The New iPhone Costs 3 Months of My Rent. Am I Crazy for Wanting One?

A 26-year-old office worker in Tokyo takes home about $1,400 a month. His rent is $490. And the new iPhone 18 Pro starts at ¥219,800 in Japan, almost exactly three months of his rent. His old phone is cracked and dies by lunch, so he asks an online forum: is he crazy for wanting one anyway? ⚠️ A dramatized story inspired by stories shared on Japanese online forums. Characters and details are fictionalized. ⚠️ Not financial advice. Not sponsored by or affiliated with Apple. Phone prices and carrier programs change, so check current terms. Currency conversions are approximate (¥150 = $1). The iPhone prices mentioned are Apple Japan starting prices, tax included. 0:00 Three months of rent 0:17 The thread 0:52 The numbers 1:50 Japan explained: why the iPhone costs so much 2:28 Why he wants it 3:14 The thread splits 4:17 Japan explained: carrier deals & used phones 4:52 The decision 5:52 One year later How long do you keep your phone? Would you buy a new one or a used one? Let us know in the comments. --- Voices: AI-generated (Kokoro TTS) Illustrations: AI-generated Music: OpenTracks (formerly DOVA-SYNDROME) ・ぐだぐだな感じ / yuki ・昼下がり気分 / KK ・パステルハウス / かずち ・野良猫は宇宙を目指した / しゃろう ・かえるのピアノ / こおろぎ ・Morning / しゃろう Sound effects: Sound Effect Lab (効果音ラボ) #JapaneseStories #iPhone #MoneyStories