On a Minimum Wage Salary, Want an iPhone 18? Don't Just Save, Here is the Strategy
Apple has officially introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and the iPhone Duo. Both feature the latest technology but come with significant price tags. Investing could be one of the options to prepare the necessary funds.
It should be noted that Apple has not yet launched the regular iPhone 18. The available models are the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the iPhone Duo. Therefore, this calculation uses the standard-sized iPhone 18 Pro (non-Max) as a comparison.
Assuming an exchange rate of Rp17,500 per US dollar, the estimated prices in rupiah are provided below. This analysis uses the 256 GB variant. The target funds required are approximately Rp21 million for the iPhone 18 Pro and Rp35 million for the iPhone Duo. These prices are conversions from US prices and do not yet represent official prices in Indonesia.
Can Minimum Wage Earners Afford It?
The 2026 Jakarta Provincial Minimum Wage (UMP) is set at Rp5,729,876 per month. With disciplined financial management, it is assumed that workers can set aside approximately Rp900,000 every month. With these remaining funds, there are three methods that can be used: traditional savings, fixed-income investments, or 0% credit card instalments.
The iPhone 1s Pro remains relatively affordable in this scenario. Buyers could save for approximately two years or use a 24-month 0% instalment plan. However, instalments require a credit card with a minimum limit of around Rp21 million. For the iPhone Duo, a more sensible option is to accumulate funds first. A 24-month instalment is unsuitable because the monthly payment would far exceed the remaining monthly budget. Buyers would need a tenure of approximately 39 months to keep instalments below Rp900,000.
How to Achieve the Goal Faster?
Workers with a high risk profile might consider more volatile stocks, such as PT Aneka Tambang Tbk (ANTM). Based on provided closing price data, ANTM rose from Rp1,320 on 10 September 2024 to Rp3,300 on 10 September 2026. Overall, ANTM’s price increased by 150% over two years, reaching 2.5 times its initial price. To calculate the CAGR, the final price of Rp3,300 is divided by the initial price of Rp1,320, then calculated for the two-year period. From this calculation, ANTM’s CAGR reached approximately 58.11% per annum.
If that return is assumed to be repeatable and Rp900,000 is invested every month, the simulation results are as follows: Based on the simulation, the target for the iPhone 18 Pro could be achieved in about 17 months through ANTM, while the target for the iPhone Duo could be achieved in about 25 months. However, ANTM’s returns were not stable. The stock rose by 165.91% in the first year but fell by 5.98% in the following year. Therefore, a CAGR of 58.11% cannot be assumed to recur every year. While stocks can accelerate the achievement of the target, price drops can also extend the time required for the purchase.