component, best paired with a salad
🍔 Beef Burger
Calories per 100g: ~295 kcal
Per 1 burger (190g): ~561 kcal
Protein: 32.3g · Carbs: 55.1g · Fat: 26.6g
Fiber: 3g
Best for: a single complete meal, post-workout or weekend treat
Pizza vs Burger: side-by-side comparison
| Factor | Pizza (Cheese Slice) | Burger (Beef) | Better choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories (per 100g) | ~266 kcal | ~295 kcal | Pizza (slightly lower) |
| Calories (typical serving) | ~285 kcal (1 slice) | ~561 kcal (1 burger) | Depends how many slices you eat |
| Protein (per serving) | 11.8g | 32.3g | Burger |
| Carbs (per serving) | 35.3g | 55.1g | Pizza (lower, per serving) |
| Fat (per serving) | 10.7g | 26.6g | Pizza (lower, per serving) |
| Fiber (per serving) | 2.5g | 3g | Roughly tied |
| Sodium | ~598mg per slice | ~560mg per burger | Roughly tied — both high |
| Typical serving size | 1 slice (107g) | 1 burger (190g) | — |
| Weight loss suitability | Good if limited to 1–2 slices with salad | Good as a single complete meal, skip the fries | Depends on total meal, not the food alone |
| Muscle gain suitability | Fair — mostly carbs and fat | Very good — solid protein plus calories | Burger |
| Satiety / fullness | Lower per slice — easy to keep eating | Higher — a full meal in one item | Burger |
| Best use case | Casual meals, shareable occasions | Single-meal convenience, higher-protein fast food option | Depends on the meal context |
Values come from the CalorieMetrica nutrition database — the same data behind the Food Compare tool and Meal Planner. "Pizza" and "Burger" are broad food categories with countless variations; this page uses Cheese Pizza (1 slice) and Beef Burger as representative entries. Chicken burgers, pepperoni pizza, veggie patties and thin-crust styles will all shift these numbers — check Pizza Calories and Hamburger Calories for more variants.
Calories: pizza vs burger
Compared gram for gram, pizza and burger are surprisingly close: cheese pizza runs about 266 kcal per 100g and a beef burger about 295 kcal per 100g. The confusion comes from serving size. A "burger" is one self-contained sandwich — patty, bun, toppings — while "pizza" is sold and eaten by the slice, and it is genuinely rare to stop at one.
One slice of cheese pizza (285 kcal) looks lighter than one burger (561 kcal), but two slices already land near the burger’s total, and three slices — a completely normal dinner portion for many people — pushes past it to roughly 855 kcal. The honest comparison is "one burger" versus "however many slices you actually eat," not one slice against one burger.
Nutrition comparison
Burger wins decisively on protein: a beef burger delivers about 32g of protein in one sitting, nearly three times a single pizza slice’s 11.8g, because it is built around a meat patty rather than a cheese-and-dough base. Pizza leans more heavily on refined carbohydrate from the crust, and both foods run high in sodium — a cheese slice and a burger sit in a similar 550–600mg sodium range each.
Toppings change everything for both foods. A veggie-loaded pizza with a thin crust cuts calories meaningfully versus a deep-dish meat-lover’s version, and a burger stacked with cheese, bacon and mayo can easily double the base numbers shown here. Neither food is a strong source of fiber or micronutrients on its own — add a side salad or vegetables to round out the meal. Check your protein target with the Protein Calculator.
Which is better for weight loss?
Burger, mainly because it comes pre-portioned as a single meal — you eat one and you are done, whereas pizza’s per-slice format makes it easy to eat well past fullness. If you choose pizza, decide your slice count before you start eating and pair it with a salad or vegetables to add volume without many extra calories. If you choose a burger, skip the fries and a sugary drink, which usually add far more calories than the burger itself. Track your target with the TDEE Calculator and the BMI Calculator.
Which is better for muscle gain?
Burger, clearly. Its 32g of protein per serving alongside a solid calorie count makes it a genuinely useful bulking meal, especially if you add a second patty or extra cheese for more protein and calories. Pizza can still work in a muscle-gain plan for its calorie density, but you will need a separate protein source (chicken, eggs, a protein shake) to hit your daily target if pizza is a regular meal. Set your intake with the Protein Calculator and plan the week in the Meal Planner.
Which is healthier overall?
Neither is a "health food," and there is no absolute winner — both are calorie-dense, often high-sodium fast foods best enjoyed as an occasional meal rather than a daily habit. A burger with a whole-grain bun, lean patty and vegetables, or a thin-crust pizza loaded with vegetables instead of extra meat and cheese, both beat their "default" versions by a wide margin.
Cooking method and toppings decide more than the base food category: a grilled, simply-dressed burger patty and a vegetable-topped thin-crust pizza slice are both reasonable choices in a balanced diet, while a triple-cheese deep-dish slice and a double-bacon-cheeseburger both push well past what most people should eat regularly. If you manage cholesterol or blood pressure, discuss fast-food frequency with your doctor given the sodium and saturated fat in both foods.
Practical meal examples
Weight-loss plate (~450 kcal): 1 beef burger without the bun top (~500 kcal) or 2 pizza slices (~570 kcal) with a large side salad instead of fries.
Muscle-gain plate (~700 kcal): 1 beef burger (~561 kcal) plus a side of grilled vegetables and a glass of milk (~149 kcal).
Balanced daily plate (~570 kcal): 2 slices of cheese pizza (~570 kcal) with a side salad, saving the rest of your day’s calories for protein-rich meals.
Build any of these in the Meal Planner.
FAQs: pizza vs burger
Which has fewer calories, pizza or burger?
Per 100g they are close — about 266 kcal for cheese pizza versus 295 kcal for a beef burger. But per typical serving, one pizza slice (~285 kcal) is much lower than one full burger (~561 kcal); the catch is that pizza is usually eaten in multiple slices.
Is a burger healthier than pizza?
It depends on the version of each. A burger has significantly more protein per serving, but both are high in sodium and calorie-dense. A grilled lean burger with vegetables and a vegetable-topped thin-crust pizza slice are both reasonable choices; loaded, deep-fried or extra-cheese versions of either are less healthy.
Which has more protein, pizza or burger?
Burger has substantially more protein — about 32g per burger versus about 12g per pizza slice — because it is built around a meat patty rather than a cheese-and-dough base.
How many pizza slices equal one burger in calories?
Roughly two slices of cheese pizza (about 570 kcal) come close to matching one beef burger (about 561 kcal). Three or more slices will usually exceed a single burger’s calorie count.
Which is better for weight loss, pizza or burger?
A burger is often easier for weight loss because it is a single, pre-portioned meal. Pizza can still fit a weight-loss plan if you decide your slice count in advance and add a salad or vegetables to the meal.
Is pizza or burger better for muscle gain?
Burger is the better choice for muscle gain thanks to its higher protein content per serving. If you prefer pizza, pair it with a separate protein source like grilled chicken or a protein shake to reach your daily target.
Related pages
Keep going
Compare any two foods instantly in the Food Compare tool, build a full day around your choice in the Meal Planner, find your calorie target with the TDEE Calculator, or check protein needs with the Protein Calculator.
📊 "Pizza" and "Burger" are broad categories; this page uses Cheese Pizza and Beef Burger as representative CalorieMetrica database entries. Toppings, crust style and patty type change the numbers significantly. See Data Sources.