The beginning of the year 2026 brought important regulatory changes, but the reality in the windows shows that crossing the mountain range to Chile continues to be the smartest option for the pocket. Although taxes on the import of technology were eliminated, factors such as logistics and internal taxes prevent the price of a phone drop significantly in the Argentine market, maintaining a difference that exceeds 60% in various models.
What prices do the phones have?
The comparison of values in the high range is shocking, especially when we analyze the replacement cost of a phone of the latest generation in the official stores of Chili. While in Buenos Aires an iPhone 17 Pro Max costs around 3.3 million pesos, in the shopping centers of Santiago it can be obtained for a figure close to 2.6 million, generating direct savings that even justify the cost of the ticket.
So that you have a clear reference, these are the current prices that you can find in phones in Chile:
- iPhone 17 Pro Max (256 GB): US$1,757 (Savings of US$472 compared to Argentina).
- Samsung Galaxy S25 FE: US$736 (Almost half the local value of US$1,216).
- Motorola Moto G35 5G: US$256 (A minimal but competitive difference in the mid-range).
- MacBook Air M3: Values remain 40% below the national average.
Source: Shutterstock.
In the mid-range, the competition is tighter, but the variety of stock that Chile offers allows you to find promotions that include gift accessories with the purchase of each phone. This immediate availability of international versions and specific colors attracts thousands of tourists looking to renew their equipment without the limitations of quotas or surcharges that still persist in local appliance chains.
Source: Shutterstock.
From the commercial sector they explain that the tariff adjustment was already contemplated in the seasonal launches, so there will be no new reductions for the phone that you choose to buy in the short term within Chile. Official distributors maintain that operating costs and the exchange rate continue to be the main responsible for Argentine technology failing to achieve the competitiveness of the trans-Andean market this summer.
