The cheapest countries to buy a Pixel 8a

The Google Pixel 8a has arrived and will be promoted as an affordable product alternative to the Pixel 8. But it's not exactly cheap at $499 in the US, and you'll have to pay sales tax before you can actually get your hands on it. The potential good news is that the device sells for a different price in other markets, which raises the question of whether you can save by buying it abroad. We were curious and looked for the cheapest place to buy the Pixel 8a.

It's not just a lower sales price or a favorable exchange rate that can make a flagship Android phones cheaper to buy in other countries. You pay sales tax when you buy in America because you are a resident, and citizens of many other countries do the same under their rules. But sales tax or its equivalent often doesn't apply to tourists, meaning you may be able to reclaim it or avoid it altogether if you shop during your trip. This is worth keeping in mind as we work through the figures below.

What are the cheapest countries to buy a Pixel 8a?

We looked up the retail price of the Pixel 8a in the countries where you can pre-order it now, and then converted those local prices to US dollars at the current exchange rate. The results for both the 128GB and 256GB models of the device are in the table below, ranked from cheapest to most expensive.

We've added about 10% sales tax to the US figure so you can get an idea of ​​how much you would spend as a US resident, at home or abroad. It's worth noting that the prices in the other countries are the highest you'll be charged, and you may have to pay less because some countries include sales tax in the sales price. That won't always be the case, but if you can avoid or reclaim this tax while traveling around the country, you can get the Pixel 8a for 10% or even 15% less than the stated amounts.

Japan is the cheapest place in the world to buy the 128GB model of the Google Pixel 8a. We specify the variant because, unlike every other country on the list, the 256GB model is not available for pre-order in the Land of the Rising Sun. The base model will cost you the equivalent of $469 in Japan.

Canada is the second cheapest place to buy the phone if you can avoid sales tax, and the cheapest if you want to pre-order the 256GB device. Taiwan comes in a close third on the list at $509 for the base model.

Even when you factor in sales tax, the US is still one of the cheapest countries to buy a handset. America is fifth on the list, and you only pay about $80 more than the Japanese on home soil. Compare that to most places in Europe that pay around $600.

India is the most expensive place to buy the 128GB model of the Pixel 8a, with authorized retailer Flipkart offering the device for the equivalent of $635. We'll look at why this might be the case below. While UK residents pay slightly less for the base model, they pay the most in the world for the 256GB variant at $749.

Is there any chance I can find the Pixel 8a for less than these prices?

The short answer is not really. You might find it cheaper abroad or in the US in a few months, but at the time of writing it's still in the pre-order stage. We've already outlined that you can save some money abroad from a tax perspective, and there may be promotions such as a free storage upgrade to make the 256GB model cheaper. But overall, you won't see any direct discounts on the retail price for a while.

That doesn't mean you won't see deals related to the phone, like trade-in offers or even the chance to get the Pixel 8a for free, but such an offer doesn't come without strings attached. Both in America and abroad, this will likely involve a carrier and involve a commitment to a monthly subscription or something along those lines. Anyone trying to sell you an unlocked Pixel 8a for half the retail price without any reservations at this stage of the launch is probably trying to rip you off.

Should I buy the Pixel 8a in another country?

For US residents, there isn't much to be gained from buying the Pixel 8a in another country. The table shows that the savings you can achieve are quite marginal. Additionally, there are practical considerations, such as whether the software comes with a different software configuration than you would expect in the United States or a warranty that is virtually useless if it has to be used in the country where the phone was used. purchased.

And all this is based on the assumption that you happen to be traveling through a region where you can save on the phone. It should be understood that there is no point in traveling for the sole purpose of picking up the device. The cost of your plane ticket alone would probably get you and a few friends the home phone.

Plus, it just takes a little patience and shopping around to avoid the US retail price. There are already some Pixel 8a pre-order offers available, or you can wait a few months to see if you can get a cash discount on the device. Google has surprised us in recent years with how quickly we've seen cheap Pixels shortly after launch.

As is so often the case in the 21st century, the answer is capitalism. When setting the retail price of the Pixel 8a, Google must take into account the cost of bringing the phone to market and how much profit it can also make from consumers. Both factors consist of many elements that depend on the region of the world you are in.

For example, if a country imposes a high import tax on electronics shipped for sale, Google will pass these additional costs on to the end buyer in the form of a higher retail price. If the phone is available cheaply on the shelves, but there is huge demand from a population with deep pockets, the manufacturer leaves the profit on the table by making it a lot cheaper to buy. You get the idea.

The nature of this exercise also means that the table above may change daily as we have introduced exchange rates into the equation. It makes it easier for us to compare values, but the Pixel 8a's retail prices were likely set months ago and the global economy hasn't exactly been calm lately. We'll revisit the table in the coming months to see if your US dollars will go further if you buy the phone abroad.