If you've already decided to take data to India and the only thing left is to choose the package size, this guide is exactly about that: how many GB you need for India depending on how you travel and how many days you stay. No theory: the number soon, the why later, and, if you have time, tips to make it last. Because the expensive mistake is not running short, it's overspending.
The short answer: the GB you need in India
For 15 days in India with maps, WhatsApp, translator, and many photos, most people will be fine with 15 GB, a little over 1 GB per day. If you plan to watch videos on long train rides, go up to 25-30 GB. And if you only use maps and messaging, 8 GB will suffice.
That's my default recommendation for the classic trip: Golden Triangle, a hop to Rajasthan or Varanasi, and back. It's based on an average consumption of between 700 MB and 1.2 GB per day for a normal traveler who navigates with Google Maps, sends audios and photos via WhatsApp, uploads stories, uses the translator, and calls an occasional Uber. With 15 GB, you'll have a buffer for the two or three days when you overdo it without realizing.
If your trip is longer (three weeks or a month exploring Kerala, Goa, and the North), don't multiply blindly: daily consumption decreases after you've been away for a week, because you have maps downloaded, routes planned, and less anxiety about sharing. For 30 days, I would go for 25-30 GB, not 45.
If you want the general criteria before looking at the Indian case, I have it broken down in the master guide on how much data you need for travel. Here I'll focus on what's particular to India, which is quite a lot.
Why India consumes more than you think
India is not a destination for low data consumption. There are four things that push data bills up and it's good to be clear about them before choosing a package.
- The translator is with you all day. Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, different alphabets depending on the state, handwritten restaurant menus, and station signs that are not always in English. The translator's camera is used much more than one might imagine.
- Maps and transport, on repeat. Uber works in large cities and Ola is the local rival; between calling a car, following the driver on the map, and checking that they're not taking the long way around, the screen is constantly on.
- Lots of photos and videos. India is probably the country where you shoot the most in your entire travel history. If you have automatic backup for Google Photos or iCloud activated with mobile data, your entire package will disappear there.
- Many hours of travel. Twelve and eighteen-hour train rides, five-hour car journeys between Rajasthani cities. Your phone becomes entertainment, and that's precisely what drives up consumption.
On the other hand, something works in your favor: 4G coverage in cities and on main roads is surprisingly good, and India doesn't require you to use a VPN, unlike China. If you decide to use a VPN out of habit for banking, count an extra 5-15% consumption due to encryption. If you want details on how to connect (your carrier's roaming, local SIM, or eSIM), I compare them in internet in India.
What each app actually consumes
Before choosing GB, it's worth looking at real figures, because almost everyone overestimates how much maps consume and drastically underestimates how much video consumes. These are the orders of magnitude I work with:
| Activity | Approximate consumption | Note for India |
|---|---|---|
| Google Maps navigating (with traffic) | 5-10 MB per hour | With map downloaded, almost zero |
| WhatsApp: chat, audios and some photos | 10-25 MB per hour of use | What you'll use most to connect with home |
| WhatsApp voice call | 30-50 MB per hour | Cheap, go for it without fear |
| WhatsApp video call | 200-300 MB per hour | Half an hour a day = 4.5 GB in 30 days |
| Instagram or TikTok scrolling | 400 MB - 1 GB per hour | HD reels are the worst |
| Upload 20 photos from your phone | 60-100 MB | A normal day in Jaipur accounts for that and more |
| Upload a 1-minute video | 60-150 MB | Upload them via Wi-Fi if you can |
| Streaming music (normal quality) | 40-80 MB per hour | Ideal for trains: download it beforehand |
| Video at 480p | 0.5-0.7 GB per hour | Reasonable quality for travel |
| Video at 720p | 1.1-1.3 GB per hour | This one hurts |
| Video at 1080p | 2-3 GB per hour | One movie eats your 10-day package |
| Translator with camera | 10-20 MB per hour of intense use | Download the offline language pack |
| Order an Uber or Ola | 3-6 MB per trip | Irrelevant, don't worry |
The interpretation is simple: anything that isn't video is small change. Maps, messaging, and transport, combined, hardly ever exceed 150-200 MB per day. I have more figures by activity in the mobile data usage statistics by activity. Your package is decided by one simple question: how much video will you watch?
Indian trains: where half your package goes
This is what makes traveling through India different. Delhi-Varanasi is about twelve hours by train. Delhi-Jaisalmer, almost eighteen. A north-to-south Kerala trip can take an entire night. And on these journeys, your mobile stops being a tool and becomes your TV.
Do the math with me. If on a twelve-hour train ride you watch six hours of streaming series at 720p, that's between 6.6 and 7.8 GB in one go. Just one journey. If you do three or four overnight trips, you've already turned a 15 GB package into a 40 GB one without doing anything out of the ordinary.
My rule for India: if you're going to take more than two long train rides, either increase your package by 50%, or get used to downloading in your hotel the night before. There's no third option.
And there's a practical reason besides the financial one: coverage in rural sections comes and goes. The train passes through areas where 4G disappears for twenty minutes, so your streaming gets cut off right at the best scene. Downloading episodes, music, and some podcasts before getting on the train saves you data and frustration at the same time. Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube Premium, and Spotify allow offline downloads; take advantage of this the night before, when you're somewhere with decent Wi-Fi.
How many GB according to your profile and days
This is the table that really matters. Find the row that best matches you, cross-reference with the number of days you'll be there, and buy that package. The figures already include a reasonable buffer, so there's no need to round up again.
| Traveler profile | 5 days | 10 days | 15 days | 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maps, WhatsApp, and little else | 3 GB | 5 GB | 8 GB | 15 GB |
| Photos, stories, and social media (most common) | 5 GB | 10 GB | 15 GB | 25-30 GB |
| Long train rides with streaming video | 10 GB | 20 GB | 30 GB | 50 GB |
| Digital nomad or remote worker | 15 GB | 25-30 GB | 40 GB | 60 GB or unlimited |
| Family or couple sharing a phone | 8 GB | 15 GB | 25 GB | 40 GB |
Two notes for reading it correctly. First: if you share a connection with another phone, the second device usually consumes more than the first, because whoever isn't paying for the data doesn't conserve it. If there are two of you and both are heavy social media users, it's better to have two independent packages than one large shared one.
Second: the remote work profile assumes work video calls, and there the figures quickly skyrocket. A one-hour meeting on Zoom or Meet is around 1 GB. Five meetings a week means 5 GB just for meetings. If your trip is half work, half tourism, count video call hours separately and add them to your corresponding tourist profile.
Indian hotel Wi-Fi: don't count on it
This is where many data calculators fail, because they assume you'll sleep with good Wi-Fi and download everything for free. In India, that depends heavily on the accommodation category, much more than in Europe.
- 4 and 5-star hotels and restored havelis: Wi-Fi is usually good enough to upload photos and make video calls. In these, you can count on downloading your series at night.
- Mid-range hotels and guesthouses: Wi-Fi exists, but it's a shared line among all rooms. It works decently at 7 AM and drags at 10 PM. It's fine for messaging; not for uploading videos.
- Hostels, rural homestays, and Kerala houseboats: assume there's no usable Wi-Fi. Many operate with a router connected to the same mobile network you would use.
My practical advice is not to plan any important downloads counting on hotel Wi-Fi unless you know you're staying in high-end accommodation. If the Wi-Fi works well that night, great, you've saved data; but the data package you buy must last the trip even if the Wi-Fi doesn't work for a single day.
There's a convenient exception: large Indian airports (Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore) and many chain cafes have reasonable Wi-Fi, though registration usually requires an Indian mobile number to receive a code. If you don't have one, you won't be able to connect. Another reason not to rely on public Wi-Fi in this country.
Himalaya, Ladakh, and Kashmir: where you won't spend data
Good news for your wallet and bad news for your stories: if your route goes up to Ladakh, Spiti, or Himalayan treks, you'll consume practically zero data on those days. Outside of Leh and the main hubs, coverage disappears for hours or even days, and where it exists, it's usually slow.
This means that a week in the mountains shouldn't be counted as a normal week when calculating your package. If six of your 20 travel days are for trekking or driving through the Himalayas, calculate your package for 14 days, not 20.
And here's the important warning, which is purely Indian and catches many people off guard:
Indian prepaid SIMs purchased in another state are deactivated upon entering Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, due to security regulations. That means: you buy a SIM in Delhi, go up to Leh, and lose service. Only Indian contract lines or a locally purchased prepaid SIM in Leh (with separate paperwork) work there.
If you're going to that area, have a Plan B: download maps for the entire route, inform your family that you'll be out of communication for a few days, and don't leave your return hotel reservation pending online confirmation. And don't buy a huge data package thinking about those days: you won't need it.
India has the cheapest data in the world: let's be clear
It's time to be honest, because if I don't say it, you'll discover it at the airport. India has some of the cheapest mobile data on the planet: a Jio or Airtel prepaid plan for around 300-500 rupees (about €3-6) gives you roughly 1.5-2 GB per day for 28 days. That's tens of gigabytes for the price of a meal. In raw price per gigabyte, no travel eSIM in the world can compete with that, neither mine nor anyone else's.
That said, price per gigabyte isn't the only variable. Here's what you buy and what you pay for each option:
| Criterion | Local Indian SIM | Travel eSIM |
|---|---|---|
| Price per gigabyte | Unbeatable, the lowest in the world | Significantly more expensive |
| What they ask for activation | Passport, visa copy, photo, accommodation address, and KYC form | Nothing, purchased online |
| When you have internet | Between 30 minutes and 24-48 hours after registration | Upon landing, already configured from home |
| Indian number for local app OTPs | Yes, very useful for Ola or public Wi-Fi | No, you keep yours |
| Your Spanish number for bank SMS | You have to physically switch the SIM card | Remains active in parallel |
| Kashmir and Ladakh area | Deactivated if purchased in another state | Connects as an international visitor, where coverage exists |
| Changing countries (Nepal, Sri Lanka) | Not useful | Depending on the plan you choose |
My position is clear: eSIM wins in convenience and avoiding paperwork, not in price per gigabyte. If you travel for three months and don't mind spending a morning on KYC, a local SIM will be cheaper. If you're going for two weeks and want to get off the plane with Google Maps working, it's worth it. If you're not sure how the technology works, I explain it in what an eSIM is, and specific options for the country are in the eSIM guide for India.
Calculate your actual consumption before flying
Everything above is averages. Your actual consumption is in your pocket and costs nothing to check: it's the most reliable data you'll find about yourself.
On Android, go to Settings, Network & internet, SIM, App data usage, and change the period to the last full month. On iPhone, go to Settings, Mobile Data and scroll down to the total; note, the counter there is cumulative since the last time you reset it, so if you've never reset it, divide by the number of months passed.
With that monthly figure, do this:
- Divide by 30 to get your actual daily consumption at home.
- Multiply by 1.5. You use more data when traveling: maps, translator, photos, and less reliable Wi-Fi.
- Multiply by the number of travel days, subtracting mountain days without coverage.
- Add a 20% buffer and round to the nearest commercial package.
A real example: if at home you use 12 GB per month with Wi-Fi at home and in the office, that's 400 MB per day. Multiplied by 1.5, that's 600 MB. For 15 days in India, that's 9 GB, plus buffer, 11-12 GB. There's your number, and it matches the profile table quite well. If your calculation and the table give you very different results, check if you have photo backup activated over mobile data: it's usually the culprit.
How to stretch your gigabytes (and what to do if you run short)
With four adjustments made in the hotel on the first night, a 10 GB package performs like a 20 GB one. These are the ones with the most impact in India:
| Adjustment | How much it saves |
|---|---|
| Offline maps of your cities and routes in Google Maps | Almost all navigation expenses |
| Downloaded translator language pack (Hindi, English) | Eliminates translator consumption |
| Series, movies, and music downloaded before train rides | 1-3 GB for every two hours of travel |
| Watch videos at 480p instead of 1080p | Up to 70% less |
| Disable autoplay on Instagram and X | 30-50% of social media consumption |
| Back up photos only via Wi-Fi | 100 MB - 1 GB per day |
| System data saver mode | 10-30% of total |
I have the full list, with step-by-step instructions for each setting, in tips for saving data while traveling.
What if you run out halfway through your trip? It's fine, and I'd much rather you run short than have too much. Topping up takes minutes from your phone and you only pay for what you truly need; any extra GBs you buy, however, expire and don't come back. Buying 30 GB "just in case" for a two-week trip is almost certainly a waste of money. Start with the package the table suggests, check your usage on the fourth day, and make decisions based on data, never fear.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many GB do I need for 15 days in India?
15 GB is fine for most people. That's a little over 1 GB per day, enough for maps, WhatsApp, a translator, photos, and some social media. If you plan to watch videos on long train rides, bump it up to 25-30 GB; if you're mostly using maps and messaging, 8 GB will be plenty.
Is a local Indian SIM card cheaper than an eSIM?
Yes, in terms of price per gigabyte, a local SIM wins hands down. India has some of the cheapest data in the world, and for €3-6 you can get dozens of gigabytes. What you pay in return is the registration with your passport and visa, the activation wait, and being without your usual number during that time.
Do I need a VPN in India and does it consume more data?
You don't need a VPN to browse in India, unlike China: Western apps and websites work normally. If you use it for security on public Wi-Fi or for your banking, expect 5-15% more consumption due to the encryption overhead. It's not a decisive factor in your calculation.
Do Uber and Ola work with an eSIM?
Yes, because they work with data, not with the SIM. The detail to watch out for is registration: some Indian apps send the verification code via SMS to a local number. Have your Uber account created and verified from home before you fly to avoid this problem.
How much data does Google Maps use on a day of sightseeing in India?
Less than 50 MB per day, even if you use it for many hours. Navigation uses around 5-10 MB per hour. With city maps downloaded via Wi-Fi before you leave, it drops to practically zero. Maps is not what eats up your data package.
What if I travel for a month in India, should I buy 50 GB?
You probably won't need that much. For 30 days, a normal traveler can get by with 25-30 GB, because daily consumption decreases as the trip progresses. Only those who work remotely or stream video daily on long journeys really justify 50 GB or more.
Will I have coverage in Rajasthan, Kerala, and Varanasi?
Yes, 4G in cities and main roads works well. Where it fails is in the Thar Desert, rural train sections, and northern mountain areas. In Ladakh and Kashmir, there are also specific restrictions for prepaid lines purchased in other Indian states.
Conclusion
My recommendation, without overthinking it: 15 GB for two weeks in India if you're a traveler who uses photos, maps, and social media; 8 GB if you're someone who only checks maps and replies to family; 25-30 GB if you're going to turn night trains into a series marathon. If your route includes the Himalayas or Ladakh, deduct those days from your calculation, because you won't be using data there.
And remember the underlying principle: start with less and top up if needed, never the other way around. If you want to arrive in Delhi with internet working from the moment you turn on your phone at baggage claim, without queues or KYC forms, check out the plans for the eSIM for India and choose the size I just mentioned. Not one GB more.
