On April 1, 2026, topping up Apple ID balance in Russia via phone number and Russian Apple gift cards stopped working and became a thing of the past. But Apple services haven’t gone anywhere — iCloud+ still stores your photos, Apple Music plays your favorite tracks, and Apple TV+ regularly releases series you can’t stop watching. The only question is: which region should you choose for your Apple ID to pay as little as possible for all of this? Keep in mind that when changing your region, some apps from the App Store may disappear, but we’ve already covered what to do about that. Now let’s figure out the main thing — where it’s most cost-effective.
Figuring out how to top up Apple ID via SBP
Three Most Popular Regions for Apple ID
When it comes to changing the country in your Apple ID settings, users most often choose between three options — USA, India, and Turkey. Each has its pros and cons, but the main difference lies in subscription prices. Apple sets service costs in each country’s national currency, and the difference can sometimes be enormous.
To make the comparison fair, we converted all prices to rubles at the current exchange rate as of May 2026. The rates used are: 1 US dollar = 73 rubles, 1 Indian rupee = 0.80 rubles, 1 Turkish lira = 1.6 rubles.
iCloud+ Prices in Different Regions
The most popular subscription users want to sign up for
Cloud storage is the subscription that practically every iPhone owner needs. The free 5 GB lasts exactly until your first backup, and then you have to pay. Here’s how much iCloud+ costs in the three regions.
USA (dollars)
- 50 GB — $0.99 per month (~72 rubles)
- 200 GB — $2.99 per month (~218 rubles)
- 2 TB — $9.99 per month (~729 rubles)
India (rupees)
- 50 GB — ₹75 per month (~60 rubles)
- 200 GB — ₹219 per month (~175 rubles)
- 2 TB — ₹749 per month (~599 rubles)
Turkey (liras)
- 50 GB — 39.99 ₺ per month (~64 rubles)
- 200 GB — 129.99 ₺ per month (~208 rubles)
- 2 TB — 399.99 ₺ per month (~640 rubles)
As you can see, India leads in affordability for iCloud+ across nearly all tiers. The 2 TB plan costs almost 18% less than in the USA and 6% less than in Turkey. If all you need is cloud storage — the Indian region is the optimal choice.
Apple Music Prices by Country
Users care about Apple Music with international tracks
The situation with the music service is even more interesting. Apple Music is one of those subscriptions where the regional price difference is most striking.
USA (dollars)
- Individual subscription — $10.99 per month (~802 rubles)
- Family subscription (up to 6 people) — $16.99 per month (~1,240 rubles)
India (rupees)
- Individual subscription — ₹119 per month (~95 rubles)
- Family subscription (up to 6 people) — ₹179 per month (~143 rubles)
Turkey (liras)
- Individual subscription — 59.99 ₺ per month (~96 rubles)
- Family subscription (up to 6 people) — 99.99 ₺ per month (~160 rubles)
The difference here is simply shocking. Apple Music in India costs 95 rubles — that’s almost 8 times cheaper than in the USA. Turkey is also appealing: 96 rubles for the same service with Dolby Atmos, Lossless audio, and a catalog of 100 million tracks. In America, you’d pay over 800 rubles for it. Comments, as they say, are unnecessary.
How Much Does Apple TV+ Cost in Different Countries
Some people love Apple TV+ series
With Apple TV+, there’s one important nuance that many people don’t know about. Apple’s streaming service is not available in every country.
USA (dollars)
- Subscription — $12.99 per month (~948 rubles)
India (rupees)
- Subscription — ₹99 per month (~79 rubles)
Turkey
- Apple TV+ is not available in Turkey. The service doesn’t work in this region, so you won’t be able to subscribe to it with a Turkish Apple ID.
This is a serious argument against the Turkish region for those who watch Apple series. An Apple TV+ subscription in India is just 79 rubles per month. For comparison, in the USA the same Severance, Silo, and Foundation will cost you 948 rubles monthly. The difference is more than 12 times.
Which Region Is the Most Cost-Effective
Any of these regions will give you a good experience
If you put it all together, here’s the picture. India is the leader in subscription affordability for Apple services. All three main services are available, prices are minimal, and the difference from American prices is measured not in percentages but in multiples. The only downside is that the app catalog in the Indian App Store may differ slightly from the American one. But all the main apps are there.
Turkey also offers low prices for iCloud+ and Apple Music, but the absence of Apple TV+ is a significant limitation. If you don’t watch Apple series and only need music and cloud storage, the Turkish region will work.
The USA is the most expensive option, but it has the most complete catalog of apps and services. All new releases appear here first, support works without restrictions, and states without sales tax let you avoid overpaying beyond the face value of the gift card.
Where to Buy an Apple Gift Card
To top up a foreign Apple ID, you’ll need an App Store gift card for the appropriate region. The card code is strictly tied to the country — an American voucher can only be activated on an account with the USA region, an Indian one — only on an Indian account.
