The iPhone 7 has been available in the Netherlands immediately from release this year. Still, it can pay off to buy an iPhone abroad. In this article, you can read why there are price differences and whether it pays to buy your iPhone elsewhere.
iPhone prices abroad
Despite the fact that Apple is an international company and sells its devices almost everywhere, there is quite a difference in how much iPhones cost. These differences have various causes, but they do mean that it can pay to look around or to save money abroad.
If you include your travel costs, it is usually not worth it, but if you are already abroad can save a lot of money. Especially if you can take an iPhone with you from the United States without paying import duties, you will soon be around 150 euros cheaper. Below we show you what the differences are for the iPhone 7, iPhone 6S and the iPhone SE for a number of countries. Prices are current according to the Apple Store at the time of writing, but are subject to change due to exchange rate shifts.
Foreign iPhone 7 prices
The prices of the iPhone 7 differ considerably from those in the Netherlands. Especially if you buy your iPhone 7 in America, you will spend about 160 euros less than if you order it here in the Netherlands. The price difference with the United Kingdom is less at 70 euros, but still considerably cheaper. What is striking is that the price of the iPhone 7 in other countries really does not differ much from our country. Especially in Poland, where wages are lower than in the other countries in this comparison, the iPhone 7 is only 15 euros cheaper than in the Netherlands.
iPhone 6S prices abroad
The prices of the iPhone 6S are also considerably lower in other countries than in the Netherlands. In the United States, you are again the cheapest for an iPhone 6S, leaving you with a good 140 euros compared to the Netherlands. If you go to get it in the United Kingdom, you can put about 80 euros in your pocket. France and Germany again care little with the Netherlands, while the iPhone 6S in Poland is not much cheaper either.
Foreign iPhone SE prices
The differences are somewhat smaller for the iPhone SE. For example, Apple’s small smartphone, like its bigger brothers, is the cheapest in the United States. The difference here has fallen to 110 euros. The difference with the United Kingdom is also smaller: you save about 45 euros by buying the device in that country. The usual ten euro difference with Germany is also reflected here. What is striking is that you only spend 5 euros less in Poland than in the Netherlands.
Differences in price
Price differences between countries have various causes. In the case of the United States, the difference is caused by the fact that you do not have to pay VAT in many states of that country. In addition, the US dollar is worth slightly less than the euro, which means that prices automatically fall. The latter also applies to the United Kingdom: partly due to Brexit, exchange rates fluctuate considerably, so that the price difference can sometimes differ from day to day.
Why Apple smartphones are slightly cheaper in Germany, but cost the same in France is not entirely clear. The VAT rates are roughly the same in both countries as in the Netherlands. Germany charges 19 percent VAT while France charges 20 percent VAT. In Poland, iPhones also cost about the same as in the Netherlands, despite a different currency. This is probably due to the fact that Apple has a different market position in that country because the general price level is lower.
Before you buy an Apple smartphone abroad, there are a number of things to take into account. For example, the conditions for warranty, repair and other region-related matters are slightly different. Also read our guide to buying an iPhone abroad for more information and advice on buying an iPhone outside the Netherlands.
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