9 Budget measures that will change how and what you buy

Union Budget 2026 has redrawn the fine print on customs duties, quietly reshaping what Indians pay for everything from overseas shopping splurges and gaming consoles to cancer medicines and senior-care products. While some measures make high-value imports and essential items cheaper, others add incremental costs that consumers will feel over time. Here is a closer look, point by point, at what changes at the checkout counter.1. Shopping sprees abroad will leave consumers’ wallets a little lighter, with the effective customs duty on goods imported for personal use inching up from 10% to 11%. The increase may look modest, but on high-ticket luxury items the impact is visible. For instance, gifting an OMEGA Speedmaster Moonwatch Chrono for Valentine’s Day could now cost roughly Rs 8,000 more, compared with the earlier cost of about Rs 8.04 lakh.

For frequent international travellers who rely on personal imports, the cumulative effect could be noticeable.

2. There is significant relief for patients battling cancer. Seventeen additional cancer drugs have been fully exempted from customs duty, a move expected to lower treatment costs. Tremelimumab, used in the treatment of liver cancer, is a case in point. A box containing 20 doses of a 15-ml vial that earlier sold for around Rs 27 lakh could now become cheaper by nearly Rs 2.6 lakh, offering significan financial relief to patients and families.

3. For households already grappling with rising screen time, gaming is about to get costlier. A Sony PlayStation PS5, which earlier retailed at around Rs 50,000, could now cost close to Rs 53,000. The increase stems from a higher customs duty on parts used in the manufacturing of video game consoles, a change that manufacturers are expected to pass on to consumers.

4. Not all electronics buyers lose out. Getting a MacBook from an overseas trip will now be easier on the budget. The customs duty of 35% on the import of one laptop for personal use has been removed. As a result, an imported MacBook Pro 14 could be cheaper by about Rs 45,000, making it far more attractive for travellers who prefer to buy premium laptops abroad.

5. Returning home after a long stint overseas could now come with a little extra sparkle. The enhanced duty-free jewellery allowance allows women to bring in an imported 40-gram gold chain with savings of around Rs 35,000. This change is expected to benefit returning residents and overseas workers who bring jewellery as part of their personal effects.6. Kitchen appliances also get a breather. The Basic Customs Duty on certain parts of microwave ovens has been slashed from 20% to zero. This could translate into lower retail prices. A Panasonic microwave oven currently priced at about Rs 17,600 may now be available for roughly Rs 1,000 less, offering some relief to consumers upgrading their kitchens.

7. Digital reading, however, becomes slightly more expensive. A Kindle e-reader that earlier cost around Rs 20,000 could now be dearer by about Rs 1,200, following an increase in customs duty on parts used in e-readers. For avid readers, this partially erodes the cost advantage of digital devices over physical books.

8. Showing off one’s intellectual side may also come at a higher price. The Basic Customs Duty on CD-ROMs containing educational books, journals, magazines or newspapers has been raised from zero to 10%. Educational institutions and individual buyers who still rely on such media could see higher procurement costs.

9. Finally, ageing gracefully may now cost a bit more. A hike in BCD on materials used for adult diapers is expected to push up prices. A pack of FRIENDS 10 adult diapers, earlier priced at about Rs 500, could now cost roughly Rs 20 more. While the increase is small in absolute terms, it adds to the monthly expenses of seniors and caregivers.

** Based on analysis done by EY for Times News Network. The estimates are based on prevailing retail prices of popular brands, with a tentative distributor margin factored in. The indicative post-Budget prices reflect the impact of the announced customs duty changes on imported goods.