TravPriceProduct note · Japan × US3.0% cheaper in the US
Is Apple EarPods with Lightning Connector 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 Lightning ↗ | 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?
Lightning wired earphones suit devices that still use a compatible connector. This comparison covers the white single unit with an inline remote and microphone; confirm your device's connector before buying, since even a small price gap can be wiped out by shipping and card fees.
- 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 device has a Lightning connector and a compatible OS.
- Confirm the single earpiece, inline remote, and microphone.
- The regional part number differs; confirm repair and warranty service with the retailer you purchased from.
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 Lightning ↗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; Lightning wired connector; built-in remote and microphone; supports Lightning devices and iOS 10 or later.All three regions are the same Lightning wired EarPods product family; regional part numbers differ, and users should note that a Lightning connector does not fit USB-C devices. The same connector type and white wired spec can be compared directly across regions; the Lightning version is not merged with the USB-C or 3.5mm versions.
- 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.
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