iPod Index

As of October, Australia is the cheapest place in the world to buy an iPod. This is a reflection on the recent fall of the Australian dollar compared to the U.S. Dollar. Designed to provide price comparisons of the same goods when purchased in different countries, the iPod index is not a direct measurement of currency exchange rates. In the value of U.S. Dollars, the price comparisons are based on the iPod 8GB nano. It is more than just consumer electronic that the iPod index reflects. Between countries, the comparison, in US dollars, also represent price differences of most consumer goods. The iPod index helps give individuals a better idea of where their country’s currency stands, but the actual cost of the iPod may vary in each location. Based on local price changes of the actual product, the ranking on the iPod index occasionally fluctuates. As newer models have been released and prices have dropped, causing the Australian iPod prices to have changed in recent months. July of 2008, a 45 percent decline in value against the U.S. Dollar caused Australia to top the list. On a list of over 60 countries, Australia was ranked as the 14th cheapest place. Some of the most expensive places to purchase an iPod are Argentina, Brazil, Russia, and Uruguay, according to the CommSec iPod index.