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No phone brand has established a larger cult following in the smartphone industry than the iPhone. Since its inception, most iPhone users ascribe class and exclusivity to the brand’s genetic composition.
Apple has done an outstanding job of marketing the iPhone as an aspirational brand to the point where people see this gadget as a benchmark of success, as a result, the majority of individuals who buy the phone, particularly in developing economies, do so as a show of prosperity.
With the launch of each generation of iPhones, Apple experiences impressive sales figures, and despite the brand selling record numbers each year, this doesn’t change the fact that the iPhone is a luxury good, selling for a ridiculous price for a phone.
This begs the question of who’s buying this brand with such a ludicrous price. For context, flagship phones of big-name phone brands sold at an average of $300 to $500 about 5 years ago. Today that price has more than doubled for base models of flagships and there is no denying that iPhones are at the helm of these price hikes, yet people still flock to get Apple’s latest devices.
To be more specific some people, largely set apart by region, patronize this brand, as is evident with Apple’s differing market shares in different regions. Simply put, some countries buy much more iPhones than others, and in Africa’s large economic expanse, this is no different.
While some African countries have bought into iPhones’ identity of exclusivity, some simply couldn’t care less. For such regions, complex socio-economic issues leave little room for Apple’s influence to take hold. However, for African countries that have decided to be a part of Apple’s increasingly trending ecosystem, here’s how much of their salaries they have to spend on getting the latest iPhone.
This list is courtesy of CompareDial, a phone & SIM contract deal comparison website. The data used in compiling the list is partly derived from the yearly median salary data sourced from the site’s World in Data, The World Bank DataBank, and Burmese government/ministry data.
Work hours and work days calculations assume 8-hour shifts for 5 days per week. Additionally, the iPhone in question is the base model of the iPhone 15 (128GB) at 1,428.29 USD after taxes.
| Rank | Country | Percent of yearly salary | Global rank (least affordable country in the world to purchase an iPhone 15) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Nigeria | 65.83% | 3rd |
| 2. | Kenya | 61.42% | 4th |
| 3. | Tunisia | 53.04% | 6th |
| 4. | Morocco | 49.54% | 7th |
| 5. | Egypt | 46.29% | 8th |
| 6. | Namibia | 44.60% | 9th |
| 7. | South Africa | 25.47% | 24th |
Comprehensive data from CompareDial
Nigeria: Nigeria is the 3rd least affordable country in the world to purchase an iPhone 15. A Nigerian citizen needs to spend of their yearly salary to purchase the base model iPhone 15 128GB.
This is approximately of work, or of work.
In terms of price, Nigeria is the 5th most expensive country in the world for an iPhone 15, with the base model iPhone 15 128GB totaling USD after taxes.
The most expensive model, the iPhone 15 Pro Max 1TB, costs $3,145.11 – 131.74% of a yearly salary.
Kenya: Kenya is the 4th least affordable country in the world to purchase an iPhone 15. A Kenyan citizen needs to spend of their yearly salary to purchase the base model iPhone 15 128GB.
This is approximately of work, or of work.
In terms of price, Kenya is the 8th most expensive country in the world for an iPhone 15, with the base model iPhone 15 128GB totaling USD after taxes.
The most expensive model, the iPhone 15 Pro Max 1TB, costs $2,917.82 – 122.91% of a yearly salary.
Tunisia: Tunisia is the 6th least affordable country in the world to purchase an iPhone 15. A Tunisian citizen needs to spend of their yearly salary to purchase the base model iPhone 15 128GB.
This is approximately of work, or of work.
In terms of price, Tunisia is the 3rd most expensive country in the world for an iPhone 15, with the base model iPhone 15 128GB totalling USD after taxes.
The most expensive model, the iPhone 15 Pro Max 1TB, costs $3,367.57 – 106.14% of a yearly salary.
Morocco: Morocco is the 7th least affordable country in the world to purchase an iPhone 15. A Moroccan citizen needs to spend of their yearly salary to purchase the base model iPhone 15 128GB.
This is approximately of work, or of work.
In terms of price, Morocco is the 16th most expensive country in the world for an iPhone 15, with the base model iPhone 15 128GB totaling USD after taxes.
The most expensive model, the iPhone 15 Pro Max 1TB, costs $2,500.54 – 99.15% of a yearly salary.
Egypt: Egypt is the 8th least affordable country in the world to purchase an iPhone 15. An Egyptian citizen needs to spend of their yearly salary to purchase the base model iPhone 15 128GB.
This is approximately of work, or of work.
In terms of price, Egypt is the 11th most expensive country in the world for an iPhone 15, with the base model iPhone 15 128GB totalling USD after taxes.
The most expensive model, the iPhone 15 Pro Max 1TB, costs $2,778.62 – 92.64% of a yearly salary.
Namibia: Namibia is the 9th least affordable country in the world to purchase an iPhone 15. A Namibian citizen needs to spend of their yearly salary to purchase the base model iPhone 15 128GB.
This is approximately of work, or of work.
In terms of price, Namibia is the 7th most expensive country in the world for an iPhone 15, with the base model iPhone 15 128GB totalling USD after taxes.
The most expensive model, the iPhone 15 Pro Max 1TB, costs $2,929.75 – 89.26% of a yearly salary.
South Africa: South Africa is the 24th least affordable country in the world to purchase an iPhone 15. A South African citizen needs to spend of their yearly salary to purchase the base model iPhone 15 128GB.
This is approximately of work, or of work.
In terms of price, South Africa is the 36th most expensive country in the world for an iPhone 15, with the base model iPhone 15 128GB totalling USD after taxes.
The most expensive model, the iPhone 15 Pro Max 1TB, costs $2,192.33 – 50.98% of a yearly salary.
