iPad expensive in Europe, cheapest in U.S.

Posted on May 31, 2010 in Technology | 7 comments

European gadget lovers are better off to buy an Apple iPad in Asia, the United States or Australia. Buying Apple’s latest creation in Europe costs noticeably more than in the United States.

Britain and Europe are the world’s costliest places to buy Apple Inc’s new iPad computer, with prices around a quarter higher than in the United States, a new study has found.

While the much-hyped tablet should trade at broadly the same price globally if exchange rates were properly adjusting, Australia’s CommSec iPad Index found big savings for Europeans traveling to Asia, the United States or even Down Under.

“In the UK, Germany, France and Italy an iPad costs 20-25 per cent more than in the U.S.,” said Craig James, chief economist at the CommSec share trading division of Australia’s Commonwealth Bank.

“The question is whether Apple has priced its product too high for the European market, or whether the UK pound and euro need to depreciate further to bring global pricing into line.”

CommSec’s index is a modern variation on the long-running Big Mac index compiled by The Economist magazine and compares the price of iPads in 10 countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Britain, Japan, Australia and Canada.

Prices for the cheapest, WiFi-only version range from $499 in the United States to the equivalent of $620 in Britain for the entry-level 16 gigabyte model. Canada ($520), Japan ($536) and Australia ($533) rounded out the price basement countries.

At the top end, an iPad 64gb model with WiFi and 3G connectivity cost $829 in the United States against $1,010 in Britain and $980 in Germany, France and Italy.

The tablet device, CommSec said, is identical across the globe so theoretically the only difference in pricing should be freight charges and local taxes.

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  • Frans

    If you take out the 17.5% VAT from the UK price it is only $526 instead of the $499 (also without tax) in US. That’s not even 6% higher and far less then the claimed 20-25% claimed in this article.

    Somewhere in this article the conclusion does no longer match the facts. Hard to believe that a “chief economist” misses this point. But then again, I’m sure the person that wrote this article did his/her homework.

  • Per

    The cheapest iPad model cost the equivalent of $832 in Norway. In the California the price is $499 + tax = $ 541.
    Prices in Norway are horrific !

  • http://www.gatorwebdesign.co.uk Gator Web Design

    Yet another example of the UK citizens being ripped off.

    I for one am fed up with it.

  • http://www.apple.com World Citizen

    I assume you all understand that it is YOUR country’s policy and not Apple’s policy that is creating the price difference. High VAT is “the cost” of living in a socialist country.

  • http://www.apple.com World Citizen

    Talk to your friends in the US and get one shipped over. Refurb ipad 16gb wifi version is $429 + tax (typically another 30-50 dollars depending on the state). So let’s say $479 which means it will cost you 361 total euros after taxes.

  • http://www.ipadfromusa.com/want-to-buy-the-idevice-find-the-cheap-ipads-in-usa/ iGeorge

    As for me I would buy 3g. But I wonder where can I buy cheap iPad in Europe?

  • http://www.ipadfromusa.com/colleges-are-buying-ipads-in-usa/ Nicolo

    i have a friend in us so he could buy me an ipad 2 there. but he’ll come back in 2-3 months, so i don’t know is it better to buy here in europe or wait?