Gaming isn’t a cheap hobby. Ask any regular player, and odds are, they’ll lament choosing one game over another, or how bad the latest Steam Sale wrecked their wallets. But as a recent global study indicates, some places have it better than others, and vice versa.
The 2017 Tech Price Index is a survey of 72 countries’ technology markets, complete with sales data, market trends, and a stock of prices around the world. Rocket Internet Venture and Linio, the largest online retailer in Latin America, carried the study out. Results indicate that prices of gaming as a hobby vary wildly depending on the country.
To get their data, both companies analyzed the prices of consoles based on regional online retailers. Prices given by the largest retailers in the respective countries’ five largest cities were also factored into the data.
As the data indicates, the most expensive country to own a gaming console, by a large margin, is Venezuela. A base PlayStation 4 will run consumers close to $57,000 USD, while an Xbox One costs around $37,000. The runner-ups are still pricey, but less absurd, with the most expensive places running between $600 to $800 USD.
On the opposite end of things, Hungary and Switzerland have some pretty competetive pricing for consoles. A PlayStation 4 in Hungary will run you around $250, while an Xbox One in Switzerland costs around $222.
By and large, the study shows, gaming consoles are cheapest in both Europe and Canada. Conversely, it’s a more expensive hobby to pick up for those living in Asian and Latin American country. And, keeping in line with cost of consoles, Venezuela is the least affordable place to play games. This is due, in large part, to the hyperinflation which has done a serious number on the country’s economy.
The full list can be seen on Linio’s site, and it’s well worth looking over just to put things in perspective. If you find yourself cutting costs to save up for the Nintendo Switch or another upcoming console, you can take solace in the fact that you won’t have to take out a mortgage for it.