Apple’s latest flagship launches remain the most affordable in the United States, despite global demand for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. According to market intelligence firm Counterpoint Research, the new models will cost more abroad than they do in the U.S. in all major markets.
The devices will carry the highest price tags in Turkey, where they cost nearly double the U.S. price due to local taxes. In India, the fourth-largest market for Apple and a key manufacturing hub, prices will range from 30% to 40% higher than in the U.S. Counterpoint director Tarun Pathak attributes the steep costs to import duties, goods and services tax, and the impact of a weaker rupee.
India now produces about 25% of Apple’s global iPhone volume. However, the new foldable model Duo is not being manufactured there, and the country’s assembly operations rely on imported components. Only 18% to 20% of the parts are sourced domestically, with the rest subject to heavy import taxes. Pro models face even higher import dependence than the base variants.
India pricing is steep, and the difference is primarily due to the fact that initial Duo sales will not be “Made in India” for some time,” Tarun Pathak said. “Consequently, imported units attract full import duty, making them significantly more expensive, along with GST [goods and services tax] and the impact of a weaker rupee.”
Read Also: Chinese AI Models Surge Ahead of Western Peers
Even the phones assembled locally are not entirely domestic products. As a greater share of components becomes locally sourced in the coming years, price increases are likely to become more gradual.
China and Korea offer lower prices due to robust local competition. China faces rivals like Huawei, Oppo, and Vivo, while Samsung dominates the Korean market. The second-cheapest market, the UAE, has a lower price tag for iPhones and other brands due to a 5% value-added tax and no other taxes.
In June, Apple’s former CEO Tim Cook warned that prices of existing models would rise due to a shortage of chips. Following the September 9 launch event, older models saw price increases of 21% in the U.S. and up to 41% in India.