Is Nintendo Switch Cheaper In Taiwan?

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The Nintendo Switch is one of the most in-demand gaming devices but no matter how well-received and beloved it has been, it’s price tag isn’t constant all over the world. You will find that it is priced very differently in different parts of this world so of course people will want to know if they can buy it somewhere else and save some money.

In this article we will discuss if the Switch is cheaper in Taiwan as well as talk about some of the things that cause the prices to vary across the world. 

The cost for the Nintendo Switch in Taiwan is approximately $310 but that varies depending on currency fluctuations. In general the price of a Nintendo Switch in Taiwan is about the same price that you would pay in the United States and in most other countries. 

Many people think that the Switch would be cheaper in countries like Taiwan, Japan, etc. and although that might be true some of the time they are never cheap enough to justify traveling there just to buy a Switch console. 

Besides the prices not being cheap enough to save you money you also have to figure in the additional cost of buying accessories in your home country to ensure that the Switch doesn’t get too much or too little power as the power cords from other countries are often quite different so you should replace that before you ever use your new Switch.

All of these and the many more things discussed later all play a part in likely making the best place to buy a Switch wherever you currently live. 

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Is the Nintendo Switch the cheapest in Taiwan?

Since the currency fluctuates quite often from country to country the going price for a Switch in Taiwan today will likely be quite different tomorrow. The same is true for any country as currencies are always fluctuating based on world news. Taiwan is one of the cheapest places to get the Switch but the price difference between Taiwan and the most expensive country is normally $50 or less. 

$50 is certainly nothing to sneeze at and if I could save $50 on buying a Switch I certainly would but traveling all over the globe to try and save $50 or even buying it and having the Switch sent to me will likely eat up all of the price difference giving no reason to purchase the Switch in a different country. 

If you happen to live near Taiwan and the prices in your country are extremely expensive then taking a vacation to Taiwan and buying a Switch while you are there might make sense but in general traveling to Taiwan to save a few dollars on a video game console just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. 

Why do Switch prices vary?

There are a lot of factors that affect the Nintendo Switch’s price. One major factor is whether Nintendo has set up a shop in that country. Another factor is of course taxes. Here’s how it generally works: 

Nintendo’s distribution

If you look at a general price list of what the Switch costs by country (such as this one here) you will see that in countries like the US and Japan, the prices are very low and the reason for this is because Nintendo itself is distributing the Switch there to the retailers.  However, countries in the Middle East, South America, and Southeast Asia don’t get any such discounts since another company is distributing the products on behalf of Nintendo. 

It is also important to note that sometimes no companies are acting on behalf of Nintendo, which just drives the prices even higher since there is no official distribution network.

Taxes

Taxes play a huge role in the different prices you will find all over the world. For example: Nintendo does have a subsidiary company in Europe but when the prices for the Switch are looked at after adding VAT or sales tax in many European countries, the prices tend to rise a lot. 

By a lot we mean around 25%!

Obviously that has a large effect on the end price when the taxes are that expensive on the importing of a product. Countries such as the United States don’t have VAT and instead just have a local or state sales tax which is often 7-10%. That is certainly a lot lower than the 25% that some European countries have! 

Currency rates

This and taxes are likely the two biggest factors in cost differences around the world. Depending on how strong or weak a country’s currency is the price of the Switch might fluctuate up or down when compared to another country’s money. 

So for example if the currency in Taiwan becomes more valuable then the Switch price might go up for people purchasing the Switch in USD. If the value of the Taiwan currency goes down then it would cost less US dollars to buy the Switch. 

These fluctuations happen daily as currency prices are always changing. So with each change in currency price the Nintendo Switch price also changes a little bit when compared to USD or any other country’s currency.

Can you import/buy a Switch from another country with lower prices?

This is what many customers tend to wonder about. What if you live in a country that has way-too-high Switch prices? After all, not everyone lives in Taiwan or other cheap places. So, can you get it for cheap if you simply buy it or import it from another country? 

You will be glad to know that the answer is, yes. You will be able to import the device from Amazon Japan or Amazon US without any difficulty but if you are in a country that charges VAT or other taxes on importing be sure to take that into account when buying the Switch. 

Shipping prices are also expensive so be sure and figure out what the total cost is to buy it from another country before you ever place the order. 

Many people think that shipping and other taxes will surely make the Switch price equal to the one Nintendo is offering in your country. While this is true in many of the countries around the world there are some that the prices of the Switch is so astronomical that you can pay for shipping and taxes and still save a good chunk of money by buying the Switch from Japan or the USA.  

Will you benefit a lot by getting the Nintendo Switch from Taiwan?

Taiwan offers the Switch at one of the lowest prices in the world, but is that alone worth it to buy the product from there? Are there other benefits of buying it from Taiwan? Or will there be problems? 

These are some very commonly asked questions. First of all, it’s undeniable that if the price is a big factor for you then buying a cheap Switch will never hurt especially since you will essentially be getting the same product. But there are some factors to consider: 

• Know that the games are in traditional Chinese but that the interface of the console hasn’t been changed from English. You might be able to choose between a Traditional Chinese and English option in the future but for now, everything is in English. It’s possible that once there is a software update from Nintendo then anyone who chose the Traditional Chinese option will be switched to it.
  

• Another issue is that the eShop will cater to the Taiwanese customers. The Switch is region free so if you have a European or American credit card then you will be able to access the eShops of those places to get games by simply changing the region of your account.
  

Conclusion

Overall, the Nintendo Switch is cheaper in Taiwan than in many other countries but for many people once you figure in taxes and shipping the price is approximately the same. If you live in a country where the Switch is extremely expensive then buying it from Taiwan, Japan, or even the United States might make sense for you. 

Be sure and sit down and figure out your total cost after shipping, taxes, and other fees before ever purchasing the Switch.