TravPriceProduct note · Japan × US3.0% cheaper in the US
Is Apple EarPods with 3.5mm Headphone Plug cheaper in Japan? the US vs Japan, a US$0.56 gap | 2026 price check
Cheaper in the US by US$0.56 (3.0%): Japan ¥2,980 ≈ US$19.56, the US US$19.00.
01 · Verdict
3.0% cheaper in the US- Japan list price
- ¥2,980incl. tax · Bic Camera list price incl. tax; a single purchase is below the general-goods tax-free threshold · In stock
- Converted US currency
- ≈ US$19.56JPY/USD 0.006564 · Bank of Taiwan board
- US list price
- US$19.00excl. tax · official current single-item list price (state/local sales tax calculated separately at checkout based on address) · In stock
- cheaper in US
- US$0.563.0% · US list price as denominator
US stickers exclude state and local tax; Japan stickers include tax. The bases differ, so this is not a landed cost.
Japanincl. tax、the USexcl. tax; where the tax basis differs, only the list prices are compared; a comparison of two named sources’ list prices, before card fees, shipping and tax refunds. Checked 2026-09-16. Before you order, use theJapan source page and the US source pagecurrent prices.
Japan vs US price table
| Market | List price | Source · checked | Tax basis · stock |
|---|---|---|---|
| JapanBic Camera list price incl. tax; a single purchase is below the general-goods tax-free threshold | ¥2,980 | Bic Camera ↗ | incl. taxIn stock |
| USofficial current single-item list price (state/local sales tax calculated separately at checkout based on address) | US$19.00 | Apple US official – EarPods 3.5mm ↗ | excl. taxIn stock |
| Japan convertedJPY/USD 0.006564 (JPY/TWD 0.2076 ÷ USD/TWD 31.625) | US$19.56 | Bank of Taiwan rate ↗ | Spot sellingNot a card or cash rate |
| Gapcheaper in US | US$0.56 | 3.0%US list price as denominator | Extra fees not includedCard fee, shipping and tax-free extra |
To use your own FX, fees and shipping, open the Price calculator.
Is it worth buying in Japan?
The 3.5mm version suits devices that still have an analog headphone jack. EarPods with the same look come with several connector types; this comparison covers only the white 3.5mm single-unit earphones, so still confirm device compatibility for the volume control and microphone.
- With a 1.5% foreign card fee: Japan comes to about US$19.86, above the US by US$0.86.
- Break-even rate 0.0064 USD/JPY: above it the the US sticker is the cheaper one (this check used 0.0066, cross-converted from the Bank of Taiwan yen and dollar rates).
Before you buy
- Confirm the 3.5mm plug; do not select the Lightning or USB-C version.
- Confirm the device in use supports the inline remote and microphone.
- The Japan and Taiwan part number is MWU53FE/A; the US part number is MWU53AM/A.
05 · Sources
Each price keeps its source link, price kind, tax basis and check date, and is calculated with the TravPrice comparison method. If a price or model is wrong, check the source page and report it.
- Japan price
- Bic Camera ↗Bic Camera list price incl. tax; a single purchase is below the general-goods tax-free threshold · incl. tax · In stock · checked 2026-09-16
- US price
- Apple US official – EarPods 3.5mm ↗official current single-item list price (state/local sales tax calculated separately at checkout based on address) · excl. tax · In stock · checked 2026-09-11
- FX
- Bank of Taiwan FX ↗Bank of Taiwan spot selling reference rate; the US dollar is cross-converted · JPY/USD 0.006564 (JPY/TWD 0.2076 ÷ USD/TWD 31.625) · 2026-09-10 23:22:00 (Taiwan time)
- Model match
- White; 3.5mm analog wired connector; built-in remote and microphone; official page lists deep bass, sweat and splash resistance, music control, and call functions.Japan and Taiwan share the same part number MWU53FE/A; the US part number is MWU53AM/A. Confirmed the same white color, 3.5mm connector, inline remote, and microphone spec across all three markets' official pages; the regional part-number difference is kept as-is.
- Official product page
- Brand product page ↗Product images on this site are redrawn illustrations; use the official page for appearance, extras and packaging.
- This page generated
- Generated from the same checked data; it is recalculated when the data updates.
Keep reading
Bic Camera electronics: 236 Japan–Taiwan matches, 57% of items cheaper in Japan
We compare 236 verified same-product prices: 135 cost less in Japan and 101 cost less in Taiwan. Median Japan savings are 5.9%; KANDAO Meeting Pro (Panoramic Video Conference Ca… has the largest cash gap at NT$20,637.
02Theme studyApple in Japan: 41 matched prices and 26 tax-free opportunities at Bic Camera
The 41 tax-included Japan list prices are compared with Taiwan. If a qualifying traveller buys the same models at Bic Camera, 26 estimated tax-free prices are lower in Japan and 14 remain lower in Taiwan.
03Theme studyHeadphones and speakers: 51 Japan–Taiwan matches, 65% of items cheaper in Japan
We compare 51 verified same-product prices: 33 cost less in Japan and 18 cost less in Taiwan. Median Japan savings are 13.5%; Bowers & Wilkins B&W PX8 Flagship Active Noise-Ca… has the largest cash gap at NT$8,907.
04Theme studyWhat costs more in Japan? 222 products cheaper in Taiwan
222 verified matches currently have a lower Taiwan list price. The largest Taiwan advantage is NT$27,040 on ASUS PRIME RTX 5070TI O16G Graphics Card.