Where iPhone Users Need Extra Deep Pockets

The iPhone is not exactly cheap in the United States, but considering the prices that Apple fans have to pay in other parts of the world, the roughly $1,250 (depending on local sales taxes) that Americans have to shell out for an iPhone XS (256 GB) seem like a regular bargain.

According to the latest issue of Deutsche Bank’s “Mapping the World’s Prices” report, the iPhone XS costs $2,050 in Brazil for example, making the world's fifth most populous country the most expensive place to buy Apple's flagship phone. Taking into account that Brazil's GDP per capita ($8,968 according to the IMF) is less than one sixth of that of the United States ($62,606) highlights how much of a luxury item the the latest iPhone really is for Brazilian consumers.

While Apple has always been a producer of high-end devices, the iPhone’s price has recently become more of a problem with respect to the company’s overseas success. With dozens of Android devices available at a fraction of the iPhone’s price, even the appeal of the Apple brand may no longer be enough to win over emerging market customers.