Where to Buy Cheap LEGO? We Compared Prices Across 22 Countries/Regions

Have you ever pondered the global price distribution of the LEGO kits you purchase? Is it above or below average? You can now discover.

We've compiled the pertinent information and compared LEGO pricing in 22 nations and regions, including North America, Europe, and Australia.

Are LEGO sets the cheapest in Australia?

With U.S. prices as the benchmark, we conducted our research using Brickset's MSRP/RRP data. Australia was found to have the lowest prices for new LEGO sets out of 22 nations across North America and Europe. Residents of Australia typically pay 2.7% less than those in the United States, the baseline nation.

This graphic shows how much LEGO sets cost in different nations compared to the US. The colours represent the comparative results:

  • Green means that costs are over 1% less than those in the United States.
  • Prices that are within 1% of those in the US are shown in blue.
  • Prices in light blue are 1% to 5% more than those in the US.
  • Prices in orange are 5% to 7.5% more than those in the United States.
  • Prices in red are more than 7.5% more than those in the United States.

The figure shows Australia in green, indicating that prices are lower than those in the United States. The blue icons show similar pricing for Canada and the mainland of the US.

Most European nations, including the UK, Germany, and France, are indicated in light blue and have higher costs than those in the US. Nordic countries, such as Sweden and Norway, are marked in red, and their costs are far higher than the US.

LEGO Maintains Price Parity Across Its Major Regional Markets

The price discrepancies between the United States and the most prominent Western European countries are less than 1%, indicating that LEGO's pricing is highly constant across its key markets. Prices are the same in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain, all of which use the Euro. Like in the UK and Slovakia, prices in these nations are comparable to those in the US.

How Did We Calculate These Numbers?

Brickset provided us with the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Prices (MSRP), often known as RRP, SRP, or MRP, for the 50 most extensive sets launched this year.

All prices in other currencies (such as euros) were converted to US dollars because the US was selected as the "reference country." Any percentage difference is a comparison to baseline pricing in the US.

The exchange rate significantly impacts the outcomes. To reduce this impact as much as feasible, the current exchange rate was used instead of the average rate for 2023.

For instance, the Australian dollar's ongoing strength vs the US dollar is one of the reasons Australia is the cheapest. These results are unlikely to stay the same over the next 12 months due to their proximity and intense sensitivity to changes in the exchange rate.

For instance, the LEGO Venator-Class Republic Attack CruiserTM 75367 has a 5% pricing differential between the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and seven EU nations.

Australia once again has the lowest price, but depending on the exchange rate LEGO employs to "lock in" the final retail price, future releases might see a reversal.

Sales tax and VAT (Value Added Tax)

Federal, state, and local taxes are not included in LEGO's prices in the United States and Canada. This may be one reason LEGO communities abroad believe that costs in these countries are lower.

Because combined sales taxes in the US vary from 0% in some states (like Oregon) to 9% in others (like Washington), goods in some states are more affordable than those in others.

Based on a population-weighted average tax rate across states, a 7.5% sales tax has been imposed on US quoted prices to account for this. A similar strategy was used for Canada, which yielded a combined tax rate of 12.4%, including GST, PST, HST, and QST.

Given that Nordic political systems often support a wide range of public services through higher tax rates, it should be no surprise that LEGO kits are the most expensive there.

For instance, VAT rates are about 25% in Scandinavia and 20% in Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.

Other Factors

Although sales taxes and exchange rates significantly impact prices, several other factors, such as labour costs, distance from industrial sites, customer purchasing power (such as in Switzerland), and inflation, can also raise costs. When examining price discrepancies, several different aspects should be considered.

Why Did We Choose Only 22 Countries?

Australia, Canada, the United States, and most European countries are among the 22 countries covered by Brickset's pricing data. These nations are home to around 900 million people and contribute half the global GDP.

Regretfully, information about other significant areas is less accessible. I couldn't have written this post without Brickset's extensive price database.

Conclusion: LEGO sets are cheapest in Australia among Europe and North America regions.

Our most significant discovery is that pricing is mainly stable across major markets. Initially, we anticipated greater diversity, particularly across North American and European nations.

Even in nations with more pronounced pricing disparities, local factors like the previously mentioned taxes are typically to blame.

Barbie dolls, Pokémon cards, and Goo Jit Zu figures are probably going to be pricey in Switzerland if LEGO sets are. This implies that LEGO seeks to keep prices as uniform as possible across its primary markets. However, we cannot be optimistic about this (at least on a macro level—individual set costs may still vary).

Congratulations to Australia, which has the lowest prices and exchange rates for LEGO purchases in Europe and North America.

It's your turn now! How much do LEGOs cost in your area? Do you know how to purchase LEGO kits for less money? Please share your experiences in the comments section; I'd love to hear about them!