Got a Kindle? Use it outside the US?  You’re probably better off setting the Kindle Region to the US.

But Wait, you might shout – You’ll pay roaming charges for that!  Yes, that’s true – you’ll pay USD$1.99 for each book downloaded to your kindle over Whispernet while you’re outside the US.

The thing Amazon doesn’t tell you is that the international kindle prices are exactly the same.

Don’t believe me? See for yourself on the Amazon site.

First, set your Kindle Region to (say) Australia.

Kindle Region is Australia

Now, take a look at some book you’re interested in.

Helfort's War Book 2: The Battle of the Hammer Planets. International Kindle Store Price: USD$8.39, includes Whispernet International Delivery

Setting my kindle region to the USA for a moment and refreshing the page shows me the US Kindle Price

Same book, but on the US Kindle Site. Price? USD$6.39.

As you can see, for this book it’s USD$6.39 on the US Kindle Store. Add in USD$1.99 for International Whispernet Delivery, and it comes to USD$8.38  - You make a saving of USD 1c by doing this.

Things are much the same it seems for magazine subscriptions. Although, I’ve only checked the prices for two monthly magazines, the price differences are about the same.

International Kindle Store Price: USD$5.99, with International Whispernet Delivery

US Kindle Store Price: USD$2.99/month

Plus – there is significantly MORE books available on the US Kindle Store than the Australian version.

It’s well worth checking out.

NB: If you have any magazine/newspaper subscriptions, and especially any daily/weekly ones – then read the roaming letter they send you carefully, it includes information about per-item delivery costs.

Edit: Can I use any address in the USA, Or do I need a valid US Billing Address?

Don’t edit your billing address, just your Kindle Region – in the section marked ‘Your Country’. And yes, any address in the USA Works, as long as you have a valid Zip Code.