Prices checked October 5, 2026
Apple's own price in 40 countries, converted to your currency, with the tourist tax refund worked out wherever there is one.
2.4× the US price in Turkey
The same 256GB phone costs $1,299 in the US and $3,054 in Turkey.
$1,381 in Japan, bought tax-free
For a tourist, only the US is cheaper. Skip the Apple Store, though: Apple's own stores in Japan don't sell tax-free.
30 of the 40 countries refund sales tax to tourists
The UK stopped in 2021, and the US, Canada and New Zealand don't refund it at all.
The new iPhone is out, your flights are booked, and you're wondering if the phone should come home with you. We checked Apple's own price in 40 countries and took off the tax that tourists can claim back. The short answer: buy it in the US if your trip goes there, and in Japan if it doesn't, where a tourist pays about $1,381 for the 256GB Pro Max. Just don't buy it in Turkey, where it costs 2.4 times as much.
The table has all 40. Switch to the 18 Pro, the Duo or more storage, and pick your own currency.
| # | Country | Apple price | USD | vs cheapest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  United States eSIM only | $1,299 no sales tax no tourist refund | $1,299 | Cheapest |
| 2 |  Canada eSIM only | CA$1,994 incl. 5% GST no tourist refund since 2007 | $1,400 | +8% |
| 3 |  Hong Kong SIM tray + eSIM | HK$11,499 no sales tax | $1,464 | +13% |
| 4 |  Malaysia SIM tray + eSIM | MYR 5,999 no tourist refund since 2018 | $1,469 | +13% |
| 5 |  UAE (Dubai) eSIM only | AED 5,499 AED 5,275 after refund | $1,497 $1,436 | +15% +11% |
| 6 |  Japan eSIM only | ¥239,800 ¥218,000 tax-free | $1,519 $1,381 | +17% +6% |
| 7 |  New Zealand SIM tray + eSIM | NZ$2,749 no tourist refund | $1,542 | +19% |
| 8 |  Taiwan SIM tray + eSIM | NT$49,900 NT$47,999 after refund | $1,567 $1,508 | +21% +16% |
| 9 |  Switzerland SIM tray + eSIM | CHF 1,299 about CHF 1,230 after refund | $1,568 ~$1,484 | +21% +14% |
| 10 |  Thailand SIM tray + eSIM | THB 52,900 about THB 50,000 after refund | $1,574 ~$1,488 | +21% +15% |
| 11 |  Australia SIM tray + eSIM | A$2,299 A$2,090 after refund | $1,597 $1,451 | +23% +12% |
| 12 |  Philippines SIM tray + eSIM | ₱99,990 refund law passed, not running yet | $1,597 | +23% |
| 13 |  Vietnam SIM tray + eSIM | ₫41,999,000 about ₫38,800,000 after refund | $1,619 ~$1,495 | +25% +15% |
| 14 |  South Korea SIM tray + eSIM | ₩2,190,000 about ₩2,030,000 after refund | $1,623 ~$1,505 | +25% +16% |
| 15 |  Saudi Arabia eSIM only | SAR 6,099 tourist refund, amount not published | $1,626 | +25% |
| 16 |  Singapore SIM tray + eSIM | SGD 2,099 about SGD 1,950 after refund | $1,641 ~$1,524 | +26% +17% |
| 17 |  China two SIM trays | CN¥10,999 CN¥10,009 after refund | $1,642 $1,494 | +26% +15% |
| 18 |  United Kingdom SIM tray + eSIM | £1,299 no tourist refund since 2021 | $1,719 | +32% |
| 19 |  Chile SIM tray + eSIM | CLP 1,699,990 refund law passed, not running yet | $1,723 | +33% |
| 20 |  Poland SIM tray + eSIM | PLN 6,799 about PLN 5,980 after refund | $1,743 ~$1,533 | +34% +18% |
| 21 |  Czechia SIM tray + eSIM | CZK 37,990 about CZK 33,800 after refund | $1,744 ~$1,551 | +34% +19% |
| 22 |  Mexico eSIM only | MX$31,999 about MX$29,100 after refund | $1,753 ~$1,594 | +35% +23% |
| 23 |  Luxembourg SIM tray + eSIM | €1,575 about €1,420 after refund | $1,772 ~$1,598 | +36% +23% |
| 24 |  Austria SIM tray + eSIM | €1,599 about €1,420 after refund | $1,799 ~$1,598 | +38% +23% |
| 25 |  Germany SIM tray + eSIM | €1,599 about €1,420 after refund | $1,799 ~$1,598 | +38% +23% |
| 26 |  Spain SIM tray + eSIM | €1,619 about €1,420 after refund | $1,821 ~$1,598 | +40% +23% |
| 27 |  Hungary SIM tray + eSIM | HUF 599,990 about HUF 516,000 after refund | $1,827 ~$1,571 | +41% +21% |
| 28 |  Belgium SIM tray + eSIM | €1,629 about €1,450 after refund | $1,833 ~$1,631 | +41% +26% |
| 29 |  France SIM tray + eSIM | €1,629 about €1,430 after refund | $1,833 ~$1,609 | +41% +24% |
| 30 |  Netherlands SIM tray + eSIM | €1,629 about €1,450 after refund | $1,833 ~$1,631 | +41% +26% |
| 31 |  Sweden SIM tray + eSIM | SEK 18,495 about SEK 16,100 after refund | $1,841 ~$1,603 | +42% +23% |
| 32 |  Ireland SIM tray + eSIM | €1,639 about €1,430 after refund | $1,844 ~$1,609 | +42% +24% |
| 33 |  Italy SIM tray + eSIM | €1,639 about €1,430 after refund | $1,844 ~$1,609 | +42% +24% |
| 34 |  Denmark SIM tray + eSIM | DKK 12,299 about DKK 11,100 after refund | $1,849 ~$1,669 | +42% +28% |
| 35 |  Portugal SIM tray + eSIM | €1,649 about €1,430 after refund | $1,855 ~$1,609 | +43% +24% |
| 36 |  Finland SIM tray + eSIM | €1,659 about €1,440 after refund | $1,866 ~$1,620 | +44% +25% |
| 37 |  Norway SIM tray + eSIM | NOK 17,990 about NOK 15,800 after refund | $1,867 ~$1,640 | +44% +26% |
| 38 |  India SIM tray + eSIM | ₹179,900 no tourist refund | $1,870 | +44% |
| 39 |  Brazil SIM tray + eSIM | R$12,999 no tourist refund | $2,497 | +92% |
| 40 |  Turkey SIM tray + eSIM | TRY 149,999 tourist refund, amount not published | $3,054 | +135% |
US and Canadian prices on Apple's site leave out sales tax, so we added the lowest rate you can pay: none in Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire or Oregon, and 5% in Alberta. Every other price includes tax. Prices are for the unlocked phone, from each country's Apple online store on October 5, 2026, converted at that day's mid-market rate. Green shows the price after the tourist tax refund. "About" means the refund company's fee varies, so we used the low end of the refund.
30 of the 40 do. In the UAE, Japan, Taiwan, Australia and China, the refund follows a published rule, so the green price is what you'll pay. In 23 others, mostly in Europe, a refund company handles the claim and keeps a fee. The fee depends on the shop and the amount, so the green price there is an estimate on the low side. Saudi Arabia and Turkey also refund tax but don't say how much you get back.
The US, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, the UK, India and Brazil don't refund tax to tourists. The Philippines and Chile have passed laws for one, but neither scheme is running yet.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max 256GB costs ¥239,800 in Japan, about $1,519. At a tax-free shop, tourists don't pay the 10% consumption tax, so the price drops to ¥218,000, about $1,381. Only the US is cheaper.
Not at an Apple Store, though. Apple's own stores in Japan stopped selling tax-free after tax inspectors found tourists buying iPhones by the hundred to resell. In 2022, Apple Japan was charged about ¥14 billion in extra tax. Bic Camera sells SIM-free iPhones tax-free. At other shops, check before you count on it.
Our Japan money guide explains the refund step by step.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max 256GB costs AED 5,499 in the UAE, about $1,497. That's the fifth-lowest price in the table before any refund.
Tourists get most of the 5% VAT back. Planet runs the refunds in the UAE: it pays out 87% of the VAT and keeps AED 3.60 per purchase. On this phone, you get about AED 224 back. That makes the final price about AED 5,275, or $1,436.
Even after the refund, it costs $55 more than in Japan.
At $1,299 before tax, the US has the lowest price in the table. Apple adds sales tax at checkout based on the delivery address. Four states charge none: Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon. In New York City, the same phone costs about $1,414. There's no tourist refund in the US.
Canadian prices are also before tax. The lowest rate is the 5% GST in Alberta or the territories, which brings the price to CA$1,994. In Ontario, the 13% HST takes it to CA$2,146. Canada stopped refunding tax to visitors in 2007.
The US iPhone 18 Pro is eSIM only, and so are the ones sold in Canada, the UAE, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Mexico. If you rely on a physical SIM card at home, buy where the phone has a tray.
The iPhone 18 Pro 256GB is cheapest in the US at $1,199 and most expensive in Turkey at $2,810. The iPhone Duo 256GB costs $1,999 in the US and $4,683 in Turkey. Switch models above the table to see every country.
Prices are Apple's list prices for unlocked phones, taken from each country's Apple online store on October 5, 2026. Trade-ins, carrier deals and sales aren't counted. Other shops can be cheaper. Countries where Apple has no online store, such as Indonesia, Israel and South Africa, aren't in the table. For Indonesia, see iPhone prices in Indonesia.
Prices are converted at the mid-market exchange rate on October 5, 2026, the rate you'd see on Google. A card with a foreign transaction fee will cost you more.
US and Canadian prices have the lowest sales tax added, as described above. We checked the refund rules with each country's tax authority or official refund operator on October 5, 2026. Where the operator's fee varies, we used the low end of the refund. The ranking uses the price before any refund.
The US, at $1,299 for 256GB in a state with no sales tax. For tourists, Japan comes next at about $1,381 tax-free. Without a tax refund, Hong Kong is cheapest outside North America at $1,464.
AED 5,499 for 256GB at Apple in the UAE, about $1,497. A tourist gets most of the 5% VAT back. The final price is about AED 5,275, or $1,436.
¥239,800 for 256GB, about $1,519. At a tax-free shop, a tourist doesn't pay the 10% consumption tax. The price is ¥218,000, about $1,381. Apple's own stores in Japan don't sell tax-free.
Yes. Singapore refunds its 9% GST to visitors through the eTRS scheme at Changi Airport, minus an admin fee. Expect about 7% of the price back. Spend at least S$100 in one shop, and don't use the phone before you claim, because goods used in Singapore don't qualify.
Three charges, each added on top of the last: a 12% fee to TRT, the state broadcaster, a 50% special consumption tax (every iPhone falls in the top band), and 20% VAT on the total. Together they make up roughly half the price, and the weak lira pushes it higher. Bringing a phone from abroad doesn't get you out of it. A foreign phone works on a Turkish SIM for 120 days and then has to be registered. The 2026 fee is TRY 54,258, about $1,105, nearly what the phone costs in the US.
Taxes again. Apple assembles some cheaper iPhones in Brazil, but the Pro models are imported. An imported phone is charged a 16% import duty, two federal taxes (IPI and PIS/COFINS) and a state tax (ICMS) of 17% to 23%. Industry estimates put the total tax at about 60% of the price.
Yes, if your carrier supports the model. Apple's own stores sell unlocked iPhones. Check two things: the model's network bands on Apple's tech specs page, and the SIM. The iPhone 18 Pro has no SIM tray in the US, Canada, the UAE, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Mexico, and the iPhone Duo is eSIM only everywhere.