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In case you have been living in a cave for the last year, a VPN (Virtual Private Network) like Surfshark is a piece of downloadable software that allows you to change your virtual location by connecting to servers in different countries. This hides your real IP address and makes it look like you’re browsing from somewhere else.
The popularity of VPNs has soared in recent times following the introduction of draconian internet censorship laws like the UK’s ‘dystopic’ Online Safety Bill’, but savvy net users and seasoned global travellers have been using them for years to great advantage.
In this post we will look at how a VPN can help you to beat price discrimination.
The Broke Backpacker is supported by you. Clicking through our links may earn us a small affiliate commission, and that's what allows us to keep producing free content 🙂 Learn more.
What Is Price Discrimination?
Price discrimination is when a company charges different prices for the exact same product or service depending on certain factors — often without you even realizing it.
In online travel and shopping, it usually works like a little something like this:
- Location-based pricing: Your IP address reveals where you are, and websites adjust prices. For example, flights might be more expensive if you’re browsing from the U.S. than from, say, India.
- Device-based pricing: Sometimes prices differ between mobile and desktop users and individual devices!
- History-based pricing: Websites track your searches with cookies, so if you’ve been checking the same flight for days, they might show you a higher fare cos they know you really want it.
- Currency differences: Prices may appear “adjusted” in your local currency but actually cost more than booking in another currency. Maths eh?!
For example:
- A hotel room could cost $120 when booked from the UK but $90 when booked from an IP address in the destination country.
- A streaming subscription might cost $12/month in the U.S. but only $6/month in another country.
It’s essentially a form of dynamic pricing system. This is why using a VPN can help you “level the playing field” and find the fairest price.
Step-by-Step: Using a VPN to Find Better Deals
Using a good VPN to beat price discrimination is easier than you think. Here’s a simple walkthrough;
1. Sign up for Surfshark
Signing up for a VPN like Surfshark takes just a couple of minutes. Once you’ve created an account, download the app on your device.
2. Clear your cookies and cache
Websites remember your previous searches. Clearing your cookie and cache data ensures you start afresh, and don’t get hit with “return visitor” price hikes.
3. Connect to a different server
Choose a country where the product or service might be cheaper. Popular starting points:
- Flights: Try searching from the airline’s home country.
- Hotels: Check rates from the country where the hotel is located.
- Streaming: Look for regions where subscriptions cost less.
4. Compare prices
Search for the same flight, hotel, or service and note the price differences. Sometimes even a $20 drop per night on a hotel stay adds up to hundreds saved over the course of your trip.
5. Book and save
Once you find the best price, go ahead and lock it in. Congrats — you just beat the system. Boom!!
Real-Life Examples of Savings
So, how much can you really actually save with this trick? Let’s break down a few scenarios travelers have shared with us;
- Flights – A round-trip flight from New York to Paris showed $750 when searched from the U.S., but only $620 when searched via a French server. That’s a savings of $130 per ticket.
- Hotels – A fancy hotel villa in Bali listed at $120/night when searched from the U.K., but only $90/night from an Indonesian server. Over a week-long stay, that’s nearly $210 saved.
- Streaming – A streaming subscription (which cannot be named…) cost $12/month in the U.S., but just $6/month when purchased via an Indian server — cutting the annual cost in half.
Savings will vary depending on the service, but checking a few locations takes just a few minutes so it’s always worth a try.
Extra Tips to Maximize Your Savings
Want to take your VPN price-hunting skills to the next level? Here are a few pro tips:
- Try multiple servers – Prices can vary even between nearby countries. If you’re searching flights to Europe, try Germany, France, and the Netherlands to compare.
- Check different currencies – Sometimes it’s cheaper to pay in a local currency, even after conversion fees.
- Use incognito mode – This prevents sites from tracking your search behavior and inflating prices.
- Book early, then check back – Flight and hotel prices fluctuate. If you find a better deal later, some companies will let you cancel and rebook.
- Pair with other savings tools – Use rewards points, cashback apps, or loyalty programs to stack the discounts.
Why Surfshark Is Perfect for Travelers
While most VPNs let you change your location, Surfshark is particularly well-suited for budget-conscious travelers. Here is why;
- Global coverage – Over 100 server locations, so you can compare deals from just about anywhere.
- Unlimited devices – One single account covers your phone, laptop, tablet, and even your partner’s devices.
- Fast speeds – No frustrating lag while you’re checking prices or streaming your favorite shows abroad.
- Privacy first – Even while hunting for deals, your data stays safe and encrypted.
Plus, Surfshark offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it risk-free and see how much you can save.
I have personally used Surfshark for about 2 years now and find it to be the best and most reasonably priced VPN I have ever used. It gets the TBB blessing and is hands down one of the best travel apps in our arsenal.
Final Thoughts
Rest assured that price discrimination (like global chaos) isn’t going away anytime soon, but you don’t have to let it eat up your travel budget.
By using Surfshark VPN (other VPN’s are available…), you can access fairer prices, unlock regional deals, and keep more money for the fun parts of your trip — like that extra night in a beachside bungalow or an epic tapas street food tour.
It’s one of the simplest travel hacks out there to be hones- and once you try it, you’ll never go back to booking trips without it.
Ready to start saving? Get, Surfshark, test a few locations, and see how much you can shave off your next adventure.
Buy Us a Coffee!
A couple of you lovely readers suggested we set up a tip jar for direct support as an alternative to booking through our links, since we’ve decided to keep the site ad-free. So here it is!
You can now buy The Broke Backpacker a coffee. If you like and use our content to plan your trips, it’s a much appreciated way to show appreciation 🙂
