Which country has the cheapest mobile data in the world?

The countries with the cheapest mobile data have been named based on the cost per gigabyte. We share the findings below

Israel has the cheapest mobile data in the world, with one gigabyte (1GB) of data costing an average of just $0.04 USD.

Internet comparison site Cable has collected and analysed data from 5,292 mobile data plans across 233 countries and territories to identify the countries with the cheapest mobile data in the world.

The data was gathered between March and June 2022 and the average cost of one gigabyte (1GB) was calculated and compared to form an authoritative ranking.

If you’re one of the millions of people working remotely around the world or pursuing a career as a digital nomad, then internet speed and the cost of connecting are likely to be one of the most important factors in your choice of destination.

10 cheapest countries for mobile data

1. Israel, $0.04
2. Italy, $0.12
3. San Marino, $0.14
4. Fiji, $0.15
5. India, $0.17
6. Kyrgyzstan, $0.17
7. France, $0.23
8. Moldova, $0.26
9. Uruguay, $0.27
10. Nepal, $0.27

“Many of the cheapest countries in which to buy mobile data fall roughly into one of two categories. Some have excellent mobile and fixed broadband infrastructure and so providers are able to offer large amounts of data, which brings down the price per gigabyte. Others with less advanced broadband networks are heavily reliant on mobile data and the economy dictates that prices must be low, as that’s what people can afford.”

– Dan Howdle, Cable.co.uk

10 most expensive countries for mobile data

1. São Tomé & Príncipe, $29.49
2. Tokelau, $17.88
3. Yemen, $16.58
4. Botswana, $15.55
5. Turkmenistan, $14.27
6. Togo, $12.94
7. Seychelles, $12.66
8. South Korea, $12.55
9. Namibia, $10.52
10. Equatorial Guinea, $9.57

“At the more expensive end of the list, we have countries where often the infrastructure isn’t great but also where consumption is very small. People are often buying data packages of just a tens of megabytes at a time, making a gigabyte a relatively large and therefore expensive amount of data to buy. Many countries in the middle of the list have good infrastructure and competitive mobile markets, and while their prices aren’t among the cheapest in the world, they wouldn’t necessarily be considered expensive by its consumers.”

– Dan Howdle, Cable.co.uk

Key headlines

• The global average is $3.12 for 1GB of data.
• São Tomé & Príncipe is the most expensive sovereign state with an average cost of $29.49 for 1GB of data.
• Israel has the cheapest mobile data with the cheapest price of $0.04 for 1GB.
• The cheapest country in Europe is Italy, in second place, with an average cost of $0.12, followed by San Marino ($0.14) and France ($0.23) in third and seventh place respectively.
• Uruguay, with an average of $0.27 in ninth place, is the cheapest country in the Americas.
• Six of the ten most expensive countries to buy mobile data are in Africa. Island nations also tend to be among the most expensive in the world.
• The UK is ranked 57th with an average cost of $0.79 per 1GB of data.
• The USA is among the most expensive developed nations, ranked 178th with an average cost of $5.62 for 1GB.
• Portugal, which was recently named the best country for remote workers, is ranked 161st with an average cost of $3.67 for 1GB of data.

CHEAPEST COUNTRIES FOR MOBILE DATA – Complete ranking

The table below ranks countries by the average price of 1GB of data. The research looked at SIM-only deals and included a range of packages from all providers in each country or territory.

Note: some countries and territories have been excluded due to insufficient or inaccurate data.

Access the full dataset on Cable.co.uk.

More rankings and articles can be found in our remote work area:

► Most dangerous countries in the world
► Countries with the best healthcare in the world
► World’s worst countries to drive in
► Most peaceful countries in the world
► Best countries for women
► Poorest countries in the world – ranked
► Happiest countries (and cities) in the world
► World’s most powerful passport
► Countries with the fastest internet in the world
► Most stressed countries in the world
► Most expensive cities for expats
► World’s most democratic countries

---

Enjoyed this post? pin it for later…

---

Lead image: LittlePerfectStock/Shutterstock