While globalization might suggest a relative harmonization of high-tech prices, the price of the same smartphone can vary significantly from one country to another. According to a study comparing the cost of a 256GB iPhone 17 Pro across 41 markets, Turkey is the most expensive country in the world, while Japan offers the most attractive price, with France ranking 16th.
If you thought globalization had created a form of global equality, know that we are still in an era where the same product doesn't cost the same price, far from it, depending on where you live. Just weeks before the announcement of Apple's new smartphones, the iPhone 17 Pro/Pro Max continue to enjoy considerable commercial success, but their pricing varies drastically from one country to another. Why such price differences for the iPhone 17 Pro? Customs fees, local taxes, types of components used, import policies… Several factors explain price differences that can double from one country to another, as illustrated by Visual Capitalist (data from Deutsche Bank), which lists the price of the same model, the 256GB iPhone 17 Pro, in 41 different countries.
iPhone 17 Pro, Turkey at the top, Japan leading the way in low prices££££
As a result, the most expensive is in Turkey at $2,592, while the least expensive is in Japan at $1,121, just below the United States at $1,181. France fares rather well with a 16th position in the ranking, at $1,543 (converted from the official price of €1,479).
It remains to be seen how these differences will widen, especially since the iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max are expected to be the first Apple models to experience a real price increase worldwide, due to a shortage of memory components, monopolized by AI.