The iPhone Duo may be one of Apple’s most ambitious smartphones yet, but its premium price tag also raises an interesting question: how long would the average person need to work to afford one?
The answer varies dramatically depending on where you live.
In India, the iPhone Duo starts at a staggering Rs. 2,99,900, while buyers in the US will pay $1,999. In Japan, it costs JPY 364,800, and in Norway, one of Apple’s most expensive markets on this list, the price reaches NOK 25,990.
iPhone Duo Affordability Around the World
To understand how expensive the iPhone Duo really is, we compared its local price against average median wages in each country. For OECD countries, the calculations use 2025 average annual wage data, while India’s is based on recent average earnings for regular salaried workers. UAE figures are based on widely average monthly salary estimates, as the country’s wage data varies significantly by profession and emirate.
The calculation is simple: iPhone Duo price divided by average monthly income. This assumes that a person could dedicate their entire gross monthly salary to buying the phone-something that is obviously unrealistic, but useful for comparing affordability across countries.
| Country | iPhone Duo Price | Approx. Avg Median Monthly Salary | Salary Needed |
| US | USD 1,999 | USD 5,217 | 0.38 months |
| Norway | NOK 25,990 | NOK 55,800 | 0.47 months |
| Germany | EUR 2,299 | EUR 4,506 | 0.51 months |
| Australia | AUD 3,499 | AUD 6,175 | 0.57 months |
| UK | GBP 1,999 | GBP 3,250 | 0.62 months |
| Japan | JPY 364,800 | JPY 300,000+ | 1.2 months |
| India | INR 2,99,900 | Rs. 21,000 | 14.28 months |
| UAE | AED 8,499 | AED 14,300 | 0.59 months |
Figures are approximate and based on available median earnings data for different employment categories.
The US Offers the Best Affordability
The US appears to be one of the most affordable markets for the iPhone Duo when compared with median earnings. Median weekly earnings for full-time workers translate to approximately $5,217 per month.
At $1,999, the iPhone Duo costs around 38% of a month’s . In theory, the typical full-time worker could earn the phone’s price in just over a week.
That does not make a $2,000 smartphone cheap, but it shows how higher wages can significantly improve affordability.
Norway’s High Price Is Balanced by High Salaries
Norway has one of the highest retail prices on the list, with the iPhone Duo costing NOK 25,990. However, the country’s median monthly salary is also high at around NOK 55,800.
The phone therefore represents approximately 47% of one month’s median salary. This shows why converting every iPhone price into dollars does not provide the full picture. A more expensive phone can still be relatively affordable in a country with higher wages.
Germany and Australia Follow Closely
In Germany, the EUR 2,299 iPhone Duo costs just over half of a month’s median gross salary. Australia produces a similar result, with the AUD 3,499 model accounting for around 57% of monthly median earnings.
The UK falls slightly behind, with the GBP 1,999 iPhone Duo representing approximately 62% of a typical worker’s monthly salary.
Japan faces a bigger income-to-price gap. At JPY 364,800, the iPhone Duo could cost more than an entire month’s median earnings, making it a significantly larger purchase than in the US or Norway.
What About India, Canada and the UAE?
India’s iPhone Duo starts at a massive Rs. 2,99,900, making it an ultra-premium purchase. However, India does not currently offer a single nationally standardised median salary figure directly comparable with the datasets used in the US or Europe.
The same challenge applies to the UAE, where salaries vary dramatically across professions and worker groups. Canada also publishes median earnings through different measures, making a direct comparison dependent on the employee category selected.
Rather than mixing average salaries or estimates into a median-only comparison, these markets require carefully matched national median datasets.
The Real Cost Depends on Where You Live
The iPhone Duo may be a premium smartphone everywhere, but its affordability changes dramatically depending on local wages.
For the median worker in the US, Norway, Germany and Australia, the phone costs roughly half a month’s salary or less. In Japan, it could take more than a month of median earnings.
And in India, the Rs. 2,99,900 price tag places the .
Ultimately, the better question isn’t just how much the iPhone Duo costs. It is how much of your salary it takes to own one.