The second cheapest country in the world for the “iPhone 14 series” is Japan, which has become a hot topic of conversation in Japan.
Even so, the iPhone 14 (128GB model), the cheapest of the iPhone 14 series, retails for about 120,000 yen ($842.46) . Of course, people’s perceptions may vary, but at the very least, it is inexpensive.
Therefore, it is hard to believe that “Japan is the second low-priced country in the world for the iPhone 14”.
Thus, in this report, we decided to consider how cheap iPhone prices are in Japan from a more multifaceted perspective, after comparing iPhone 14 series selling prices in various countries.
Country-by-country comparison of three data sets:
1. Apple Store price of the iPhone 14 in each country
2. Median income in each country
3. BMI and CPI for each country
In order to determine whether the pricing of the iPhone 14 series in Japan is high or low, we will compare and tabulate (or we will compare and contrast) the above three data.
The comparison will be made for a total of five countries, including Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, South Korea, and Taiwan.
iPhone 14 Apple Store Prices in Each Country
iPhone 14 Apple Store Prices in Each Country
The following table compares the Apple Store prices of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro in each country.
iPhone 14
- Japan: ¥119,800 ($840.87)
- United States: $799-$890
- United Kingdom: £849 ($984.37)
- Korea: ₩1,250,000 ($906.94)
- Taiwan: NT$27,900 ($904.98)
iPhone 14 Pro
- Japan: ¥149,800 ($1052.18)
- USA: $999-$1,113
- United Kingdom: £1,099 ($1274.23)
- Korea: ₩1,550,000 ($969.91)
- Taiwan: NT$34,900 ($976.25)
In the United States, retail sales tax, which is equivalent to Japan’s consumption tax, differs from state to state, resulting in markedly different selling prices even within the same country. As a result, when comparing tax-inclusive prices, some states are more expensive than Japan, while others are less expensive.
In the U.K., the higher value-added tax (tax rates vary by item) results in higher selling prices. In the Republic of Korea, where the tax rate is the same as in Japan, the price is about 10,000 yen ($70.25) higher than in Japan. Taiwan seems to be considerably higher than Japan when the sales tax is taken into account.
Median Income of Each Country
The following is a comparison of median income in each country
- Japan: 4 million yen ($28075.89)
- U.S.A.: 45,000 U.S. dollars
- United Kingdom: 31,000 pounds ($35902.28)
- South Korea: 29.98 million won ($21765.5)
- Taiwan: 470,000 New Taiwan Dollars ($1549.19)
Looking only at median incomes, the high levels of Europe and the U.S. are still striking. Looking at the figures alone, they are approximately 1.6 times higher than in Japan.
It is easier to understand if we consider Japan, but even though the median annual income of Japanese people is about 3.96 million yen, it varies greatly depending on the region and occupation. Statistically, it is said that the median figure is closer to the actual figure than the average. However, when viewed on a macro scale as a country, there will still be variations. This is also true for the United States and Taiwan.
BMI and CPI for each country
Finally, we will compare and contrast the Big Mac Index (BMI) and Consumer Price Index (CPI) of each country.
Big Mac Index (BMI)
This index is used to measure the economic strength of each country based on the selling price per Big Mac sold at McDonald’s.
- Japan: $2.83
- United States: $5.15
- United Kingdom: $4.44
- Korea: $3.5
- Taiwan: $2.51
Consumer Price Index (CPI)
A statistical index is used to track changes in the end prices at which consumers make purchases.
- Japan: 2.6
- U.S.A.: 8.5
- United Kingdom: 9.4
- South Korea: 6.1
- Taiwan: 3.6
The recent global situation (pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, etc.) has accelerated global inflation, resulting in high prices on both the left and the right.
In Japan, prices have been rising continuously (prices have been gouging), but the situation is similar in other countries as well. In particular, the situation in the U.K. is not good. The BoE (central bank) is raising interest rates continuously, but inflation is unstoppable.
Conclusion
Finally, based on a comprehensive review of the aforementioned Data 1 – Data 3, we conclude that the price of the iPhone 14 series in Japan is not as low as expected, considering the median annual income and the consumer price index.
Indeed, looking at the iPhone 14 selling price alone, Japan is the second cheapest country in the world. However, when looking at median annual income, the burden on households from the purchase is higher. In addition, when the consumer price index is compared with other countries, the price appears high relative to the cost of living.
Nevertheless, while the real price of the iPhone 14 series in Japan may not be the “second cheapest in the world,” it may be the cheapest in the world as a whole.
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