Brits pay 73% more for a PS3 than Hong Kong buyers do

Tax and spend

By Tony Smith • Get more from this author

30th March 2007 15:06 GMT

Where's the best place to purchase a PlayStation 3? Hong Kong, according to the Wall Street Journal. No prizes for guessing the worst: London.

In Hong Kong, the PS3 retails for an average price of HKD3,780 - or €363. In London, the local price is £425 - or €627. In short, Brits have to pay almost twice as much for the next-gen games console than Hong Kong residents too.

Blame taxes, Sony says. But even with VAT (17.5 per cent) and UK import duty (10 per cent) it's hard to see the PS3 coming in at more than €470, and that's assuming the Hong Kong price is tax, duty and retailer margin free.

It doesn't look good. Most of continental Europe pays €599 or €600 for a PS3, New Yorkers pay $650 (€487) and Tokyo buyers cough up ¥59,980 (€381).

If Britain had dropped Sterling for the Euro, UK buyers would probably be paying the equivalent of €27 less. That said, the Irish have to cough up more than their fellow Euro-philes, so price parity isn't guaranteed.