Using the current exchange rate, £1 = $1.86 but since the average minimum wage in the US is around $5.30 and £5.05 in the UK. That means that where the average miimum wage in the US is $5.30, if converted into dollars the average minimum wage would be $9.41.
That' s why things appear to cost more here. Generally.
So, if the exchange rate is 1.86 in favour of the £, then £199 is the equivalent of $370.
So in the UK the HD-DVD drive will retail for the best part of $400, and that' s
seems bad at first, ...but then you need to divide the $199 by 1.86 to get the equivalent US
expendature which is $106.
So, for Evil Man going out and spending $100 is like me going out and spending £200. The only difference is that if i wanted to get dollars for a trip to the US, for every $100 i bought i would only be spending £53.
Still with me?!
Basically you can' t convert the £199 UK pricetag into $370 because you need to take other factors into account like the minimum wage in each country and the
worth of the currency. It' ll no doubt retail for $99 in the States, but that' s the same to an American as £199 is to somebody living in England who only gets the national minimum wage.