Survey Reveals It Takes 26.9 Days for Average South African to Buy Apple iPhone XS

Apple released its much anticipated and most expensive smartphone in the company’s history—iPhone XS Max on 12 September 2018. But how many working days would you need to afford the iPhone XS?

Analysis from research company Picodi have revealed that it would take 26.9 days for an average South African to earn enough to buy the new iPhone.

However, it turns out that the ones who would be able to afford Apple’s newest product the fastest are people in the developed countries and the UAE. For example, an average Swiss would have to work 5.1 days, the citizens of Luxembourg—less than 7 days, and Norwegians—7 and a half day.

Among the countries where you have to work the least amount of days are also United Arab Emirates—money earned for 7.6 days are enough to buy the newest iPhone. In the US, on the other hand, one would have to work 8.4 days.

In South Africa the latest iPhone costs R22,000. Under the assumption that average gross wage in South Africa—according to data from Statistics South Africa—amounts to R19 858 per month, it would take 26.9 days for an average South African to earn enough to buy the new iPhone. Of course assuming that the other living costs would be zero.

The longest time to afford the iPhone XS would have to work the Filipinos—over 156 days. It won’t be so easy also in Pakistan—with the local earnings and prices an average Pakistani would have to work over 88 days.

The results of Picodi’s research is based on iPhone XS 64Gb prices in various countries and official statistic data about average wages in each of them.