Countries by Mobile Data Price, 2026
Where Mobile Data Is Cheapest and What the Price Gap Shows
Mobile data price compares the average nominal cost of one gigabyte of mobile internet across countries and territories. The metric is narrow, but it is useful because mobile data affects everyday access to messaging, maps, banking, streaming, remote work, mobile learning and digital public services.
The 2026 framing refers to the publication update. The ranking uses the latest complete public Cable / BestBroadbandDeals worldwide price-per-GB table reviewed for publication in May 2026. It is not presented as a claim that every tariff was collected in 2026. Israel ranks first among the cheapest markets at $0.02 per 1GB, followed by Italy and Fiji at $0.09. Zimbabwe is the highest-cost market in the full 237-country and territory dataset at $43.75 per 1GB.
Nominal price per gigabyte is not the same as affordability. A one-dollar data package creates a different burden in a low-income economy than in a high-income one. A stronger interpretation combines price, income, coverage, speed, plan validity, network quality and mobile broadband affordability indicators.
Summary: the global price gap in mobile data
The cheapest markets cluster below $0.30 per 1GB, while the highest-cost markets in the full dataset reach double-digit prices. Israel’s $0.02 figure is more than 2,000 times lower than Zimbabwe’s $43.75 figure in nominal price-per-GB terms. The spread reflects differences in competition, infrastructure scale, geography, taxation, plan size, prepaid intensity and how operators price small bundles versus large data packages.
Lowest average price per 1GB in the Cable / BestBroadbandDeals ranking table.
Highest nominal price in the full 237-country and territory dataset.
Average cost per 1GB reported in the same source dataset.
Countries and territories measured from more than 5,600 mobile data plans.
Why mobile data prices differ so much
Low mobile data prices often appear where operators compete aggressively, prepaid usage is widespread, smartphone adoption is high and standard plans include large data allowances. When popular packages contain tens or hundreds of gigabytes, the effective cost of one gigabyte can fall sharply.
Higher prices are more common in small markets, remote islands, low-scale networks and economies where infrastructure costs are spread across fewer users. Short-validity packages, very small bundles, sector taxes, limited backhaul capacity and weak retail competition can also push the calculated price of a full gigabyte upward.
Interpretation rule: price per 1GB measures nominal unit cost, not service quality. A market can offer cheap mobile data and still have uneven rural coverage, while another can be expensive but stronger on speed, reliability or 5G availability.
Top 10 cheapest countries by mobile data price
The top ten are spread across Asia, Europe, Oceania, the Middle East and South America rather than concentrated in one region. Israel is the strongest low-price outlier at two cents per gigabyte, while Italy, Fiji and San Marino all sit close to ten cents. The Top 20 range remains narrow, from $0.02 to $0.28 per 1GB.
| Rank | Country / territory | Price per 1GB | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Israel | $0.02 | Middle East |
| 2 | Italy | $0.09 | Europe |
| 3 | Fiji | $0.09 | Oceania |
| 4 | San Marino | $0.10 | Europe |
| 5 | Cambodia | $0.12 | Asia |
| 6 | Pakistan | $0.12 | Asia |
| 7 | India | $0.16 | Asia |
| 8 | Kyrgyzstan | $0.17 | Asia |
| 9 | France | $0.20 | Europe |
| 10 | Colombia | $0.20 | Americas |
Equal two-decimal values are kept as separate rows. Exact order can depend on additional decimal precision not shown in the rounded display.
Chart: Top 20 cheapest mobile data markets
Bars are scaled against the highest value inside the Top 20 group. Shorter bars indicate cheaper data, while longer bars indicate a higher price within this low-cost segment.
Methodology
The indicator is the average nominal price of one gigabyte of mobile data, expressed in US dollars. The ranking is sorted from the lowest average price to the highest average price. The 2026 publication update uses the latest complete public Cable / BestBroadbandDeals global 1GB price table reviewed for publication in May 2026. The dataset is a telecom price comparison source, not an official government statistical release.
Primary ranking source
The ranking table, Top 10, Top 20 chart, global average and highest-cost reference are based on the Cable / BestBroadbandDeals worldwide mobile data pricing dataset.
Coverage
The source dataset covers 237 countries and territories and more than 5,600 measured mobile data plans. The ranking below lists the 100 cheapest markets from that wider dataset.
Rounding
Prices are shown to two decimal places. Countries with the same rounded value remain separate rows because the original order may depend on additional decimal precision.
Comparability limits
The price per 1GB does not measure speed, latency, 4G/5G coverage, rural availability, fair-use limits, plan validity, tax treatment or affordability relative to income.
ITU, World Bank and GSMA sources are used for interpretation rather than for the ranking order. ITU price baskets place mobile broadband in an affordability framework, World Bank income data helps explain why the same dollar price can create different burdens, and GSMA market reporting provides context on mobile connectivity, network investment and mobile adoption.
Full ranking: Top 100 cheapest countries by mobile data price
The table lists the 100 cheapest markets by average cost of 1GB mobile data. Search, region filters and ranking-range controls make it easier to compare countries while keeping the original rank visible in every row.
| Rank | Country / territory | Price per 1GB | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Israel | $0.02 | Middle East |
| 2 | Italy | $0.09 | Europe |
| 3 | Fiji | $0.09 | Oceania |
| 4 | San Marino | $0.10 | Europe |
| 5 | Cambodia | $0.12 | Asia |
| 6 | Pakistan | $0.12 | Asia |
| 7 | India | $0.16 | Asia |
| 8 | Kyrgyzstan | $0.17 | Asia |
| 9 | France | $0.20 | Europe |
| 10 | Colombia | $0.20 | Americas |
| 11 | Haiti | $0.22 | Americas |
| 12 | Bangladesh | $0.23 | Asia |
| 13 | Sri Lanka | $0.25 | Asia |
| 14 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | $0.25 | Asia |
| 15 | Russian Federation | $0.25 | Europe |
| 16 | Ukraine | $0.27 | Europe |
| 17 | Indonesia | $0.28 | Asia |
| 18 | Uruguay | $0.28 | Americas |
| 19 | Moldova | $0.28 | Europe |
| 20 | Malaysia | $0.28 | Asia |
| 21 | Vietnam | $0.29 | Asia |
| 22 | Uzbekistan | $0.30 | Asia |
| 23 | Trinidad and Tobago | $0.32 | Americas |
| 24 | Montenegro | $0.32 | Europe |
| 25 | Martinique | $0.33 | Americas |
| 26 | Samoa | $0.36 | Oceania |
| 27 | Poland | $0.37 | Europe |
| 28 | China | $0.38 | Asia |
| 29 | Malawi | $0.38 | Africa |
| 30 | Mongolia | $0.38 | Asia |
| 31 | Nigeria | $0.39 | Africa |
| 32 | Brazil | $0.40 | Americas |
| 33 | Ghana | $0.40 | Africa |
| 34 | Thailand | $0.41 | Asia |
| 35 | Kazakhstan | $0.41 | Asia |
| 36 | Monaco | $0.42 | Europe |
| 37 | Nepal | $0.43 | Asia |
| 38 | Turkey | $0.44 | Middle East |
| 39 | Australia | $0.44 | Oceania |
| 40 | Peru | $0.45 | Americas |
| 41 | Réunion | $0.48 | Africa |
| 42 | Spain | $0.48 | Europe |
| 43 | Guadeloupe | $0.49 | Americas |
| 44 | French Guiana | $0.49 | Americas |
| 45 | Somalia | $0.50 | Africa |
| 46 | Austria | $0.51 | Europe |
| 47 | Kuwait | $0.52 | Middle East |
| 48 | Finland | $0.52 | Europe |
| 49 | Congo (Democratic Republic of) | $0.52 | Africa |
| 50 | Romania | $0.54 | Europe |
| 51 | Nicaragua | $0.55 | Americas |
| 52 | Rwanda | $0.55 | Africa |
| 53 | Western Sahara | $0.58 | Africa |
| 54 | Serbia | $0.58 | Europe |
| 55 | Philippines | $0.59 | Asia |
| 56 | Turks and Caicos Islands | $0.59 | Americas |
| 57 | Kenya | $0.59 | Africa |
| 58 | United Kingdom | $0.62 | Europe |
| 59 | Singapore | $0.63 | Asia |
| 60 | Morocco | $0.63 | Africa |
| 61 | Chile | $0.64 | Americas |
| 62 | Egypt | $0.65 | Africa |
| 63 | Syria | $0.67 | Middle East |
| 64 | Mauritius | $0.67 | Africa |
| 65 | Sierra Leone | $0.67 | Africa |
| 66 | Belarus | $0.67 | Europe |
| 67 | Gibraltar | $0.67 | Europe |
| 68 | Congo | $0.68 | Africa |
| 69 | Ethiopia | $0.68 | Africa |
| 70 | Denmark | $0.69 | Europe |
| 71 | Taiwan | $0.69 | Asia |
| 72 | Jamaica | $0.70 | Americas |
| 73 | Bhutan | $0.71 | Asia |
| 74 | Mayotte | $0.71 | Africa |
| 75 | Algeria | $0.73 | Africa |
| 76 | French Polynesia | $0.75 | Oceania |
| 77 | Jordan | $0.76 | Middle East |
| 78 | Mozambique | $0.78 | Africa |
| 79 | Honduras | $0.78 | Americas |
| 80 | Dominican Republic | $0.79 | Americas |
| 81 | Saint Barthélemy (St. Barts) | $0.80 | Americas |
| 82 | Hong Kong | $0.82 | Asia |
| 83 | Libya | $0.82 | Africa |
| 84 | Tanzania | $0.84 | Africa |
| 85 | Slovenia | $0.84 | Europe |
| 86 | North Macedonia | $0.86 | Europe |
| 87 | Suriname | $0.95 | Americas |
| 88 | Armenia | $0.98 | Asia |
| 89 | Myanmar | $0.99 | Asia |
| 90 | Ecuador | $1.00 | Americas |
| 91 | Angola | $1.01 | Africa |
| 92 | Afghanistan | $1.02 | Asia |
| 93 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | $1.03 | Europe |
| 94 | Paraguay | $1.04 | Americas |
| 95 | Venezuela | $1.05 | Americas |
| 96 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | $1.05 | Americas |
| 97 | Iraq | $1.07 | Middle East |
| 98 | St. Pierre and Miquelon | $1.07 | Americas |
| 99 | El Salvador | $1.08 | Americas |
| 100 | Iceland | $1.08 | Europe |
Source: Cable / BestBroadbandDeals worldwide mobile data pricing table. Ranking data reviewed in May 2026. Publication framing: 2026 update based on the latest complete public dataset reviewed for this page.
Key insights from the cheapest mobile data markets
Key Insight
The cheapest group is not limited to one region or income level. Asia has several very low-cost markets, but Europe, Oceania, the Middle East and Latin America also appear in the Top 20.
Notable Pattern
Large data bundles can sharply reduce the effective cost per gigabyte. Markets with intense operator competition and large prepaid customer bases often produce the lowest nominal 1GB prices.
Regional Concentration
Asia is heavily represented in the low-price group, with Cambodia, Pakistan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Lao PDR, Indonesia and Malaysia all inside the Top 20.
Outlier
Fiji stands out because remote island markets often face higher connectivity and infrastructure costs, yet Fiji ranks third at $0.09 per 1GB. The result shows that geography matters, but market structure and package design can matter more.
What mobile data prices mean for users, business and policy
For users, mobile data prices shape daily access to communication, education, banking, ride-hailing, maps, entertainment and emergency information. In mobile-first economies, the cost of mobile data can matter more than fixed broadband pricing because many households rely on smartphones as their main internet device.
For businesses, cheaper mobile data expands the addressable market for app-based services, fintech, digital advertising, streaming, delivery platforms and online learning. Lower usage costs make it easier for consumers to use data-heavy services regularly rather than only when Wi-Fi is available.
For policymakers, the ranking is a signal rather than a full diagnosis. Spectrum policy, infrastructure sharing, rural coverage obligations, taxation, retail competition and wholesale access rules all influence the final price paid by consumers. Price per gigabyte should be read together with income, speed, coverage, service quality and plan validity.
FAQ
Which country has the cheapest mobile data in this 2026 update?
Israel ranks first in this update, with an average 1GB mobile data price of $0.02 in the Cable / BestBroadbandDeals source dataset.
Does “2026 update” mean every tariff was collected in 2026?
No. The 2026 label refers to the publication update. The ranking uses the latest complete public Cable / BestBroadbandDeals dataset reviewed in May 2026, and global telecom price datasets can be published or reused with a lag after tariff collection.
Which country has the most expensive 1GB of mobile data?
Zimbabwe is the highest-cost market in the full 237-country and territory dataset, with an average price of $43.75 per 1GB.
Why is mobile data so cheap in some countries?
Cheap data often reflects strong competition, large prepaid markets, generous data bundles, widespread mobile use and enough network capacity for operators to sell more data at a lower effective unit price.
Why can mobile data be expensive in rich countries?
High wages, network costs, premium service expectations, market concentration and weaker pressure from prepaid competition can keep nominal prices high even where consumers have greater purchasing power.
Is price per 1GB the same as affordability?
No. Affordability compares price with income. A low dollar price can still be difficult for low-income users, while a higher dollar price may be manageable in a high-income economy.
Does cheap mobile data mean better internet quality?
No. Price per 1GB does not measure speed, latency, network reliability, rural coverage, fair-use policies, 5G availability or customer experience. Quality indicators should be checked separately.
What should be checked besides the price of 1GB?
Coverage, speed, 4G/5G availability, plan validity, fair-use limits, taxes, income levels, rural access and the difference between prepaid and postpaid tariffs all affect the real user experience.
Sources
-
Cable / BestBroadbandDeals — The cost of 1GB of mobile data in 237 countries
Primary ranking source for the average nominal price of 1GB mobile data by country and territory. Used for the table, Top 10, Top 20 chart, global average and highest-cost reference. Ranking data reviewed in May 2026. -
International Telecommunication Union — ICT Prices
Official source environment for internationally comparable ICT price baskets, including mobile broadband baskets and affordability indicators. -
ITU Facts and Figures 2025 — Affordability of ICT services
Policy context on mobile broadband affordability, the GNI-based affordability benchmark and the persistence of affordability gaps. -
World Bank — GNI per capita, Atlas method
Income context for interpreting whether a nominal mobile data price is affordable for local users. -
GSMA — The Mobile Economy 2025
Background context on mobile connectivity, 4G/5G networks, mobile market scale and the economic role of mobile technologies.
