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superdave
Joined: 20 Aug 2006
Location: over there ----->
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 Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 3:17 am Post subject: the IPOD index - costs of ipods around the world |
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An interesting economic survey was the famous 'Big Mac' index, used to compare the value of currency and buying power in real world situations. Simply, how much would it cost you to buy a big mac in various countries.
An Australian bank has just released details of a similar study, using the new 4gig ipod nano as it's price benchmark.
read the full story here:
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSSYD20072420071004?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&pageNumber=1
but if you want to skip to the results, keep reading ... basically, there's an amazing contrast between the cost of the same ipod in 55 different countries ... and some countries are not as cheap as we'd assume.
the winner?? hong kong ... no surprises there that it's the cheapest place to buy an ipod. ironically, it's cheaper to buy an ipod in hong kong, than it is to buy one in china (where they're manufactured).
the most expensive? brazil ... where an ipod costs more than double (in real world costs).
here's the list in full, starting from most expensive.
The CommSec iPod Index, based on October 2007 prices in U.S. dollars.
1. Brazil $369.61
2. Bulgaria $318.60
3. Argentina $317.45
4. Israel $300.80
5. Peru $294.08
6. Chile $294.06
7. Malta $293.83
8. Egypt $269.10
9. Romania $266.60
10. Uruguay $260.00
11. Turkey $256.12
12. Hungary $254.50
13. Azerbaijan $252.11
14. Serbia $249.14
15. Croatia $245.41
16. Czech $242.54
17. Slovakia $234.13
18. Estonia $226.67
19. South Africa $226.60
20. Finland $225.82
21. France $225.82
22. Russia $220.32
23. Norway $220.20
24. Sweden $215.35
25. Belgium $211.62
26. Austria $211.62
27. Italy $211.62
28. Portugal $211.62
29. Ireland $211.62
30. Germany $211.62
31. Netherlands $211.62
32. Denmark $209.26
33. UK $201.92
34. Mexico $201.87
35. Cyprus $201.85
36. Luxembourg $201.12
37. Poland $200.52
38. Philippines $198.39
39. Spain $197.42
40. Greece $196.51
41. Switzerland $195.43
42. India $183.47
43. Malaysia $181.82
44. Korea $180.60
45. New Zealand $180.58
46. China $179.63
47. Pakistan $179.48
48. Australia $175.42
49. Thailand $174.89
50. Canada $169.68
51. Singapore $167.31
52. Taiwan $165.82
53. Japan $154.21
54. U.S. $149.00
55. Hong Kong $148.12
* i'm pretty happy that australia is on the cool end of that list ...  |
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safeblad
Joined: 17 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 9:00 am Post subject: |
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| thanks for that. very interesting. |
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ajgeddes
Joined: 28 Apr 2004
Location: Yongsan
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| Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 2:08 pm Post subject: |
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| Woohoo, I bought my GF's in Hong Kong. |
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mindmetoo
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
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| Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 3:17 pm Post subject: |
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| What's amazing is in free trading HK it's only slightly cheaper than the USA. The USA is certainly doing something right. |
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ajgeddes
Joined: 28 Apr 2004
Location: Yongsan
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| Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 4:21 pm Post subject: |
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| mindmetoo wrote: |
| What's amazing is in free trading HK it's only slightly cheaper than the USA. The USA is certainly doing something right. |
I would bet that a lot of it has to do with the recent currency fluctuation. |
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jeffkim1972
Joined: 10 Jan 2007
Location: Mokpo
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| Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 8:46 pm Post subject: |
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| HK's currency is pegged to the US dollar. |
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Dome Vans
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 9:57 pm Post subject: |
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Ah man! We are so mediocre. We can't win anything. How poor is that? |
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jinju
Joined: 22 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 9:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Im I the only one who hates what the iPod stands for? |
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ajgeddes
Joined: 28 Apr 2004
Location: Yongsan
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| Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 10:20 pm Post subject: |
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| jeffkim1972 wrote: |
| HK's currency is pegged to the US dollar. |
Forgot about that. I guess in terms of other currencies it has to have an effect as well. |
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superdave
Joined: 20 Aug 2006
Location: over there ----->
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| Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 11:21 pm Post subject: |
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| jinju wrote: |
| Im I the only one who hates what the iPod stands for? |
you hate music??
the ipod is only iconic or representative if you want it to be ... it's a music player!
however, the point of the article is providing an interesting comparative method for looking at pricing around the world. this differs from the 'big mac' index because electronics are often taxed at much higher rates ... and the ipod was chosen because it's a standardised item that is somewhat ubiquitous in today's society ... it's also relatively affordable. |
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mindmetoo
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
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| Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 3:07 am Post subject: |
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| ajgeddes wrote: |
| mindmetoo wrote: |
| What's amazing is in free trading HK it's only slightly cheaper than the USA. The USA is certainly doing something right. |
I would bet that a lot of it has to do with the recent currency fluctuation. |
HK pegs its dollar the the US dollar. So any differences are structural. |
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ajgeddes
Joined: 28 Apr 2004
Location: Yongsan
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| Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 6:28 am Post subject: |
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| mindmetoo wrote: |
| ajgeddes wrote: |
| mindmetoo wrote: |
| What's amazing is in free trading HK it's only slightly cheaper than the USA. The USA is certainly doing something right. |
I would bet that a lot of it has to do with the recent currency fluctuation. |
HK pegs its dollar the the US dollar. So any differences are structural. |
Yeah, we answered that one a long ways up there and I already responded to it. |
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Alyallen
Joined: 29 Mar 2004
Location: The 4th Greatest Place on Earth = Jeonju!!!
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| Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 6:48 am Post subject: |
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| I showed my boyfriend the list. His country is the second most expensive country to buy an Ipod behind Brazil. He was not surprised by that result at all. |
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