There are few things more frustrating for an airport duty-free shopper than getting to the cashier with goods in hand, showing them your boarding pass, and being promptly told that your destination doesn’t allow you to bring in that quantity of goods without paying duty.
It’s understandable why. Navigating the various customs regulations of different countries can be difficult and limits that you thought were more or less universal can end up wildly varying – even between destinations such as Hong Kong and China.
With that in mind, we’ve gone through countries’ duty-free exemptions across Asia-Pacific and compiled them all into one convenient table.
| Country | Alcohol (spirits) | Alcohol (wine/beer) | Cigarettes | Cigars | Tobacco |
| Australia | 2.25l | 25 (plus an open packet) | Equal to 25g | 25g | |
| Cambodia | 2l | 200 | 50 | 200g | |
| China | 1.5l (over 12% ABV) | 400 | 100 | 500g | |
| Hong Kong | 1l (over 30% ABV) | 19 | 1 | 25g | |
| Indonesia | 1l | 200 | 25 | 100g | |
| Japan* | 3x bottles of 760ml | 200 | 50 | 250g | |
| Laos | 2l | 2l (wine); 5l (beer) | 200 | 50 | 250g |
| Macau | 1l (over 30% ABV) | 19 | 1 | 25g | |
| Malaysia | 1l | 200 | Equal to 225g | 225g | |
| Myanmar | 2l | 400 | 50 | 250g | |
| New Zealand | 3x bottles of 1.125l | 4.5l | 50 | Equal to 50g | 50g |
| The Philippines | 2x bottles of 1l | 400 | 50 | 250g | |
| Singapore** | 1l | 1l | 0 | 0 | 0g |
| South Korea*** | 1x bottle of 1l (not more than US$400) | 200 | 50 | 250g | |
| Taiwan | 1l | 200 | 25 | 450g | |
| Thailand | 1l | 1l | 200 | Equal to 250g | 250g |
| Vietnam | 1.5l (over 22% ABV); 2l (below 22% ABV) | 200 | 100 | 500g |
*Japan also levies duty on perfume over 2 ounces (56ml).
** Singapore allows a combination of 1 litre each of spirits, wine and beer; 2 litres of wine and one litre of beer; or 1 litre of wine and 2 litres of beer. All tobacco products are subject to duty.
*** South Korea also levies duty on perfume over 60ml.
