A single phone can carry very different prices depending on which border a buyer stands behind, and this comparison of Apple's first foldable iPhone across 23 markets makes that visible in plain numbers. The 256GB model costs about $4,689 in Türkiye and $1,999 in the United States, a gap that shows how taxes, duties, currency movements and local competition shape what a device truly costs to its owner. The spread reminds us that a global product is never priced in one global way, and that exchange rates, which move quietly, may someday rearrange the entire ranking.
iPhone Duo costs $4,689 in Türkiye but $1,999 in the US, a gap of more than double across 23 markets
The same foldable costs more than double in Istanbul than in the US.
Mark
So the same phone costs $4,689 in Türkiye and $1,999 in the US. Is that all Apple's decision?
Mimi
Partly. The report says Apple sets prices market by market, but taxes, import duties and exchange rates also feed into the final number.
Luke
Worth noting the report lists those factors in general terms. It doesn't say how much of the Türkiye gap comes from tax versus currency versus Apple's own pricing.
Mark
The euro markets look oddly uniform.
Mimi
Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and France are all €2,399, and the UK is £2,399. That converts to about $2,652 in four of them. Germany is slightly lower at €2,349.
Luke
And those dollar figures are Visual Capitalist's conversions. The report itself warns local prices can shift with forex, so this is a snapshot, not a fixed ranking.
Mark
Why does China get a mention?
Mimi
Domestic brands there already sell foldables. The report says competition can influence how a premium device is positioned.
Luke
Careful, though. It says competition can influence positioning, not that it did here. China is at $2,382, mid-table, and the report doesn't explain that placement.
Mark
So what's the takeaway?
Mimi
The US is cheapest at $1,999, and nearly every other market pays at least $200 more.
Le Pouls
- Istanbul shoppers face a listed price more than double what American buyers pay for the same 256GB model.
- Brazil, India and Türkiye sit at the top of the table, while the United States anchors the bottom at $1,999.
- A crowded cluster of European and Asian markets clusters tightly between roughly $2,200 and $2,700, leaving little room for error.
- Taxes, import duties, currency swings and Chinese foldable rivals are pulling prices apart from one country to the next.
- Exchange-rate movements could reshuffle the ranking at any time, as the dollar snapshot may not hold.
A single phone can carry very different prices depending on which border a buyer stands behind, and this comparison of Apple's first foldable iPhone across 23 markets makes that visible in plain numbers. The 256GB model costs about $4,689 in Türkiye and $1,999 in the United States, a gap that shows how taxes, duties, currency movements and local competition shape what a device truly costs to its owner. The spread reminds us that a global product is never priced in one global way, and that exchange rates, which move quietly, may someday rearrange the entire ranking.
A buyer in Istanbul would pay ₺229,999 for the 256GB iPhone Duo, roughly $4,689 at current conversion. Someone in the United States pays $1,999 for the same storage tier. The gap, more than double, is the headline of a Visual Capitalist comparison across 23 markets, reported by Business Today.
Türkiye sits at the top, followed by Brazil at about $4,230 and India at about $3,124. After that the figures fall steeply. Sweden, Italy and Mexico land near $2,650 to $2,700, and a dense middle group, including the Netherlands, Spain, France and the United Kingdom, all converge near $2,652. Germany, Australia, South Korea and Singapore follow, and the list runs down through Switzerland, China, Japan and the UAE. Canada sits just above the United States, which is last at the lowest listed price.
The report identifies four forces behind the spread: local taxes and import duties, exchange rates, Apple's market-by-market pricing, and competition, notably from domestic foldable makers in China. Because these dollar figures are a snapshot, a currency shift could change a country's position. The markets clustered between about $2,200 and $2,700 are the ones to watch, since small moves there could reorder the table.
A buyer in Istanbul who wants Apple's first foldable phone would pay ₺229,999 for the 256GB iPhone Duo. Converted to dollars, that is about $4,689. A buyer in the United States pays $1,999 for the same storage tier. That gap, more than double, is the headline finding of a comparison by Visual Capitalist, which Business Today reported across 23 markets.
Türkiye sits at the top of the ranking. Brazil follows at R$21,999, roughly $4,230, and India third at ₹2,99,900, about $3,124. After that the drop is steep. Sweden is fourth at SEK 26,995, or $2,698, and Italy fifth at €2,399, or $2,687. Mexico comes sixth at MX$47,999, about $2,655.
The middle of the table is crowded. The Netherlands, Spain, France and the United Kingdom all land at about $2,652. The first three are priced at €2,399 and the UK at £2,399, so the converted figures end up nearly identical. Germany is a little lower at €2,349, or $2,607. Further down are Australia at A$3,599 ($2,433), South Korea at ₩3,499,000 ($2,427) and Singapore at S$3,299 ($2,426).
Then come Switzerland at CHF 1,999 ($2,394), China at ¥16,999 ($2,382), Thailand at ฿79,900 ($2,379), Malaysia at RM 9,499 ($2,329), Japan at ¥369,800 ($2,319) and the UAE at AED 8,499 ($2,314). Hong Kong is at HK$17,499 ($2,230) and Canada at C$2,999 ($2,216). The United States is last at $1,999, the lowest listed price of the 23.
The report points to four factors behind the spread. Local taxes and import duties can raise the final retail price, and their effect differs by country. Exchange rates shape how a local price translates into dollars, so a currency move can shift a country's place in the ranking. Apple sets retail prices market by market, with local commercial conditions in mind. And competition matters: in China, domestic manufacturers already sell foldable phones, which can influence how a premium device is positioned there.
The report notes that local-currency figures can change with forex rates. The dollar conversions are a snapshot, and the order could move if currencies do. Business Today also ties the story to a related pattern: it recently wrote that Türkiye topped the list for the iPhone 18 Pro, with India at ₹1.65 lakh.
What to watch is whether exchange-rate swings reshuffle the table, particularly among the tightly clustered markets between $2,200 and $2,700, where small currency moves could change the ranking.
Citations marquantes
Local-currency figures can change as per the forex rate.— Business Today note on the Visual Capitalist comparison
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