How many days do you need to work to buy an iPhone 17: A global affordability ranking

How many days would residents of different countries need to work to buy the new iPhone 17? Analysts at Tenscope tried to answer this question. Their study is based on the average post-tax salary and the price of the base iPhone 17 Pro with 256 GB of storage (around $1099 in the U.S.). The gap between rich and poor countries is striking: from 3 days in Luxembourg to 160 days in India.

Calculation Methodology

Tenscope used data on average net salaries from official statistics (such as Numbeo.com) and the price of the iPhone 17 Pro in U.S. dollars. The average monthly salary was divided by 21 (the average number of working days in a month). The index takes into account only the base model, without import taxes or regional markups.

Top 5 Countries With Minimal Effort

In developed countries, the iPhone 17 costs only a few days of wages:

• Luxembourg and Switzerland: 3 days. Residents of these countries, with salaries exceeding $5000 per month, can afford the gadget without straining their budgets.
• USA, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway: 4 days. Americans, for example, with an average salary of $4500, can save up for an iPhone in about a week.
• Australia, Austria, Finland, Ireland, Germany, Canada: 5 days. In Germany, where salaries are around $3500, this equals about 10% of monthly income.

These countries lead thanks to high salaries and relatively low electronics prices.

The Worst Results: Emerging Markets

In less wealthy countries, buying an iPhone requires months of labor:

• India: 160 days. With an average salary of $300–400 per month, Indians need to work 51 times longer than the Swiss to afford the new flagship smartphone.
• Philippines: 101 days.
• Vietnam: 99 days.
• Turkey: 89 days.
• Brazil: 77 days.
• Thailand: 61 days.
• Malaysia: 45 days.
• Chile: 31 days.
• Hungary: 27 days.
• Portugal: 24 days.

In these countries, the iPhone is a luxury, affordable to only 1–5% of the population.

Russia and Armenia

Although Tenscope did not include Russia and Armenia in its ranking, according to Rosstat (June 2025) the average salary in Russia is 103,000 rubles ($1100), meaning it would take about 28 days to buy an iPhone 17 Pro priced at 94,000 rubles. In Moscow (150,000 rubles), it would take about 20 days, while in the regions (70,000 rubles), 40–50 days.

For Armenia, with an average salary of around $500–600, it would take 50–60 working days.

Why Is the Gap So Big?

The iPhone Index reflects global inequality: in wealthy countries, the gadget is an everyday item, while in poorer countries it’s a dream. The price of the iPhone is fixed in the U.S., but salaries vary by 50–100 times. Import duties also play a role: in India, for example, iPhones cost 2–3 times more due to taxes.

In Summary…

The iPhone 17 Index shows that in Luxembourg and Switzerland, three days of work is enough for a new smartphone, while in India, it’s 160 days. The global average is 26 days, but regional differences are vast. This study is not just about gadgets but also about the global economy: the iPhone has become a marker of technological accessibility.