Why the Same Steam Game Costs Different Amounts in Different Countries: Regional Pricing Explained

It's the same game, but a friend in another country quotes a completely different number than the one in your Steam cart. Try converting their price into your own currency at today's exchange rate and the figures often refuse to line up — sometimes your region works out cheaper, sometimes pricier. This isn't a glitch. Steam sets prices separately for each country, a system called regional pricing. In this article we'll unpack how those per-country prices are decided, why a game can suddenly cost more or less one day, and what all of that means for the price you actually see in your own store.