Bean Burrito vs Beefy 5-Layer Burrito
This is the cheapest head-to-head on the burrito menu, and it is really a question about what a burrito is for. The Bean Burrito is the value anchor: beans, red sauce and cheese in a flour tortilla. The Beefy 5-Layer Burrito stacks seasoned beef, nacho cheese sauce, reduced-fat sour cream, beans and cheese into five layers. One is a $2.59 lunch; the other is a $4.19 meal. The numbers below are the catalog's October 2026 sampled prices and published panels — not one store's board.
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Side by side
| Measure | Bean Burrito | Beefy 5-Layer Burrito |
|---|---|---|
| Sampled price | $2.59 (range $1.99–$2.99) | $4.19 (range $3.49–$5.49) |
| Calories | 360 Cal | 490 Cal |
| Protein | 13g | 17g |
| Fat / sodium | 10g / 1,080 mg | 18g / 1,290 mg |
| Protein per dollar | 5.0g | 4.1g |
The verdict, from the panels
The Bean Burrito wins on price, calories, fat and sodium, and on protein per dollar — 5.0g against 4.1g. The Beefy 5-Layer wins only on absolute protein (17g against 13g) and on being a fuller meal: the extra $1.60 buys 130 calories and four more grams of protein, but it also buys 8g more fat and 210 mg more sodium. If the goal is the most food for the least money, the Bean Burrito is the better buy by every efficiency measure. If the goal is to feel full on one item, the Beefy 5-Layer earns its premium — just not on value.
About this guide's data
Both sides are the standard builds, taken from our dataset: sampled prices — the middle figure across the listings we sampled, with the range shown on each item page — and published nutrition panels, compiled in October 2026. Where one side has no verified value, the table shows the gap rather than an estimate. Full sourcing: how we verify our data.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, the Bean Burrito or the Beefy 5-Layer Burrito?
The Bean Burrito: $2.59 sampled against $4.19, a $1.60 gap. Store prices vary; Taco Bell publishes no national price list.
Which has more calories?
The Beefy 5-Layer Burrito: 490 calories against the Bean Burrito's 360 — a 130-calorie gap.
Which has more protein per dollar?
The Bean Burrito: 5.0g of protein per dollar against 4.1g, even though the Beefy 5-Layer has more protein in absolute terms (17g vs 13g).
Is the Beefy 5-Layer Burrito vegetarian?
No — seasoned beef is one of its five layers. The Bean Burrito is the meat-free option of the pair.
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