Ordinary Russian has to work for 42 days to be able to buy new iPhone

Analytical company Picodi.com presented an updated version of its annual iPhone Index. The rating demonstrates how many working days it takes for residents of different countries to be able to buy the latest Apple smartphone.

The most recent update is related to the announcement of Apple's new iPhone 16 Pro smartphone, which costs 154,990 rubles ($1,700) in Russia.

It is interesting to note the difference between the official price of the device in the US ($999 or about 91,000 rubles at the current exchange rate) and its cost in Russian stores. This is explained by differences in tax systems: in some US states, the tax on a new iPhone may reach 9.55 percent, and in European countries — from 16 to 27 percent.

According to the study, the average Russian with a monthly salary of 89,145 rubles will need to work for 42 days to save up for a new iPhone 16 Pro. This is 4.3 days less than last year, which might be considered a positive trend.

Over the past seven years, the iPhone Index for Russia has changed as follows:

• 2018: 48.2 days
• 2019: 47 days
• 2020: 47.5 days
• 2021: 42.1 days
• 2022: 39.7 days
• 2023: 46.3 days
• 2024: 42 days

Globally, Switzerland leads the way with only four business days needed to buy an iPhone. In the US, one needs to work for five days, in Singapore and Australia — about 6 days. Turkey closes the list with the longest period of 72.9 days, with the Philippines and Brazil preceding with 68.8 and 68.6 days respectively.

This rating gives a picture of the purchasing power of the population of different countries and compare the standard of living through the prism of the availability of popular gadgets.

Details

The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are smartphones designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. They are the eighteenth-generation flagship iPhones, succeeding the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. The devices were unveiled alongside the iPhone 16 at an Apple Special Event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, on September 9, 2024. Pre-orders are set to begin on September 13, 2024.