Buenos Aires, January 15, 2026 -- The global launch of the iPhone 17 and its Pro, Pro Max, and Air variants has renewed the debate on technology access in Latin America. According to the Argentine News Agency, the recent elimination of tariffs on mobile phone imports in Argentina aims to reduce the price gap, although the salary effort to acquire these devices remains disparate across the continent. A report by Bloomberg Line compared official prices (or their dollar equivalents) with the minimum wages in each country, revealing marked differences in purchasing power.
Accessibility ranking: how many salaries does an iPhone 17 cost? For the base model of the iPhone 17 ($799 in the U.S.), the differences are even more pronounced. In Brazil, acquiring the top-of-the-line model implies 8.23 minimum salaries, and in Venezuela, the figure is astronomical: 1,425 salaries. The report highlights that the appreciation of currencies like the Brazilian real and the Colombian peso against the dollar over the last year has slightly favored affordability in those markets, although internal tax burdens continue to play a decisive role in the final consumer price.
While in Costa Rica it represents 1.65 salaries, in Argentina the figure climbs to 5.27 basic wages. For the base model of the iPhone 17 ($799 in the U.S.), the relationship with the local minimum wage shows the following panorama: Costa Rica: It is the most accessible country in the region, requiring 1.10 minimum salaries. Uruguay: 1.35 salaries are needed. Ecuador: The investment represents 1.70 salaries. Chile: It demands 1.89 salaries. Paraguay: It reaches 1.98 salaries. Colombia: It surpasses the two-salary barrier with 2.22 salaries. Mexico: It requires 2.36 salaries. Peru: It amounts to 2.47 salaries. Argentina: 3.52 minimum salaries are needed to access the base model, taking the minimum wage of ARS$322,200 as a reference. Bolivia: It requires 3.58 salaries (parallel exchange rate). Brazil: The cost rises to 5.27 salaries. Venezuela: The most extreme case, where the device is equivalent to 949.50 minimum salaries.
Pro Max models and the impact on the wallet For the iPhone 17 Pro Max ($1,199 in the U.S.), the relationship with the local minimum wage shows the following panorama: Costa Rica: 1.65 salaries. Argentina: 5.27 basic wages.
