'Even with flight, it's cheaper': Indians fly to Dubai just to buy iPhone 18 Pro

A sharp price gap between the UAE and India is pushing some Indian buyers to fly to Dubai just to pick up the new iPhone 18 Pro, with shoppers saying the deal stays better even after adding flight and visa costs, Gulf News reported.

In the UAE, the iPhone 18 Pro starts at Dh5,099 (about ₹1.32–1.33 lakh at recent exchange rates), while the iPhone 18 Pro Max begins at Dh5,499 (roughly ₹1.42–1.44 lakh).

In India, Apple's official starting prices are significantly higher: ₹1,64,900 for the iPhone 18 Pro and ₹1,79,900 for the Pro Max.

That works out to a gap of around ₹33,000 on the Pro and about ₹38,000 on the Pro Max when converted at current rates, before any travel expenses.

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“Even with flight ticket and visa, it is still cheaper”

For some buyers, the arithmetic still favours a short trip. For Mumbai resident Aman Solanki, the price difference was enough to make a trip to Dubai worthwhile.

"Even with a flight ticket and visa, it is still cheaper," Solanki told Gulf News, explaining why the UAE purchase made sense despite travel costs. “actually about ₹50,000 to ₹60,000 more expensive in India than here”, pointing to the combined effect of taxes, duties and local pricing.

Customers are explicitly factoring in airfare and visa fees and still finding the UAE option cheaper, which is fueling word-of-mouth among tech-savvy buyers and resellers.

Why the gap exists

The UAE has a lower retail price mainly because of its tax structure, which includes a 5% VAT in the listed price. In India, higher import duties and other taxes increase the final price of iPhones.

For expensive models such as the iPhone 18 Pro, this difference can result in a significant price gap between the two countries.

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‘Taxes really increase the price’: Kerala buyer 

At the Dubai Mall Apple Store, Mohammed Sayed from Kerala, who was picking up an iPhone 18 Pro Max in Burgundy, said he reached the same conclusion after running the numbers.

"I actually came to visit my family here too but decided to buy the phone here after comparing the cost between the UAE and India," he told Gulf News. "For me, I’m saving around ₹20,000 to ₹30,000 for the new iPhone. The taxes really increase the price."