The most expensive countries to buy an Apple iPhone

Despite more of the same and a delayed rollout of Apple Intelligence, Apple’s new iPhone 16 is proving to be more popular than ever with long queues and retailers being out of stock amid the high price tag.

A recent study by Compare the Market has named the most expensive countries in the world to buy an Apple iPhone over time.

Following the launch of the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro, the price tag was unchanged for most countries such as the United States (US), Canada and the United Kingdom – yet it has come down in Australia and New Zealand.

Biggest price increases

Türkiye, Australia, and New Zealand have been named the countries with the biggest iPhone price increases in the past decade

Home and contents insurance experts found Türkiye’s iPhone starting price almost tripled in a decade, whereas the USA experienced a mere 54% increase.

A range of factors influence phone pricing, including local taxes, inflation and technology advancements.

Apple iPhone prices in Türkiye almost tripled in a 10-year period, increasing a staggering 3,235% (US$2,409). An iPhone 6 only cost $75 in 2014 in the Middle Eastern country – one of the cheapest at the time globally – but has risen to $2,482 for the latest iPhone 16 Pro.

This was due to multiple taxes imposed on imported mobile phones, in addition to an inflation spike in 2022.

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Comparisons

Buying the iPhone 15 Pro in Türkiye would cost more than double the price in the United States.

Meanwhile, the US had the lowest price increase in a decade at just 54% ($347).

Australia and New Zealand had the second and third-biggest price increases at 107% ($618) and 100% ($598) respectively in a 10-year period.

Compare the Market’s General Manager of General Insurance, Adrian Taylor said the research has foregrounded the importance of protecting personal valuables.

“It’s no secret that smartphones have dramatically increased in price over the years, along with the introduction of larger displays, multiple cameras and faster processors.

“However, they’re subject to the daily grind and could be accidentally lost or damaged. Replacing one can be a costly headache, Taylor said.

South Africa

Apple’s iPhone 16 series in South Africa has done something rare with prices having declined when compared to the launch prices for the previous-generation models.

The cheapest model iPhone 16 with 128GB of storage costs R20 999, a 4.5% reduction from the iPhone 15’s price at launch. The 256GB and 512GB variants cost R23 999 and R28 999, respectively, and are cheaper by 4% and 5.8%.

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