Indian Man Saves Rs 36k Buying MacBook In Vietnam, Enjoys Mini Vacation Too Spending Only Rs 40k; Here’s How

An Indian who flew to Vietnam to buy a MacBook at a subsidized cost posted their deal-breaker trip on social media, which has since gone viral. The individual remarked,

Flying from India to Vietnam, buying a MacBook there, and coming back… hopefully saving some cash. A few people said it’s doable, but many suggested I should explore Vietnam too, so I did.”

The person further wrote,

If you’re planning to buy a MacBook or iPhone worth ₹2 lakh+ in India, trust me, it’s worth making a short trip to Vietnam.”

On their Reddit post, the user stated,

You’ll get the device cheaper and squeeze in a mini vacation.”

The user also posted the breakdown of both the devices and their travel costs, along with the mini vacation itinerary.

“Here’s how he did it,” the user shared the travel brief.

• Got my eVisa and booked the cheapest round-trip flight (₹19K)
• Stayed 11 nights (was working remotely)

During the Vietnam trip, the user visited more than 15 stores to crack a better deal for the MacBook Pro M4 Pro 14”. The user shared the breakdown as follows, with India pricing and the Vietnamese discounted deal.

• MacBook Pro M4 Pro 14″ (Base 24GB/512GB)
  • India (Amazon): Rs 189,900
  • With card offers: ~ Rs 185,000
  • Vietnam (after refund): ~₹1,48,500 (I paid a total of Rs 158,125 at store and got $111 refund at the airport.)

The user also shared dos and don’ts for gadgets purchased in Vietnam, including asking for VAT refund documents for the airport. The Redditor also shared the VAT Refund counter location in the Noi Bai Airport, which is at Gate No. 31.

The total trip cost around Rs 40,000 for the user, including a round-trip flight (Rs 19,000), E-Visa (Rs 2,210), an 11 nights stay (Rs 4,000), food (Rs 5,000), and other expenses.

The user also gave a breakdown of their minimal expenses on lodging during the Vietnam trip, as follows. The person stayed in a homestay while spending Rs 700 per person on food and snacks two times. The user also shared that tourists may need $5 to $10 for a day and for more than 50 cc engine bikes to travel around.

Reactions poured in on the posts, with users appreciating the Redditor. One user remarked, “This is Personal Finance done right! Investing and savings are important but useless if you don’t spend prudently and have fun with it!”

Another wrote, “This is an age-old practice. Countries like Singapore & Dubai flourished because people found it cheaper to buy electronics from there even after including travel costs.”

Yet another user shared, “Singapore used to have a visa-free entry for Indians and many people acted as couriers for electronic dealers in India. That was before Singapore itself became filthy rich; costs rose and spending 3 days there was no longer cheap.”

A handful of Reddit Samaritans shared shopping info for the curious kitties.

See Also: Man Finds Rs 160 Per Night Hotel In Vietnam; Internet Jibes ‘OYO Charges More Per Hour’

See Also: Podcaster Flags ‘Bad Behavior Of North Indian Tourists’ In Vietnam; Internet Debates Desi’s Civic Sense Abroad

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Cover: Illustrative / Pexels