A MacNN reader wrote in about pricing disparity between the US and various European countries:

I've compared the prices of Apple computer here in Europe with the prices mainly in the States (I've compared prices without sales taxes so that's is comparable: it's what Apple charges for the product). I've made some very pretty charts that show that price gap and I've found for example that the new PowerBook G4 costs US$400 more here in Europe!!! (US$445 more in Italy!). By the way, sale taxes are also higher in European countries than in the USA: 16% or more is "normal" in many European countries. I've also done a nice charts for the PowerMac G4, the iBook, the Cube and the iMac comparing prices in several countries to the prices in the USA. The results are appalling. Europeans pay much more for their Mac than Americans. Lucky you!

by MacNN Staff