Türkiye tops global chart as most expensive country to buy iPhone 16e

Apple’s newest iPhone 16e, marketed globally as an “affordable yet powerful” addition to its flagship lineup, has launched with a price tag that puts it well beyond the reach of average Turkish consumers, reinforcing Türkiye’s position as the most expensive country in the world to purchase Apple products.

The 128GB model, priced at $599 in the United States, costs Turkish customers ₺47,999 (approximately $1,321)—more than double the country’s monthly minimum wage of ₺22,104.

For perspective, a Turkish worker earning the minimum wage would need to work more than two full months without spending a single lira on food, housing, or other necessities to afford the entry-level device.

iPhone 16e Global Price Comparison

According to comprehensive data compiled by Nukeni, Türkiye ranks as the most expensive country worldwide to purchase a new device across all storage configurations.

The price disparity becomes even more pronounced with higher storage tiers—the 256GB model costs ₺52,999 ($1,458) and the 512GB version reaches ₺62,999 TL ($1,733).

Brazil follows Türkiye in the global ranking of highest iPhone prices, with Sweden, Norway, and Denmark rounding out the top five most expensive markets.

New iPhone 16e gets costlier for Turkish citizens who bought it abroad

The situation worsens significantly for Turkish citizens who attempt to circumvent high domestic prices by purchasing devices abroad.

A consumer who buys the base model iPhone 16e in the United States for $600 would face an additional 45,614 TL ($1,303) IMEI registration fee to legally use the device with Turkish carriers, bringing the total cost to approximately ₺66,614 ($1,903), more than three times the minimum monthly wage.

This mandatory IMEI registration fee, required for all foreign-purchased phones to connect to Turkish mobile networks, has seen exponential increases in recent years, reflecting broader economic challenges in the country.

The fee has risen dramatically from ₺1,838.7 in 2020 to 2,006 TL in 2021, then jumped to ₺2,732 in 2022 before skyrocketing to ₺20,000 in 2023. It continued its upward trajectory to ₺31,692 TL in 2024 before reaching its current level of ₺45,614 in 2025, representing a nearly 2,400% increase in just five years.

The pricing dilemma comes despite Apple positioning the iPhone 16e as offering premium features at a more accessible price point.

The device includes the A18 chip paired with Apple’s first custom-designed C1 modem, full Apple Intelligence capabilities, a 48MP Fusion camera with optical-quality zoom, satellite connectivity features for emergency services, and extended battery life.

The phone also features a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display and an aerospace-grade aluminum frame and is available in black and white matte finishes.

Turkish consumers pay over twice as much for iPhone 16e as US buyers

What makes the Turkish pricing situation particularly notable is that even as Apple attempts to expand its market with a more budget-friendly offering, economic factors in Türkiye have rendered this strategy ineffective for local consumers.

The Turkish lira has faced significant devaluation against the U.S. dollar in recent years, while the government’s import policies and special consumption taxes on electronic devices further inflate prices.

According to the pricing chart, the gap between the United States and Türkiye is substantial across all iPhone 16e models. While U.S. consumers pay $599, $699, and $899 for the 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB versions, respectively, Turkish customers face prices of $1,517, $1,455, and $1,729 for the same devices, representing price premiums of 153%, 108%, and 92%.

For Turkish consumers hoping to own Apple’s “affordable” new iPhone, the reality is anything but affordable, highlighting how global technology pricing and local economic conditions can create vast disparities in access to consumer technology across different markets.