How much mobile data do you need when travelling?
Most travellers who avoid video streaming use under 1 GB a day. Streaming and hotspotting change everything.
By the Best eSIM Provider editorial team · Updated · 5 min read
Data use is driven by video. Maps, messaging and browsing use surprisingly little; a single hour of video streaming can use more than a day of everything else.
Typical usage per hour
| Activity | Approx. per hour | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Maps and navigation | 10 MB | Estimate; more with satellite view |
| Messaging (text and some photos) | 20 MB | Estimate |
| Web browsing | 60 MB | Estimate |
| App voice calls | 45 MB | Estimate |
| Music streaming (160 kbps) | 72 MB | Arithmetic: 160 kbps × 3,600 s ÷ 8 |
| Social media with video | 500 MB | Estimate; video-heavy feeds use more |
| Video calls | 800 MB | Estimate |
| Video streaming, standard definition | up to 1 GB | Netflix help centre |
| Video streaming, HD | up to 3 GB | Netflix help centre |
Typical trip totals
- Light (maps, messaging, some browsing): roughly 0.3–0.5 GB a day.
- Moderate (adds social media and a few calls): roughly 1–2 GB a day.
- Heavy (video streaming, video calls, hotspot for a laptop): 3 GB a day or more — consider unlimited.
Our data calculator lets you set your own hours per activity and adjust every assumption, then finds plans with enough data.
Ways to use less
- Download offline maps and playlists on Wi-Fi before you go.
- Turn off automatic video playback in social apps.
- Set photo backup to Wi-Fi only.
- Lower streaming quality in the app's data-saver settings.
Destinations mentioned
Read next
Sources
Official = regulator or manufacturer. Provider = the seller's own page. Secondary = press or independent guides, used only where no official source was available.
- OfficialNetflix Help Center — how to control how much data Netflix uses (opens in a new tab)accessed 2026-10-15