What should you check first before shopping in Japan?

The full model number and bundle, the tax basis in both places, shipping and card fees, and the warranty and return policy — items with similar names but a different size or generation can't share a price.

Which products are actually cheaper in Taiwan?

Of the 10 items shown, the AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Max 2, Sony WF-1000XM5, and AirPods 5 are all cheaper in Taiwan, by NT$432–1,395.

Can shipping fees flip the price gap?

Yes. The HARIO V60 dripper is NT$53 cheaper in Japan, but once you add Japan domestic shipping of ¥550 (≈ NT$114), it actually ends up NT$61 more expensive; always factor in shipping for low-value items.

THE SHOPPING EDITTopic studyJapan × TaiwanJapan × the US

4 Checks Before You Order in Japan: AirPods Saves NT$1,395 in Taiwan, the Dripper Costs More After Shipping, Demonstrated With 10 Items

Using 5 HARIO items and 5 Apple and Sony items as examples: the AirPods Pro 3 is NT$1,395 cheaper in Taiwan, the WH-1000XM6 is only NT$69 cheaper in Japan, and the V60 dripper actually costs NT$61 more after shipping. Run all four checks before deciding where to pay.

TravPrice deskPublished September 11, 2026Updated September 15, 2026Checked through September 22, 202610 same-item comparisons · about 2 min read

On this page · 9 sections

Verdict
Check 1: Model and Bundle
Check 2: Price and Tax Basis
Check 3: Luggage, After-Sales, and Returns
The Final Column: Where Is It Worth Buying?
The gap in one chart
Price table
FAQ
Sources

Same-item pairs10 items

cheaper in Japan7 items70% · median save 16.0%

Save the mostUS$70.06Sony WH-1000XM6

cheaper in the US3 itemsup to US$40.49 · Apple AirPods Max 2

01 · Verdict

10 same-item comparisons

Verify before you pay — it usually saves more than chasing a small discount. The AirPods Pro 3 on Taiwan's official site is NT$1,395 cheaper than the converted Japan price, so there's no need to buy it in Japan at all; the Sony WH-1000XM6 is only NT$69 cheaper in Japan; the HARIO V60 dripper is NT$53 cheaper in Japan, but adding ¥550 shipping makes it NT$61 more expensive than Taiwan. The price gap only counts once it clears all four checks: model, tax basis, shipping, and warranty.

First check, the model: write down the full model number, color, size, and bundle — a Pro 2 and Pro 3, or a No. 02 and No. 01 dripper, can't share the same price.
Second check, price: Japan and Taiwan prices are tax-included, the US price is pre-tax — don't treat an unlisted shipping fee as zero.
Third check, luggage and after-sales: leave padding for glassware, and for items with only a small gap, buy wherever after-sales support is more convenient.

Comparison basis: official-site/retailer list prices as of 2026-09-11; exchange rate per Bank of Taiwan's spot selling rate on 2026-09-10, 1 JPY = NT$0.2076, 1 USD = NT$31.625. See the table below for each of the 10 items' source, tax basis, and verification date; the AirPods 5 is a preorder price and is excluded from the purchasable-item ranking.

Check 1: Model and Bundle

For HARIO, verify all five models: VDR-02-T, SSD-200-B, VSTN-2000B, VCS-02B, and VKBR-100-HSV; for headphones, verify generation, color, charging case, and standard package. Pages with similar names but different capacities can't share the same price.

For coffee gear, check whether filter papers or a scoop are included in the box (the SSD-200-B's Japan page includes 40 filter papers); for headphones, check whether it's in stock or preorder. AirPods 5 in Japan (¥23,800 ≈ NT$4,941) and Taiwan (NT$4,490) are both still preorder prices, so match the ship date against your travel dates.

Check 2: Price and Tax Basis

Note the Japan, Taiwan, and US list prices, their currencies, the verification date, and the source page. Japan and Taiwan prices are mostly incl. tax; the US Apple and Sony prices do not include state tax. At this exchange rate: the AirPods Pro 3 is NT$1,395 cheaper in Taiwan, and the WH-1000XM6 is NT$69 cheaper in Japan.

Then add Japan domestic or cross-border shipping, card and currency-exchange fees, and any necessary accessories. The VDR-02-T is NT$53 cheaper in Japan, but after adding a ¥550 shipping fee (≈ NT$114) it actually ends up NT$61 more expensive; don't fill in 0 for a fee you don't have a number for.

Check 3: Luggage, After-Sales, and Returns

VCS-02B is a 700mL glass server, so plan for shock protection and luggage space; over-ear and true-wireless boxes also take up different amounts of space. For items with a small price gap, prioritize buying wherever returns are nearby and the warranty is convenient.

Confirm the warranty region, return method, voltage and plug type, and wireless regulations; for preorder items, confirm the latest ship date so your trip doesn't end before it arrives.

The Final Column: Where Is It Worth Buying?

Fill in the model, package contents, verification date, tax basis, shipping, shipping date, warranty, and returns first, then compare the landed cost between Japan, Taiwan, or the US; the answer should be able to say where to buy, why, and by how much.

The current answer: buy the AirPods Pro 3 in Taiwan; only if you're in Japan and can combine orders do the HARIO SSD-200-B, VCS-02B, and VKBR-100-HSV hold onto their price gap; the WH-1000XM6 isn't worth going out of your way for NT$69.

The gap in one chart

How much you save per item (Japan converted vs the US list)cheaper in Japancheaper in the US

Sony WH-1000XM6Save US$70.06
Sony WF-1000XM5Save US$45.31
Hario V60 Buono Cloud…Save US$30.39
HARIO SWITCH Immersion…Save US$19.73
Hario V60 Clear…Save US$9.67
Hario V60 Drip Scale…Save US$9.45
Hario V60 Coffee…Save US$8.33
Apple AirPods 5the US cheaper US$27.23
Apple AirPods Pro 3the US cheaper US$31.96
Apple AirPods Max 2the US cheaper US$40.49

amounts are converted list prices, without tax-free, card fees or shipping. Full figures are in the table below.

WH-1000XM6 示意圖（本站 AI 重繪） — SonySony WH-1000XM6

WF-1000XM5 示意圖（本站 AI 重繪） — SonySony WF-1000XM5

V60 Buono 小雲朵手沖壺示意圖（本站 AI 重繪） — HARIOHario V60 Buono Cloud Drip…

SWITCH 浸漬式濾杯 02 示意圖（本站 AI 重繪） — HARIOHARIO SWITCH Immersion Coffee…

V60 透明濾杯 02 示意圖（本站 AI 重繪） — HARIOHario V60 Clear Dripper 02

V60 手沖電子秤 PLUS 示意圖（本站 AI 重繪） — HARIOHario V60 Drip Scale PLUS

V60 咖啡分享壺 700mL 示意圖（本站 AI 重繪） — HARIOHario V60 Coffee Server 700mL

AirPods 5 示意圖（本站 AI 重繪） — AppleApple AirPods 5

AirPods Pro 3 示意圖（本站 AI 重繪） — AppleApple AirPods Pro 3

AirPods Max 2 示意圖（本站 AI 重繪） — AppleApple AirPods Max 2

Price table(10 items)

Japan × the US · prices in this piece
Product	Japan list	Converted	the US list	Gap
Hario V60 Clear Dripper 02VDR-02-T	¥660HARIO official Yahoo store	US$4.33	US$14.00HARIO US official store	69.0% cheaper in JapanUS$9.67 ·checked 2026-09-18
HARIO SWITCH Immersion Coffee Dripper 02SSD-200-B	¥3,850HARIO Japan official store	US$25.27	US$45.00HARIO US official store	43.8% cheaper in JapanUS$19.73 ·checked 2026-09-18
Hario V60 Drip Scale PLUSVSTN-2000B	¥7,700HARIO Japan official store	US$50.55	US$60.00Hario USA	15.8% cheaper in JapanUS$9.45 ·checked 2026-09-18
Hario V60 Coffee Server 700mLVCS-02B	¥1,320HARIO Japan official store	US$8.67	US$17.00Hario USA	49.0% cheaper in JapanUS$8.33 ·checked 2026-09-18
Hario V60 Buono Cloud Drip KettleVKBR-100-HSV	¥4,510HARIO Japan official store	US$29.61	US$60.00Hario USA	50.7% cheaper in JapanUS$30.39 ·checked 2026-09-18
Apple AirPods Pro 3AirPods Pro 3 · USB-C	¥42,800Bic Camera	US$280.96	US$249.00Apple US official store	12.8% cheaper in the USUS$31.96 ·checked 2026-09-11
Apple AirPods Max 2AirPods Max 2 · Blue	¥89,800Bic Camera	US$589.49	US$549.00Apple US official store	7.4% cheaper in the USUS$40.49 ·checked 2026-09-11
Sony WH-1000XM6WH-1000XM6 / B	¥59,400Sony Japan official store	US$389.93	US$459.99Sony US official store	15.2% cheaper in JapanUS$70.06 ·checked 2026-09-11
Sony WF-1000XM5WF-1000XM5 / B	¥35,750Sony Japan official store	US$234.68	US$279.99Sony US official store	16.2% cheaper in JapanUS$45.31 ·checked 2026-09-11
Apple AirPods 5AirPods 5 · White	¥23,800Bic Camera	US$156.23	US$129.00Apple US official store	21.1% cheaper in the USUS$27.23 ·checked 2026-09-11

FX: Bank of Taiwan 2026-09-10 spot selling JPY/TWD 0.2076, USD/TWD 31.625.US sources exclude state and local tax, so they cannot be treated as the same tax basis as Japan’s included stickers.

FAQ

What should you check first before shopping in Japan?: The full model number and bundle, the tax basis in both places, shipping and card fees, and the warranty and return policy — items with similar names but a different size or generation can't share a price.
Which products are actually cheaper in Taiwan?: Of the 10 items shown, the AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Max 2, Sony WF-1000XM5, and AirPods 5 are all cheaper in Taiwan, by NT$432–1,395.
Can shipping fees flip the price gap?: Yes. The HARIO V60 dripper is NT$53 cheaper in Japan, but once you add Japan domestic shipping of ¥550 (≈ NT$114), it actually ends up NT$61 more expensive; always factor in shipping for low-value items.

09 · Sources

Ranks, prices and FX keep their source links and check dates; the piece is written with the TravPrice comparison method and has no hands-on review or test score.

Listed prices: Japan and the US official or channel list prices for 10 productsChecked through 2026-09-22; each source link is in the price table and product page.
FX: Bank of Taiwan FX ↗Bank of Taiwan spot selling reference rate; the US dollar is cross-converted · JPY/TWD 0.2076 · USD/TWD 31.625 · 2026-09-10 23:22:00 (Taiwan time)
Published and updated: September 11, 2026 · updated September 15, 2026Comparison basis: official-site/retailer list prices as of 2026-09-11; exchange rate per Bank of Taiwan's spot selling rate on 2026-09-10, 1 JPY = NT$0.2076, 1 USD = NT$31.625. See the table below for each of the 10 items' source, tax basis, and verification date; the AirPods 5 is a preorder price and is excluded from the purchasable-item ranking.

See the Sony WH-1000XM6 comparison ↗All price-gap rankings ↗More weekly notes and guides ↗

Keep reading

01Topic study

AirPods Pro 3 Actually Saves NT$1,395 in Taiwan! Comparing 4 Apple and Sony Headphones, Only 1 Is Cheaper in Japan

Comparing official-site prices for the same generation, color, and standard bundle: the AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Max 2, and Sony WF-1000XM5 are all cheaper in Taiwan, and only the Sony WH-1000XM6 is cheaper in Japan — by just NT$69. Buying in the US instead, Apple is cheaper there while Sony is cheaper in Japan.

02Weekly note

HARIO Saves NT$451 in Japan! Comparing 5 Coffee Tools, the V60 Dripper Costs NT$61 More Online After Shipping

This piece compares 5 HARIO items' Japan official-site prices with Taiwan's official catalog: the Switch immersion dripper saves 36%, the sharing server saves 31%, the pour-over kettle saves 22%, and the scale saves 11%. Ordering the V60 dripper alone online, plus shipping, actually costs NT$61 more than in Taiwan.

03Topic study

You'll Lose Money Buying Headphones in Japan! Comparing 4 In-Ear and Over-Ear Models: 3 Cheaper in Taiwan, Sony WH-1000XM6 Only NT$69 Cheaper

Sort by form factor first, then compare prices: in-ear models AirPods Pro 3 and Sony WF-1000XM5 are NT$432-1,395 cheaper in Taiwan; over-ear model AirPods Max 2 is NT$652 cheaper in Taiwan, while the Sony WH-1000XM6 is cheaper in Japan, but only by NT$69.

04Theme study

The #1 Spot on a Japan Ranking Isn't Always the Cheapest! AirPods Pro 3 Tops the Chart, Yet Saves NT$1,395 in Taiwan: How to Read 2026 Rankings

Bic Camera, @cosme, kakaku.com, and Urecon each rank by a different yardstick. A ranking only narrows the field — the model number, official price, and landed cost are what decide whether to buy. AirPods Pro 3 is No. 1 on Bic Camera's headphone ranking, yet it's NT$1,395 cheaper in Taiwan.