Apple’s latest iPhone 17 has sparked global interest, not just for its features but for the gap in affordability between countries. While the device looks the same in every market, the number of working hours needed to purchase one shows a divide that reflects wages, taxes, and economic conditions.
Global Overview
In wealthier nations, the iPhone 17 Pro with 256 GB of storage can be bought with just a few days of income. Workers in Luxembourg, for example, need only around three working days, while those in the United States typically need just under four. By contrast, in India, the same phone requires the equivalent of 160 workdays, showing a difference of more than fifty times between the top and bottom of the ranking.
Across the 33 countries studied, the global average stands at about 26 workdays for the flagship model. This broad figure masks enormous contrasts: in some parts of Europe and North America, the phone amounts to a week’s work or less, while in South Asia or parts of Southeast Asia, several months of wages are needed.
Regional Contrasts
In North America, affordability is relatively high. The base model iPhone 17 costs about $799 in the United States before sales tax, and the Pro version starts at $1,099. With an average monthly wage near $6,000 and typical weekly hours of 37.6, American workers face about 30 hours of labor for the Pro model, or roughly four workdays.
Europe presents a mixed picture. In Switzerland, despite a price of about $1,381 for the Pro model, high average wages near $8,000 per month keep the work requirement low, at about 26 hours. In Germany, a similar phone costs around $1,110, requiring close to 32 workdays when adjusted for average income levels. Portugal and Hungary show a different reality: higher retail prices paired with lower wages push affordability far down the list, demanding more than a month of work for a single phone.
Brazil and Turkey highlight the impact of import duties, taxes, and currency fluctuations. In both countries, the base iPhone 17 surpasses $1,400, and the Pro version nears or exceeds $1,800. Average hourly wages of only about $4 mean that a Brazilian worker must spend between 409 and 461 hours to buy the base model and as much as 709 hours for the Pro Max version. In Turkey, the situation is even more extreme, with affordability further undermined by luxury taxes and a weak currency.
Asia’s Divide
In Asia, the affordability of the iPhone 17 varies sharply. Japan and South Korea are known for relatively low retail prices, yet wage levels shift the actual burden. A South Korean worker needs around 45 workdays to afford the Pro version, more than in several Western European countries. India and Vietnam reveal the most striking gaps. Although the nominal price has fallen in India due to local assembly and lower levies, the average hourly wage of just over a dollar leaves the device far out of reach. Workers there need about 160 days for the flagship model, while in Vietnam, with slightly higher wages, it still takes over 120 days.
The Middle East shows a mixed affordability pattern. In Saudi Arabia, where average monthly wages approach $2,800 and working weeks average 40 hours, the iPhone 17 Pro costs roughly $1,400. This translates into about 100 hours of work, or nearly 13 working days. The United Arab Emirates, with somewhat higher wages and lower duties, requires about 11 days for the same device.
Africa reveals even harsher realities. In South Africa, the phone is listed at over $1,500. With average monthly earnings under $1,000 and weekly working hours above 40, it takes close to 60 days of labor for a worker to afford the flagship model. This makes the device more of a luxury good than a mainstream product in that region.
Latin America
Brazil and Mexico illustrate how the iPhone can represent very different economic weight within the same continent. As noted earlier, Brazil’s combination of high import costs and modest wages leads to the longest working hours in the Americas, up to 709 hours for a Pro Max. Mexico, where the iPhone Pro sells for about $1,350, requires around 52 days of average wages. Although more affordable than Brazil, it remains far beyond the U.S. benchmark.
Global Spread in Numbers
Looking at the complete dataset of 33 countries, the differences are stark.
- Top of the ranking: Luxembourg, Switzerland, and the United States, where workers need fewer than four days to afford the Pro model.
- Bottom of the ranking: India, Philippines, and Vietnam, requiring between 101 and 160 days.
- Global average: 26 days of work.
Workers in India must put in 51 times more hours than those in Luxembourg to afford the same device. Even within Europe, where Apple’s prices tend to be similar in nominal terms, wage differences make affordability diverge. Scandinavia and Western Europe sit close to the top, while Eastern and Southern Europe fall far lower.
Why Affordability Varies
Taxes, duties, logistics, and exchange rates all affect the final price of an iPhone. In Turkey, luxury taxes drive up the retail tag. In Brazil, import tariffs and transport security costs do the same. By contrast, local assembly in India has brought down nominal prices, although low wages keep affordability out of reach. In wealthier nations, the relationship between high incomes and relatively stable prices makes the device accessible in just a few days of work.
Final Insights
The affordability map of the iPhone 17 Pro shows how global income gaps translate directly into consumer access. For Apple, this means a divided customer base: in rich countries, the new iPhone remains a common upgrade, while in lower-income nations it is largely reserved for the wealthy.
The contrast also highlights broader inequality. A worker in Europe or North America can purchase the phone with little strain, whereas a counterpart in South Asia or parts of Latin America must dedicate months of wages. In the end, the iPhone 17 is not just a piece of technology but a mirror of global economic disparity, revealing who can participate in the premium smartphone market and who cannot.
Data H/T: Tenscope.
| Country (Region) | Working days needed to buy the new iPhone | Average monthly wage (USD) | Weekly working hours (average) | Avg. monthly working hours | Average hourly wage (USD) | iPhone 17 Pro (256 GB) price (local currency) | iPhone 17 Pro (256 GB) price (USD) | Hours to buy the new iPhone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luxembourg (Europe) | 3 | $9,228 | 35.6 | 154 | $59.86 | 1,285 | $1,506 | 25 |
| Switzerland (Europe) | 3 | $8,000 | 35.2 | 152 | $52.49 | 1,099 | $1,381 | 26 |
| United States (North America) | 4 | $5,985 | 37.6 | 163 | $36.76 | 1,099 | $1,099 | 30 |
| Belgium (Europe) | 4 | $7,325 | 34.5 | 149 | $49.03 | 1329 | $1,559 | 32 |
| Denmark (Europe) | 4 | $6,979 | 33.1 | 143 | $48.69 | 9,999 | $1,572 | 32 |
| Netherlands (Europe) | 4 | $6,315 | 31.2 | 135 | $46.74 | 1,329 | $1,559 | 33 |
| Norway (Europe) | 4 | $6,652 | 33.2 | 144 | $46.27 | 15,990 | $1,619 | 35 |
| Australia (Oceania) | 5 | $5,091 | 32.3 | 140 | $36.40 | 1999 | $1,327 | 36 |
| Austria (Europe) | 5 | $5,771 | 34 | 147 | $39.20 | 1,299 | $1,524 | 39 |
| Finland (Europe) | 5 | $5,784 | 34.3 | 149 | $38.94 | 1,359 | $1,595 | 41 |
| Ireland (Europe) | 5 | $5,640 | 34.8 | 151 | $37.43 | 1,339 | $1,569 | 42 |
| Germany (Europe) | 5 | $5,170 | 33.6 | 145 | $35.54 | 1,299 | $1,522 | 43 |
| Canada (North America) | 5 | $4,072 | 35.2 | 152 | $26.71 | 1,599 | $1,154 | 43 |
| France (Europe) | 6 | $5,043 | 35.8 | 155 | $32.54 | 1,329 | $1,555 | 48 |
| Sweden (Europe) | 6 | $4,739 | 35.1 | 152 | $31.18 | 14,995 | $1,609 | 52 |
| United Kingdom (Europe) | 7 | $4,119 | 35.1 | 152 | $27.10 | 1,099 | $1,477 | 55 |
| New Zealand (Oceania) | 7 | $3,564 | 33 | 143 | $24.94 | 2,349 | $1,400 | 56 |
| Singapore (South East Asia) | 8 | $4,050 | 42.6 | 184 | $21.96 | 1,749 | $1,363 | 62 |
| Italy (Europe) | 8 | $3,908 | 36.1 | 156 | $25.00 | 1,339 | $1,564 | 63 |
| United Arab Emirates (Middle East) | 8 | $4,083 | 48.7 | 211 | $19.36 | 4,699 | $1,279 | 66 |
| Spain (Europe) | 9 | $3,567 | 36.6 | 158 | $22.51 | 1,319 | $1,547 | 69 |
| Czechia (Europe) | 12 | $2,788 | 37.8 | 164 | $17.03 | 32,990 | $1,587 | 93 |
| Poland (Europe) | 17 | $1,973 | 39.1 | 169 | $11.65 | 5,799 | $1,599 | 137 |
| Portugal (Europe) | 24 | $1,374 | 37.7 | 163 | $8.42 | 1,349 | $1,582 | 188 |
| Hungary (Europe) | 27 | $1,224 | 37.4 | 162 | $7.56 | 549,990 | $1,647 | 218 |
| Chile (Latin America) | 32 | $1,015 | 39.4 | 171 | $5.95 | 1,429,990 | $1,501 | 252 |
| Malaysia (South East Asia) | 45 | $697 | 44.7 | 194 | $3.60 | 5,499 | $1,303 | 362 |
| Thailand (South East Asia) | 61 | $525 | 42.5 | 184 | $2.85 | 43,900 | $1,381 | 485 |
| Brazil (Latin America) | 77 | $585 | 38.9 | 168 | $3.47 | 11,499 | $2,133 | 615 |
| Türkiye (Middle East) | 89 | $682 | 42.8 | 185 | $3.68 | 107,999 | $2,611 | 709 |
| Vietnam (South East Asia) | 99 | $303 | 41.8 | 181 | $1.67 | 34,999,000 | $1,325 | 791 |
| Philippines (South East Asia) | 101 | $308 | 40 | 173 | $1.78 | 79,990 | $1,437 | 808 |
| India (South Asia) | 160 | $236 | 45.7 | 198 | $1.19 | 134,900 | $1,525 | 1,280 |
Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools.
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by Irfan Ahmad via Digital Information World
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