Overview

• A Reddit user detailed how an 11-day budget trip to Hanoi combined remote work with a MacBook purchase for about ₹1.48 lakh after Vietnam VAT refund, yielding roughly ₹36,500 in savings.
• He reported total expenses of ₹2.08 lakh before refund and ₹1.97 lakh after, leaving only ₹48,000 spent on the vacation once the laptop cost is removed.
• Major Indian outlets have noted that local e-commerce and bank card deals in India can cut Apple device prices by up to ₹30,000, narrowing the appeal of overseas buying.
• Analysts now warn that added baggage fees, visa charges and choices in accommodation standards are crucial factors that may wipe out any laptop savings.
• The viral post has spurred growing interest in shopping tourism and work-travel integration as consumers explore cross-border price arbitrage and tax-refund schemes.