First-year prices are marketing. The number that decides what a domain costs you is the renewal, and it is rarely on the same page.

Three prices, not one

Register, renew, transfer. A .com at eight dollars that renews at twelve is ordinary. A new gTLD at one dollar that renews at forty is a different product wearing the same shape.

Promotions end quietly

A promotional price applies to the first term only. If a registrar will not show you the renewal price before checkout, that is the answer to the question you were asking.

Transfers cost about a year

Moving a domain usually costs roughly one year of renewal and adds a year to the term, so it is rarely wasted money. It does need the domain unlocked and an auth code, which can take days if the losing registrar is slow.

What to compare

Renewal price, then transfer price, then the first year. A catalogue that sorts on the first year is sorting on the least durable number in it.