For less than a tank of gas, I just built a retro ROM console, and the new version 3 boards are beefy enough to run video through Kodi without missing a beat or play any old console games I've tried up through the PS1/N64 era.
Arduino/Genuinos on the other hand are easily available on our version of eBay and can be purchased as low as USD 30 which is an order of magnitude difference between the prices, and yes, one is a real computer and the other a microcontroller but sometimes you get what you can afford.
this schism between arduino people is completely ignored here and we'll buy the cheapest chinese knockoff if it is available.
That page has a few anecdotes. In summmary:
Case one: $35 (product cost) + $40 (international UPS shipping) + $100 (import and administration taxes)
Case two: "I bought one R-Pi from Farnell Brazil (http://www.farnell.com.br/) and I paid R$185,50 ( ~ U$90) with taxes and postage."
I remember trying to help some Brazilian users find the cheapest way to get a hold of one a couple of years ago, and I heard similar stories: high import taxes even when there were official distributors operating in the country, and high shipping charges when there weren't and they needed to order the devices internationally. I don't think that it's resellers trying to fleece their customers. I think it's just a fact of the Brazilian government's policies.
Now the cost is higher due to low volume imports, so you end up paying more for shipping the boards. Also, taxes are higher if an individual is importing stuff, as customs use a simplified 60% tax over the retail price vs using the specific import tax (around 45% for the Pi) over the reseller price.
The next version is probably going to have a Raspberry Pi replace both the laptop and the Arduinos, but they were a good starting point to get the project up and running.