The cheapest countries to buy a Samsung Galaxy S23

We fully expected the Samsung Galaxy S23 to take the Android phone market by storm when it launched in February 2023, and we weren’t wrong. It was hardly a bold prediction — Samsung has ruled the high-end Android world for a few years now, just as the latest iPhone always wows iOS fans and critics. Another similarity with Apple devices is the premium price tag that the Samsung handsets command, with the base model of the Galaxy S23 retailing for $799 in the US. If you’ve had thoughts about trying to pick up the device at a lower price while abroad, you might be interested to find out the cheapest place to buy a Galaxy S23 outside the US.

We’ve done the research so that you don’t have to. You’ll find the answers below.

We’re specifically looking at the price for a US tourist wanting to buy the phone in that country. Why is this important? Well, because in many parts of the world, they like to slap on a sales tax when you make such purchases. But if you’re not a resident of that country, you usually have the option to get that tax reimbursed before you head back home.

What are the cheapest countries in which to buy a Galaxy S23?

Here’s a rundown of the list price of the Galaxy S23 in a number of the biggest markets in which it is sold.

Note that the price of the Galaxy S23 in the US to a local resident is going to be more than $799. It depends on the state you’re in, but it might typically end up costing closer to $880 with sales tax included. On the flip side, the prices in the other countries may or may not include a sales tax. That means as a non-resident, you won’t be paying more than the price listed and may be able to claim a reimbursement on part of the cost.

With that in mind, the cheapest place in the world to buy the Galaxy S23 right now is China at $730. Australia and Singapore aren’t far behind. There’s also a notable mention for Samsung’s home country of South Korea, where the 128GB variant isn’t currently available on the site, but the 256GB model is just $817. That probably puts it up there among the cheapest when comparing like for like.

The most expensive places listed to buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 are Mexico and Brazil, where the equivalent USD price exceeds $1,200. This is probably related to exchange rate fluctuations, as we’ve explained below.

Hang on, I saw it available for a lower price!

We don’t doubt it. There are a few caveats to make about these prices.

Firstly, we’re comparing the price of an unlocked Galaxy S23 directly from the Samsung website of each country. That’s not to say you can’t find some backstreet salesman hawking cheap Galaxy handsets, but that’s your risk to take — we’re sticking with the official manufacturer’s pricing for the purpose of the comparison.

Secondly, there are trade-in savings, carrier plan deals, and promotions to consider. As costly as the Galaxy phones can be, Samsung often offers the handsets for sale at lower prices to give sales a bit of a bump. For example, at the time of writing, you’re able to buy the Galaxy S23 for $699.99 on Amazon in the US, saving yourself $100 and undercutting some of the ‘cheaper’ countries anyway.

Should I buy the Galaxy S23 from another country?

Citizens of countries like Mexico might be able to make substantial savings by purchasing the Galaxy S23 north of the border. But if you’re a US resident, there isn’t a large amount of money to be saved by buying the Galaxy S23 abroad.

If you find yourself in a country where the Galaxy S23 is priced lower and have the opportunity to apply for a sales tax refund, buying the phone during your journey might result in some savings. However, the US is still at the cheaper end of the scale for buying the handset, at least in US dollars. The expenses associated with traveling to other countries where you can obtain it at a slightly lower cost will far surpass any potential savings you could enjoy. And, as we touched on above, you can probably make comparable savings at home if you wait for the phone to go on sale.

Taxes play a major role in why the Galaxy is cheaper or pricier in different countries. When determining the handset prices, sales tax and import duties are factored in to ensure Samsung still makes a good profit from the sales.

On top of that, we’re comparing the prices of each country in US dollars, so exchange rates come into play too. The retail price of the phone was set before its launch in February 2023. However, in these uncertain economic times, the value of each country’s currency may have fluctuated significantly against the dollar. For instance, the dollar has fallen around 10% against the Mexican Peso since the phone hit the shelves. If we had made the comparison on the launch date, the prices in the two countries would be much closer. When we make the same comparison six months from now, a different country could be offering the cheapest Galaxy in USD terms.