Mobile data price per GB by country: the most complete ranking for travelers [2026]

In short: the average cost of a mobile data GB is $2.59 worldwide in 2026, down from $8.18 in 2019, according to the Worldwide Mobile Data Pricing study by Cable.co.uk (237 countries, 5,603 plans). The cheapest is Israel ($0.02) and the most expensive is Zimbabwe ($43.75): a difference of more than 2,000 times.

What this ranking actually measures and where the data comes from

Each year, the British comparison site Cable.co.uk collects thousands of mobile data plans from carriers around the world and calculates the average price per gigabyte in each country. In the 2026 edition, the study analyzed 5,603 mobile data plans across 237 countries and territories, making it arguably the most comprehensive data pricing comparison exercise globally.

The report's headline is striking: the global average price per GB stands at $2.59 in 2026, compared to $8.18 in 2019. That's a remarkable drop in just seven years, and it confirms something any frequent traveler already senses: mobile data, broadly speaking, has gotten cheaper much faster than almost any other travel expense.

That said, a global average hides brutal differences between countries. And that's where this ranking becomes genuinely useful for travelers: not all destinations are equal, not by a long shot, and that matters when you're deciding how to stay connected away from home.

The extremes of the ranking: the cheapest and most expensive countries on the planet

According to Cable.co.uk, the country with the cheapest mobile data GB in the world in 2026 is Israel, with an average price of just $0.02 per gigabyte. At the other end is Zimbabwe, where the same gigabyte costs an average of $43.75. To put that in perspective: buying one GB in Zimbabwe costs the same as buying more than 2,000 GB in Israel.

This gap isn't driven by differences in per-capita income or the size of the economy, but mainly by how much real competition exists between carriers in each market and what network infrastructure is deployed. A country with several aggressive carriers fighting for customers tends to have very low prices; a market with few carriers, limited networks, or unstable economic conditions tends to have very high prices, even if the country's income level is low.

A rich country doesn't mean a cheap GB (or vice versa)

This is probably the most useful lesson from the Cable.co.uk ranking: a country's level of economic development doesn't predict its mobile data prices. The United States, the world's largest economy, ranks 219th out of 237 with an average price of $6.00 per GB, one of the highest on the planet. Switzerland, at $7.29 per GB, does even worse. Canada sits at $5.37 and New Zealand at $5.89.

And yet Australia — also a developed economy — has an average price of just $0.44 per GB. Denmark comes in at $0.69 and Germany at $2.14. Three rich countries, three completely different results, and all far from what Americans, Swiss, Canadians, or New Zealanders pay.

The usual explanation analysts in the sector give has nothing to do with a country's wealth, but rather with how many carriers genuinely compete for customers, how aggressive that price competition is, and what kind of regulation exists in the telecom market. Markets with few large carriers and strong sector control tend to keep prices high even in highly developed economies.

Developing countries leading the lowest prices

According to Cable.co.uk, India, Pakistan, Cambodia, and Kyrgyzstan are among the ten countries with the cheapest mobile data GB in the world, in the same range as Israel. It's a pattern that repeats edition after edition of the study: some of the cheapest data markets on the planet are in Central Asia and South Asia, not in Western Europe or North America.

These markets typically combine a large population, several carriers aggressively fighting for market share, and, in some cases, a regulatory framework that has encouraged new competitors to enter. The result is that data prices plummet for local consumers, even though the country as a whole has a much lower per-capita income than the US or Switzerland.

Why the global average price has dropped so much since 2019

The shift from $8.18 per GB in 2019 to $2.59 in 2026 —a drop of roughly two-thirds in seven years, according to Cable.co.uk— is no accident. Broadly speaking, the qualitative factors usually cited to explain this kind of global price drop are the maturing of 4G and 5G networks in more and more countries, the entry of new operators into markets that were previously highly concentrated, and increasing price pressure among providers competing for the same customer.

In Europe specifically, it's worth remembering one verifiable regulatory fact that sits outside this study: since 2017, the European Union has had the "Roam Like At Home" (RLAH) mechanism, which eliminates roaming surcharges between the 27 member countries. That means someone from Spain traveling to France, Italy or Portugal uses their home data plan at no extra cost. This regulatory framework is not reflected as such in Cable.co.uk's ranking of local prices —which measures what a local resident pays, not a tourist on roaming— but it helps explain why the experience of a traveler inside the EU is so different from someone leaving that bloc.

Outside the European Union, however, a traveler using roaming from their Spanish carrier pays rates set by agreements between international operators, which have no necessary connection to the local price per GB in the destination country. That's why destinations with very cheap local data —like the Asian countries listed above— can still be extremely expensive on roaming if you don't take steps to avoid it.

What this all means for you as a traveler

Cable.co.uk's ranking measures the price a local resident pays with a line in that country, not what a tourist pays with international roaming. These are two different markets and, almost always, two different prices. Even so, the data has a very direct use for anyone traveling:

• Check whether your destination is in the EU zone with RLAH. If you're moving within the 27 EU countries, your home data plan should work at no extra cost since 2017. Outside that bloc, it's worth planning your connection before you leave.
• Don't confuse "cheap country to live in" with "cheap country for roaming." As you can see in the ranking, neither the United States nor Switzerland have particularly cheap local data, and roaming from Spain to those destinations is usually even more expensive than the local price.
• Compare before you leave, not when you arrive. The local price in a country doesn't tell you what you'll pay as a visitor; what you can control is getting a travel eSIM before your flight, with the price and GB locked in upfront.
• Think about data, not just price per GB. A plan that's slightly more expensive per GB but with more reliable coverage at your destination can work out better than chasing the lowest possible price.

This is where a travel eSIM like PuraSIM's comes in: it lets you activate data in more than 200 destinations before you leave home, with the plan price locked in from the start, without depending on the local price per GB in the country you're going to or the roaming rates of your carrier. And if something goes wrong during your trip, you have 24/7 support by email and WhatsApp to sort it out without having to find a physical store in a country you don't know.

If you'd like to understand the difference between traditional data roaming and a travel eSIM better, you can read our guide on what data roaming is and this comparison of eSIM vs roaming. And if you've never used an eSIM before, the activation process is straightforward: we explain it step by step in how to install an eSIM.

How travel eSIM prices compare between destinations

This article focuses on the price per GB for a local resident, which is the data measured by Cable.co.uk. If what you are looking for is to specifically compare how much a travel eSIM costs based on the destination you are going to, we have a dedicated analysis in our ranking of eSIM prices by destination, where we go into detail about which areas of the world are more cost-effective for the specific traveler, not for the resident.

It is also worth checking how roaming works specifically from Spain, with our own data on the consumption habits of Spanish travelers abroad, which you can check in our roaming statistics for Spanish travelers abroad. And if your profile is someone who travels for extended periods or works while on the move, you will be interested in our guide for digital nomads, with recommendations designed for longer stays than a vacation trip.

For specific destinations with a high volume of Spanish travelers, you can directly check the available plans: for example the eSIM for Europe if you move within the continent outside your carrier’s umbrella, or the eSIM for the United States, a destination that, as we have seen, has one of the highest local data prices in the global ranking.

Frequently asked questions about the price per GB of data by country

Which country has the cheapest data per GB in the world in 2026?

Israel, with an average price of 0.02 dollars per gigabyte, according to the Worldwide Mobile Data Pricing study by Cable.co.uk (2026 edition). India, Pakistan, Cambodia, and Kyrgyzstan are also among the ten cheapest countries in the ranking.

Which country has the most expensive data per GB in the world?

Zimbabwe, with an average price of 43.75 dollars per gigabyte, according to the same study by Cable.co.uk. It is the highest price of the 237 countries and territories analyzed.

How much does the average GB of data cost in the world in 2026?

2.59 dollars, compared to 8.18 dollars in 2019, according to the Cable.co.uk report based on 5,603 plans analyzed in 237 countries.

Why does the United States have such expensive mobile data if it is a rich country?

According to Cable.co.uk, the US ranks 219th out of 237 with an average price of 6.00 dollars per GB. A country’s wealth level does not determine its data price: factors like the number of operators that truly compete and the degree of market regulation have more influence. Australia, for example, is also a developed country and its average price is only 0.44 dollars per GB.

Is the local price per GB in a country the same as what I will pay for roaming when traveling there?

No. The Cable.co.uk ranking measures what a resident with a local line in that country pays, not what a tourist with international roaming pays. Both prices can be very different: that is why it is a good idea to compare travel eSIM options before you leave instead of assuming the local price will apply to you.

Does roaming within the European Union still have surcharges?

No, since 2017 the “Roam Like At Home” mechanism applies in the 27 countries of the European Union, which eliminates roaming surcharges between those countries. Outside the EU, each carrier applies its own roaming rates, which are usually much higher.

Do I need a travel eSIM if I am going to a country with cheap local data, like India?

It depends on how long you are going to stay and whether the hassle of getting a local line is worth it. The cheap local price measured by Cable.co.uk applies to residents with local documentation; it is not always equally accessible for a passing tourist. A travel eSIM activated before you leave saves you that hassle, with the price locked in from home and coverage in over 200 destinations.

Conclusion

The Cable.co.uk ranking sends a clear message for any traveler: the price of mobile data does not depend on whether a country is rich or poor, but on how much real competition exists between its carriers. And although the global average has fallen from 8.18 to 2.59 dollars per GB since 2019, that improvement coexists with extremes like 43.75 dollars in Zimbabwe or 0.02 dollars in Israel. For the traveler, the practical conclusion is simple: the local price at your destination is not the price you will pay, so compare and decide on your connection before you leave, not when you land.

Written byMarc González Sáez Founder of PuraSIM. He oversees the blog guides, which are built from our wholesale provider's network data, official carrier and manufacturer documentation, and real questions from travelers. If you spot something wrong, write to him and he'll correct it.