Is it better to buy an iPhone in Brazil or the US?

With a new introduction iPhones And higher prices already expected in Brazil, between R$ 7,599 (iPhone 14 128 GB) and R$ 15,499 (iPhone 14 Pro 1 TB), the question remains: is it worth bringing it from America? Or is it safe to buy here?

slope I compared the possible scenarios to help you decide. First, let’s go over the reported values ​​for the Brazilian store:

• iPhone 14: From BRL 7,599
• iPhone 14 Plus: From BRL 8,599
• iPhone 14 Pro: From BRL 9,499
• iPhone 14 Pro Max: From BRL 10,499

At the Apple Official Store, the devices can be paid in 12 interest-free installments or cash with a 10% discount.

Now, check out the prices in the US:

• iPhone 14: Starts at $799
• iPhone 14 Plus: Starts at $899
• iPhone 14 Pro: Starts at $999
• iPhone 14 Pro Max: Starts at $1,099

Without considering any taxes, in direct conversion (each US location has different taxation for products), we get the following:

• iPhone 14: From BRL 4,160
• iPhone 14 Plus: From BRL 4,680
• iPhone 14 Pro: From BRL 5,200
• iPhone 14 Pro Max: From BRL 5,720

Apple already maintained a classic rate of nearly R$10 rise to the dollar — not the R$5.20 of today’s exchange rate. It sounds wrong, but we have to consider the high import duties in the country.

So the obvious answer: If you already have a device or a friend who can bring one travel Verified, worth it, yes. But be careful about buying the unlocked version – there, it’s common for operators (Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile) to offer much lower values, but bundled with a plan.

and taxation risks to bear in mind. The revenue The federal government allocates $1,000 for tax-free purchases, including foreign and tax-free purchases. One Go It can be treated as a personal item and not fall under this quota – but only if you’re only carrying one.

Also note that each state imposes a tax on all purchases in the US (for example, it’s 8.49% in New York, 6.8% in Florida, and 5.75% in Washington DC). In addition, credit card purchases are subject to IOF (6.38%), subject to exchange rate variation and are cash – the benefit of interest-free installments is a Brazilian exclusive, which enables us to purchase items that we cannot. Charge the moment.

With real currency devaluation increasing, it is no longer worth traveling to buy an electronic device, which was a common practice – by comparison, in the same month of 2019, the dollar was worth R$4.01; In 2014, BRL 2.34.

It doesn’t make sense to import directly from a North American store, and since it’s a complicated process that takes three weeks, you’ll end up paying more than in Brazil when all taxes and shipping are added.

In short: if you want to keep the iPhone 14 in hand and pay in installments, it is better to guarantee the Brazilian version

Does it work here?

iPhones are known to work worldwide, with a one-year warranty in any country. Usually there will always be some slight difference in signal frequencies between the North American and the global version, but that should not affect usage.

This year, there will be one physical change: the SIM card tray. It will remain on devices sold in Brazil, but has been abolished in the US, which will only use virtual chips called eSIMs.

The lack of a traditional slot may seem strange, but it’s not a problem. All major Brazilian operators already work with eSIM – just use a compatible device and request it in-store or through online service channels.

The technology has been present in iPhones since 2018 with the XR and XS. Anyone with an iPhone XR, XS, 11, 12 or 13 can now opt for a virtual chip — or two numbers working at once, one physical and one in the eSIM.