The Best (and Worst) Countries for Mobile Data
Not all countries are created equal when it comes to mobile connectivity. This guide ranks the best destinations for fast, affordable mobile data.
Top 10 Countries for Mobile Data Value
1. Israel
- Average speed: 100+ Mbps
- Cost per GB: $0.05
- Why: Fierce competition between carriers
2. India
- Average speed: 30–50 Mbps (4G)
- Cost per GB: $0.09
- Why: Jio disrupted the market with ultra-cheap plans
3. Italy
- Average speed: 50–80 Mbps
- Cost per GB: $0.27
- Why: Competitive market + EU roaming benefits
4. South Korea
- Average speed: 120+ Mbps
- Cost per GB: $0.40
- Why: World-leading 5G infrastructure
5. Finland
- Average speed: 60–90 Mbps
- Cost per GB: $0.45
- Why: Unlimited plans are the norm
6. Thailand
- Average speed: 40–60 Mbps
- Cost per GB: $0.30
- Why: Strong competition, tourist-friendly plans
7. Poland
- Average speed: 50–70 Mbps
- Cost per GB: $0.35
- Why: Rapidly modernizing infrastructure
8. Malaysia
- Average speed: 30–50 Mbps
- Cost per GB: $0.25
- Why: Government push for digital connectivity
9. France
- Average speed: 50–80 Mbps
- Cost per GB: $0.50
- Why: Free Mobile disrupted pricing
10. Taiwan
- Average speed: 60–80 Mbps
- Cost per GB: $0.35
- Why: Dense network coverage on a small island
Most Expensive Countries for Data
- Canada — $5.94 per GB
- United States — $3.33 per GB
- Switzerland — $2.50 per GB
- South Africa — $2.67 per GB
What This Means for Travelers
- Budget destinations often have cheap data too (Thailand, India, Malaysia)
- Expensive countries don't always have expensive data (EU countries benefit from competition)
- Buy regional plans when visiting expensive-data countries
Pro Tips
- 1Research data costs before choosing your destination
- 2Use Wanderly to compare eSIM prices by country
- 3Consider data costs as part of your travel budget
- 4Regional plans often offer better value than country-specific ones
To understand the network side of those rankings, read how 5G roaming works abroad. Then compare the cheapest eSIM options for travel instead of assuming the local average is the price you will pay.