Since January 21, mobile phones have been imported bring Mobile phones into Egypt were subject to customs duties of up to 37.5 percent after authorities abolished a long-standing exemption that allowed travelers to bring one phone into the country duty-free once every few years.
Authorities said the move reflects the expansion of local manufacturing capacity and aims to reduce smuggling and recover lost tax revenues.
But beyond political logic, the decision has now reshaped the cost of staying connected, and who bears that cost.
When the price of the phone exceeds the income
The effect is most pronounced at the point of purchase. High-end smartphones now carry price tags that put them out of reach for most users.
The iPhone 17, for example, is like that estimated At a cost of about 63,000 Egyptian pounds (1,339 US dollars) before customs duties. Once the 37.5% customs duty is applied, the final price rises sharply to 86,625 Egyptian pounds (1,856 US dollars). Even older models are affected: the iPhone 14, which is priced at around 40,000 Egyptian pounds (US$850), will rise to 55,000 Egyptian pounds (US$1,175) after taxes. While iPhones don’t represent every smartphone on the market, their prices illustrate how import duties can sharply inflate the cost of devices across categories.
Egypt’s high smartphone prices are not only noticeable at home, but also globally. Independent price indices that track iPhone costs around the world regularly rank Egypt among the most expensive countries beloved Apple hardware markets, a situation driven by high taxes, import duties, and currency depreciation.
Medium range Devices Like OPPO and realme, they are also more expensive in Egypt than abroad, with prices often ranging between 40 and 60 percent. higher than in the Gulf countries. For users who have previously bought phones abroad or want to buy them at lower prices, the new rules mean paying more at home or facing hefty taxes on imported devices.
In a country where the average monthly income is the same as the private sector minimum A wage of 7,000 Egyptian pounds (US$148) represents a small fraction of these prices, and a single phone can represent income for several months. It is not just about consumer choice, as smartphones are an essential component of work, digital payments, transportation applications, education platforms, and access to government services.
The frustration online reflects this disparity.
“The Egyptian government has made an iPhone more expensive in Egypt than anywhere else in the world,” said one user books On the
Local manufacturing and selection
The authorities point to the expansion of local phone assembly within the framework of the “Egypt Manufactures Electronics” initiative as a main justification for this policy.
around 15 global brands, including Samsung, Xiaomi, OPPO/Realme, Vivo and Infinix, now produce devices in Egypt with a combined annual capacity of about 20 million units.
Industry reviews indicate that although mid-range devices have narrowed the performance gap with flagship devices in recent years, flagship models usually Gain longer software support and maintain higher sustained performance and advanced features over time.
The question is not whether local phones should exist, but whether high taxes should make them the only viable option. Reducing choice threatens to turn digital access into a matter of income rather than availability.
How users respond
For many users, frustration is centered not so much on regulation itself as on how politics feels individually.
Nagwa, an Egyptian user who writes on X, described The decision is very personal.
“The Egyptian government’s decision to impose a tax on my personal mobile phone because I bought it abroad sends me one message: We don’t care about you or your circumstances,” she wrote, adding that the policy diminished her sense of belonging.
Others focused on practical impact.
One user on X He said“They bought a Samsung A35 for around EGP 10,000 (US$210) while abroad, compared to around EGP 15,000 (US$315) locally. Because the SIM card was not activated before the new rules came into effect, registering the phone later required a fee of around EGP 9,400 (US$200).”
“Just to use my phone, I have to pay for it twice?” They wrote.
Taken together, these reactions highlight a common concern: retroactively recasting personal devices that have already been purchased and used as taxable imports.
New rules in Egypt highlight a practical challenge, as smartphones now serve as essential infrastructure, while imported devices incur significant additional costs. Domestically manufactured phones have expanded the options available, but many users continue to rely on imported models for reasons ranging from performance and software support to price differences abroad.
How policymakers balance support for local assembly with access to imported devices will shape the range of choices available to users and how easily different groups can access the digital tools they increasingly rely on.