You have got to be kidding!
The price of the iPhone, no matter what version, is high, and people might think they’re paying virtually nothing by opting to get the device with a plan, but, the price is part of the plan, and it’s paid as part of the monthly charges, which includes the cell service plan plus the monthly payment for the device.
So, in the end, the price of the iPhone still ends up being much higher than any other device.