If you’re trying to justify a shopping holiday, you will be interested in this list from a survey conducted by hotels.com.
It took 13 identical items purchased in 29 countries. Included was the iPad Air, iPad with retina display, iPhone 5S, a pair of ladies’ leather gloves, Jean Paul Gaultier eau de toilette, Chloe perfume, Susan Boyle Home for Christmas album, Calvin Klein socks, Spiderman lunch box, Barbie Dreamhouse, How I Met Your Mother season seven, a pair of men’s straight leg Levi’s 501 and the box set of Harry Potter books.
New Zealand wasn’t even close, coming in at number 20 with the hefty price tag of $3836.85.
Here are the five cheapest:
5. Thailand, total $2600.80
From the world’s biggest outdoor market, featuring 9000 vendors, to multi-level shopping malls selling everything from designer labels to tat, Bangkok has everything you could imagine – and a lot more that you probably can’t.
4. South Korea, total $2537.64
You may not know this, but Seoul is becoming the next big fashion capital. Do not get caught here wearing jeans you bought two seasons ago or you will be tutted at. Credit cards are taken everywhere, by law, but if you wave cash in front of them you can get even better deals.
3. Argentina, total $2515.56
With the devaluing peso, you can shop with American dollars in Buenos Aires, where you will snap up some really great deals. In fact, the vendors on Florida St would prefer foreign currency over their own, so it’s a win/win for buyers and sellers, while the banks lose out.
2. Japan, total $2505.91
Tokyo is one of the world’s renowned shopping cities and the historic area of Ginza has been treated to recent modernisation. On weekends, the streets are closed to traffic so shoppers can browse and buy to their hearts’ delight without the risk of being run down. By a car that is. No guarantees against the frenzy of your fellow shoppers.
1. Taiwan, total $1781.70
The cheapest place in the world to pick up our basket of goodies is Taiwan. Because of how tightly packed Taipei is, many huge shopping malls are underground, usually linking rail stations. Night markets are also popular and give shoppers a taste of the “real” Taiwan. Although you will probably not find your iPad at one.
