A consumer successfully saved ₹36,500 on an Apple MacBook Pro by purchasing it in Vietnam. This approach showcases the financial advantages of buying Apple products outside of India, where high import taxes and premiums inflate prices. The shopper traveled to Hanoi to take advantage of the lower costs, avoiding the import duties, GST, and inflated prices typically found in the Indian market. The process involved securing an affordable round-trip flight and exploring numerous stores to find the best deal. The individual offered advice on claiming VAT refunds to further increase savings. In India, the 24GB RAM MacBook Pro costs ₹1,85,000; however, in Vietnam, the same model was purchased for ₹1,48,500 after the VAT refund. This resulted in savings of ₹36,500. The total cost of the trip, including the MacBook and the 11-day adventure, was ₹1,97,000. Therefore, the cost of the vacation was approximately ₹48,000, making the MacBook purchase slightly more expensive than the Indian price, but effectively including a vacation for a nominal extra cost.
