The Google Pixel 8a has arrived and will be touted as an affordable alternative to the Pixel 8. But it isn’t exactly cheap at $499 in the US, and then there’s sales tax to pay before you actually get your hands on it. The potential good news is that the device is retailing for a different price in other markets, which raises the question of whether you could save by buying it abroad. We were curious to find out and looked into the cheapest place to buy the Pixel 8a.
It isn’t just a lower retail price or a favorable exchange rate that can make flagship Android phones cheaper to buy in other nations. You pay sales tax when you buy in America because you’re 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 might be able to claim it back or avoid it altogether when shopping on your travels. This is worth keeping in mind as we run through the figures below.