The iPhone 17 Pro is priced over twice as high in Turkey compared to the United States, positioning it as the priciest option out of 41 markets analyzed.

Deutsche Bank Research’s Mapping the World’s Prices 2026 study examines the cost of the identical 256GB version worldwide. It reveals that European nations fill much of the upper portion of the list.

The review also indicates that the cost difference between Europe and the US has expanded during the last ten years.

Switzerland provides Europe’s lowest cost

Out of the 21 European nations reviewed, Switzerland shows the lowest cost, at €1,187. At the opposite end, Turkey stands out sharply: the same device runs €2,222, the top figure among all 41 markets.

Hungary holds Europe’s next highest cost, at €1,565. This is €657 below Turkey but €378 above Switzerland.

Only Japan undercuts the US, while South Korea equals it

Among 40 markets, the iPhone 17 Pro costs less solely in Japan than in the US. It runs €1,012 (or $1,181) in the US, versus €961 (or $1,121) in Japan. South Korea equals the US price precisely.

“Japan delivers the lowest iPhone price amid yen softness. South Korea stays among the most affordable worldwide, amid local rivalry from Samsung,” the study observed.

Taxes play a major role

The study highlights taxes as a key factor in the broad spread of iPhone costs across Europe. It stresses that taxes increase the relative cost of an iPhone in Hungary, where VAT reaches 27%.

Although it ranks as the world’s costliest economy for nearly all items, Switzerland emerges as the least expensive European economy in the group, “due to its modest 8.1% VAT”.

Worldwide, Brazil places second, with the iPhone 17 Pro at €1,937.

“Türkiye and Brazil illustrate how taxes, tariffs and currency softness can skew the cost of an iPhone,” the study stated.

Egypt stands third at €1,605 and Mexico sixth at €1,420. Except for Mexico, all nations from fourth to 24th place, held by India, fall within Europe.

Large economies: UK lowest yet the spread stays tight

Among Europe’s five biggest economies, the iPhone 17 Pro costs least in the UK (€1,265 or £1,080), while Italy (€1,332) ranks highest. The difference remains modest, and costs in other places sit nearby: France (€1,323), Spain (€1,312) and Germany (€1,293).

How does Europe stack up against the US?

The study sets the iPhone price at 100 in the US and contrasts it with costs elsewhere. In Turkey, the iPhone 17 Pro runs 2.19 times the US price, or 119% more. This means buyers pay more than double the US amount.

Turkey remains the sole nation on the list where the iPhone exceeds double the US price.

A special consumption tax explains why Turkey stands apart. Even if buyers travel abroad - to the US, for instance - to purchase an iPhone, they must cover an “IMEI registration fee” of 54,258 TL (€1,006 or $1,147) in Turkey. This sits just $34 below the US device price.

iPhone 17 Pro costs run 17% above the US level in Switzerland, while they sit 25% higher in the UK.

Relative costs: iPhone 7 and iPhone 17 Pro

When costs relative to the US are compared between the iPhone 17 Pro in 2026 and the iPhone 7 in 2017, the index reveals that prices have climbed quicker in Europe than in the US.

The iPhone 7 price in 2017 was also set at 100 in the US, so the index shows no shift there. In nominal terms, it ran $815, against $1,181 for the iPhone 17 Pro.

This rests on a basic index: if an iPhone costs 100 in the US, how much does it cost elsewhere?

Turkey and Brazil posted the biggest rises in this measure. The iPhone 7 was 47% more costly in Turkey than in the US. That spread grew to 119% for the iPhone 17 Pro.

Brazil follows a comparable trend, with the spread expanding from 37% to 91%.

The biggest rises in the spread over the past decade also appeared in Norway (21 points), and in Sweden, Finland and the UK (15 points each).

Among European nations, Greece recorded the smallest shift, up only 7 points.

“Apple sets prices centrally and the product stays identical worldwide - so price gaps reflect taxes, tariffs, distribution costs, and currency effects, making it a strong indicator of trade and fiscal policy,” the study noted.

Per European Central Bank reference rates, €1 purchased an average of $1.1229 in June 2017, versus $1.1518 in June 2026. This marks a modest shift of 2.6%.

Income differences widen the affordability gap further

These represent nominal prices and do not factor in income levels, which differ greatly across nations. For instance, per the OECD, annual gross average wages ranged from €18,590 in Turkey to €107,487 in Switzerland in 2025. The affordability gap expands further once income enters the picture.