These are the cheapest countries in which to buy an iPhone 14

Despite our name, we don’t discriminate against iOS here at Android Authority. We take every device on its merits, and in the iPhone 14, we’re happy to admit that Apple has produced a fantastic handset that went toe-to-toe with many of the best Android phones on the market. But it isn’t cheap at $699 before tax, and it’s rare to see Apple ever offer discounts, save for the carriers that offer it cheap or free when you commit to a lengthy service plan. So we wondered, outside the US, where is the cheapest place to buy an iPhone 14? We’ve looked into it.

There are a couple of things to clarify before we give you the lowdown. Firstly, we’re comparing the price of buying an unlocked iPhone 14 from the Apple Store or an official reseller in each country mentioned below. No doubt there are many types of vendors offering the iPhone 14 for sale across the globe — some more reputable than others — but we’ll focus on official pricing here.

The other thing is that we’re talking about the price for a tourist buying the phone in that country. This is significant because many regions of the world impose a sales tax on such purchases. But if you are not a resident of that country, you can usually have it reimbursed before you depart.

With those things in mind, let’s find out the cheapest places to buy an iPhone 14.

What are the cheapest countries in which to buy an iPhone 14?

The iPhone 14 used to retail for $799 in the US before tax, but you can now get an unlocked model on the Apple website for $699. If you’re a US resident, the sales tax depends on your state, but the final price you’ll pay is between $750 and $800. We’ll take the lower estimate of $765 for the purpose of these comparisons.

According to the figures above from The Mac Index website, which collates the price of the iPhone 14 in each country and then removes the sales tax and converts the price to dollars, Chile is the cheapest place in the world to buy an iPhone 14. The equivalent price of the phone there is around $739. It’s closely followed by South Korea, where the Apple flagship is priced at the equivalent of $743. China and Japan are close behind.

On the other end of the scale, the most expensive place in the world to buy an iPhone 14 is Turkey. While most regions price the phone between $800 and $900, Apple fans in Turkey have to pay more than $1,500 for the device. But bear in mind this is the equivalent price in US dollars, which may just reflect how exchange rates have changed in recent months. Still, it might be worth those people considering some of the best iPhone 14 alternatives.

Should I buy an iPhone from another country?

If you’re a US resident, there isn’t much money to be saved by buying an iPhone 14 abroad. Since Apple discounted the device now that the iPhone 15 is available, The US is almost as cheap as any other country.

If you happen to be in one of the countries in which the iPhone 14 is cheaper, and you have time to process the sales tax refund, you might save some money by picking up the phone on your travels. But the data suggests that the US is already one of the cheaper places in the world to buy it. The cost of traveling to any of the countries in which you can buy it at a marginally lower price will far exceed any savings you’ll make.

Why is the iPhone 14 cheaper in some countries and expensive in others?

Taxes are one of the main reasons that the iPhone 14 is cheaper in some countries and more expensive in others. Sales tax and import duties will be taken into account when pricing the handsets to ensure Apple is still making a good profit from the sales.

And since we’re comparing the equivalent price of each country in the US dollar, there are also the exchange rates to consider. The retail price of the phone in each country will have been set in advance of the phone’s launch in September 2022. Since then, especially in these turbulent economic times, the value of each country’s currency could have fluctuated significantly against the dollar. If you check the Mac Index website regularly, you’ll see the cheapest country swapping fairly regularly for this reason.

Apple doesn’t have a presence in every country on the list and will allow some retailers to sell the device where it can’t sell directly to the consumer. These resellers may be inclined to add their own premium to the sale, which can explain some of the higher prices.

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