Why Indian Youth Buy iPhones on EMI (While the US, UK & China Pay Cash)

Let’s stop pretending.

An American buys an iPhone in less than a week.
An Indian buys the same iPhone after almost 6 months of work.

Same phone.
Very different reality.

This is not about loving technology.
This is about income vs price, and most people don’t want to talk about it honestly.

First, the Basic Math (No Emotion)

The Apple iPhone 17 Pro costs:

• $1,099 in the USA

• ₹1,34,900 in India (around $1,620 after taxes)

Apple sells the phone at a global level.
Your salary, unfortunately, is local.

Here’s the comparison that actually matters.

Average Income vs iPhone 17 Pro Cost

Read the India row again. Slowly.  Believe it or not, I have increased our daily income to over 200-250 INR.

An average Indian works 30 – 40 times longer than an American to buy the same phone.

That’s not obsession.
That’s economics.

Why People in the US Buy iPhones Without Thinking

In the US:

• iPhone = one week’s income

• No serious dent in savings

• Paid via cash or card

• EMI is convenience, not necessity

Buying an iPhone there is like buying a decent appliance.
Expensive, yes. Life-changing? No.

Why Indians Almost Always Choose EMI

In India:

• iPhone = half-year income

• Paying full cash hurts badly

• EMI spreads the damage

• Decision feels easier

That’s the whole story.

EMI doesn’t make the phone cheaper.
It just hides the pain.

Aur yahin se problem shuru hoti hai.

Let’s Be Honest About EMI

₹1.35 lakh sounds scary.
₹5500 / ₹6000 per month sounds manageable.

That’s psychology, not affordability.

But EMI means:

• Money locked for 12 – 24 months

• Savings slowed down

• Emergency fund compromised

• Financial flexibility gone

You don’t feel it on day one.
You feel it month after month.

The Part People Get Angry About (But It’s True)

For most people, once a phone crosses a certain price:

Daily life does not change.

• Calls? Same

• WhatsApp? Same

• Payments? Same

• Social media? Same

A ₹25000 phone and a ₹1.35 lakh phone do the same daily kaam.

What you pay extra for is:

• Brand

• Status

• Social validation

That’s fine – if you can afford it.

When Buying an iPhone Actually Makes Sense

Here’s where nuance matters.

If buying an iPhone helps you earn money, it’s not a luxury – it’s a tool.

Examples:

• Photographer using iPhone camera professionally

• YouTuber shooting, editing, uploading daily

• Content creator making reels, shorts, brand deals

• Instagram pe nachane wale earning from reach (Sorry – but I hate your success guys, wish I had that much willpower)

• Business owner using ecosystem for work efficiency

In these cases:

• Phone = income-generating asset

• Cost can be recovered

• EMI may even make sense

If the phone pays you back, buy it without guilt.

When It Does NOT Make Sense

If you’re buying an iPhone mainly for:

• Social pressure

• Comparison with friends

• “Sabke paas hai”

• Feeling premium

Then be honest with yourself.

A phone that costs 160 days of work and earns you ₹0 is not a smart buy.

It’s an emotional decision pretending to be a rational one.

One Simple Rule (Works Every Time)

Before buying a premium phone, ask:

1. Can I buy this without financial stress?

2. Will this help me earn or grow?

3. Will I care after 6 months?

4. Am I buying utility or validation?

If answers feel shaky, stop.

Paise banana mushkil hai.
Phone lena aasaan.

No Sugarcoating

Americans buy iPhones in days.
Indians buy iPhones in months.

Not because Indians are careless.
But because incomes are lower and prices are global.

There’s nothing wrong with liking good technology.
But using EMI to stretch your future income for a phone that mostly gives status?

That deserves serious thought.

End of the day – kaam ka phone lo, sirf show-off ka nahi.