Price Comparison of the Most Preferred Phones for Egyptians Abroad

SadaNews - The Egyptian Customs Authority and the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority have decided to end the exceptional exemption for mobile phones imported from abroad with travelers from customs duties.

The decision came into effect starting from noon yesterday, Wednesday, January 21, 2026.

The telecommunications regulator confirmed that the exemption for mobile phones belonging to Egyptians residing abroad and tourists will continue for only 90 days, after which the applicable fees must be paid if the specified time is exceeded.

Cancellation of Exemption for Imported Phones from Duties

The telecommunications regulator attributed the decision to the implementation of a governance system for mobile phones imported from abroad, which started in January 2025, accompanied by an exceptional decision to exempt one mobile phone device per traveler from customs duties until locally manufactured mobile phones not subject to customs are made available, according to a press release issued by the telecommunications authority.

The telecommunications regulator explained that the system for registering imported phones and imposing taxes on them helped 15 global companies to enter the Egyptian market for mobile phone manufacturing, with a production capacity of 20 million devices annually, which exceeds the local market needs.

According to the telecommunications regulator, the mobile phone manufacturing industry in Egypt witnessed a significant leap in 2025, which positively reflected on the availability of the latest global models manufactured locally with various features and specifications, suitable for all segments of citizens, and available in all sales outlets and official branches of international companies.

Tax on Every Phone

This decision means that any new phone not activated in Egypt before will incur a customs tax of 38%, with users granted a 90-day period for payment or traveling again before service to the phone is suspended.

This means that purchasing luxury phones from abroad, even as gifts for family, will require paying a tax fee of 38% of the device price.

Price Difference of iPhone 17 Pro Max in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE

Taking the iPhone 17 Pro Max, 256 GB version, as an illustrative example, its price is as follows:

Price in Saudi Arabia: 4955.65 Saudi Riyals, equivalent to 62.39 thousand Egyptian pounds, based on an exchange rate of 12.59 according to the average exchange rate of official banks in Egypt, plus 38% tax of approximately 23.7 thousand pounds, if calculating tax on the purchase invoice and not its official price in Egypt.

The total price of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, 256 GB version, will be about 86.1 thousand pounds.

Price in the UAE: 5094 Emirati Dirhams, equivalent to 65.3 thousand Egyptian pounds, based on an exchange rate of 12.83 according to the average exchange rate of official banks in Egypt, plus 38% tax of about 24.8 thousand pounds if calculating the tax on the purchase invoice and not its official price in Egypt.

The total price of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, 256 GB version, will be about 90.1 thousand pounds.

Price in Egypt: Trade Line, the distributor of "Apple" products in Egypt, offers the iPhone 17 Pro Max, 256 GB version, at a price of 94 thousand pounds.

The price difference will remain 7900 pounds in favor of those imported from Saudi Arabia, and about 4000 pounds for those from the UAE, considering that the imported phone will have international warranty and requires additional fees to include it under the local warranty, while buyers within Egypt receive a warranty of two years.

Price Differences of Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE

Price in Saudi Arabia: 3477 Saudi Riyals, equivalent to about 43.5 thousand Egyptian pounds.

An additional 38% tax will apply, approximately 16.5 thousand pounds, if calculating tax on the purchase invoice and not its official price in Egypt.

The total price becomes 60 thousand pounds.

Price in the UAE: 3999 Emirati Dirhams, equivalent to about 51.3 thousand Egyptian pounds.

An additional 38% tax will apply, approximately 19.4 thousand pounds, if calculating tax on the purchase invoice and not its official price in Egypt.

The total price becomes 70.7 thousand pounds.

Price in Egypt: The price in Samsung’s official online store is about 65 thousand pounds.

The price comparison shows that the price of the phone in Egypt is higher than in Saudi Arabia by about 5 thousand pounds, while it is cheaper than in the UAE by about 5 thousand pounds as well, considering the difference in international and local warranty.