Apple Products Too Expensive? They May Be Cheaper in Another Country.

The Mac Index helps world travelers score a good iPhone deal

January 21, 2019 9:00 am

Apple products aren’t cheap, and they’re rarely on sale … and if they are, it’s usually not more than a token amount, like 10%.

So you have to take every sales advantage you can find. And The Mac Index is certainly such a discount tool, at least if you’re a global traveler.

Basically, TMI compares prices of Apple products in different countries against the currency exchange rate. The creators compare it to The Economist’s Big Mac Index, but for different types of Macs (and iPhones and other Apple gear).

As the Index’s creator cheekily notes: “If you’re like me, chances are you want to compare which country should you buy your latest Apple product slightly cheaper, that coincides with places that you would visit on your next trip out. If not, well, look at you, top 1-percenter.”

A typical example on TMI’s site: the 12.9 inch, 512 GB Wifi iPad Pro is currently cheapest in Canada, where its price converted to U.S. dollars ($1285) is actually $64 less than what it is in the States. On the other hand, buying it in Brazil would set you back the equivalent of $3014.

The list isn’t perfect — some users on Product Hunt noted that you’ll still be dealing with different local tax rates and customs dues, which could skew the price (to be fair, the developer has tried to incorporate these ideas into the pricing mechanism).

Photos: Apple; The Mac Index

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