Why the iPhone 18 Pro costs far more outside the US.

Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro launches at sharply different prices around the world, with taxes, import duties and exchange rates creating gaps that can approach twice the US price despite largely identical hardware.

The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 in the United States for 256GB of storage. Counterpoint Research’s comparison of major iPhone markets found the US remains the cheapest place to buy Apple’s new flagship, while the United Arab Emirates ranks second thanks partly to its 5% VAT and absence of additional major purchase taxes.

Turkey sits at the opposite extreme. Counterpoint estimates the new Pro models cost nearly twice their US equivalents once local taxes and currency effects are included. India presents a particularly striking contrast. The iPhone 18 Pro is priced 30% to 40% above US levels even though the country has become Apple’s second-largest manufacturing base and now accounts for roughly a quarter of global iPhone production.

The explanation lies partly in how “Made in India” smartphones are produced. Much of the value still comes from imported components, which remain exposed to duties and taxes. Apple’s Pro models rely more heavily on imported parts than its standard iPhones, limiting the price advantage of local assembly. India’s 18 Pro officially starts at ₹164,900.

Manufacturing location is therefore only one part of an iPhone’s retail price. VAT or sales taxes, customs duties, local competition, currency movements and Apple’s regional pricing strategy all matter.

There is also an important comparison caveat: US advertised prices generally exclude state and local sales taxes, while retail prices in many other countries include VAT. Even after accounting for that difference, however, substantial regional gaps remain. China and South Korea tend to sit closer to the lower end of global pricing, helped by intense competition from domestic manufacturers including Huawei, Oppo, Vivo and Samsung.