You might be surprised to know this but it is true that Middle Eastern nations are believed to be some of the cheapest places for buying technology. However, the higher living costs in these countries are offset by low VAT implied on consumer products. Other developing nations like Belarus and Venezuela are costlier than the Middle East countries as import restrictions and inflation have taken a huge toll on the access of consumers in the market.
In fact, the cheapest piece of tech gadget that someone can buy is a portable device charger for an average of $2.15 in Vietnam while this same gadget will cost $371.87 in Venezuela and $105.14 in Brunei.
The evolving importance of Android smartphones
The constantly-changing circumstances of Covid-19 showed how Android smartphones, like the Samsung Galaxy S series or the latest S22 series, have become essential for connectivity. Smartphones provide access to life-saving details, allow students to continue with their studies online, and improve social connection. In spite of this, there are several countries where smartphones still seem to be unattainable due to their sky-high costs.
What is the average cost of a new Android smartphone?
Among the 180 countries that were studied, it was found that the average cost of a smartphone globally was 26% of an average monthly income, $104. There are noteworthy divisions in affordability between different countries and regions that suggest smartphones are inaccessible to many.
In some regions, people would require spending much more than the global average. For instance, in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, this number crosses 40%. Even worse, the developing countries, the average person would have to spend more than half of their income in buying an Android smartphone. Those residing in low-income nations have to spend nearly 70% of their average monthly income to buy the cheapest Android market.
There are several factors that determine the price of a smartphone
There are indeed several factors like the economy of the country, the standard of living of the citizens, and their average monthly income are all taken into account before pricing a smartphone. With so many types of variables, it is inevitable that there are a few countries in the world where smartphones are costlier than other countries. If you consider the android phone, Motorola Edge 20 Pro, you’ll get a better deal in India than in Europe.
Money Supermarket combined various pricing details for some of the major tech products at retail chains in 50 countries. They compiled all data to design a median price for specific Android gadgets like Galaxy S21, iPhone 14, or other products.
Where should you buy and where shouldn’t you buy an Android phone?
No matter whether you’re a resident of Egypt, Japan, Jordan, and Poland, you will have to pay varied costs for Android smartphones. As per a new report, the worst place to purchase an Android phone is Belarus as it is a developing country. You will have to pay more than 40% more for these phones, as against the median price. Ireland, Argentina, and Greece follow Belarus.
On the other hand, South Korea, the home country of Samsung is the best place to buy tech gadgets, especially Android phones. Compared to the median price, you could save 35% on buying Android phones from South Korea. New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Colombia make the remaining top 5 best countries.
Therefore, no matter which country you live in, you should be careful before purchasing an Android phone at double the price than the median price. Buy a phone as per your affordability.