Data-Only Mobile-Broadband

(100MB; 500MB; 1GB; 2GB; 5GB; 10GB, 3G and above)

The latest edition of our mobile pricing data shows that 1GB of mobile broadband data became less affordable in 2021 than the previous year. This had significant consequences for people who greatly needed of internet access during the COVID-19 pandemic while they relied on the internet to access critical information, healthcare, and education services. In addition, the economies that were hardest hit by worsening levels of affordability levels were also the most fragile. Fortunately, it was not all bad news. Africa, the region that was furthest away from meeting the UN’s ‘1 for 2’ target for internet affordability, saw the greatest improvement.

ICT policymakers should learn from this crisis and prioritize increasing the internet affordability, especially during periods when internet access is critical for the public. Read a brief overview over the trends seen this year and see also data from 2020, data from 2019, 2018 and previous years. Full datasets are available for download in csv format or xlsx format. In addition, A4AI has published data on an expanded set of internet price baskets across more than 200 countries, in partnership with the ITU.

100MB 500MB 1GB 2GB 5GB 10GB
Countries USD USD USD USD USD USD
Afghanistan 3.87 3.87 3.87 5.16 9.38 14.55
Albania 4.90 4.90 4.90 9.80 11.76 14.70
Algeria 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 4.49 7.49
American Samoa NA NA NA NA NA NA
Andorra 6.63 10.85 10.85 21.71 36.18 36.18
Angola 2.31 2.31 2.31 4.62 7.70 15.40
Anguilla 44.44 44.44 44.44 44.44 44.44 44.44
Antigua and Barbuda 37.04 37.04 37.04 37.04 37.04 44.44
Argentina 3.83 3.83 3.83 7.13 9.05 11.71
Armenia 3.46 3.46 3.46 3.46 5.38 9.61
Aruba 27.37 27.37 27.37 27.37 27.37 32.96
Ascension NA NA NA NA NA NA
Australia 11.55 11.55 11.55 11.55 11.55 19.26
Austria 12.06 12.06 12.06 12.06 12.06 26.53
Azerbaijan 1.18 1.76 2.94 5.88 5.88 8.82
Bahamas 15.70 15.70 15.70 15.70 30.20 39.20
Bahrain 19.55 19.55 19.55 19.55 19.55 19.55
Bangladesh 2.23 2.23 2.23 2.32 3.53 4.70
Barbados 31.75 31.75 31.75 31.75 31.75 42.25
Belarus 3.72 3.72 3.72 3.72 3.72 3.72
Belgium 18.09 18.09 18.09 18.09 32.55 32.55
Belize 14.06 14.06 14.06 14.06 17.50 32.50
Benin 3.68 3.68 3.68 7.35 11.03 22.06
Bermuda NA NA NA NA NA NA
Bhutan 1.34 1.34 1.34 2.11 4.48 8.43
Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 2.17 2.17 2.17 7.24 7.24 14.18
Bosnia and Herzegovina 7.20 7.20 7.20 7.20 7.20 7.20
Botswana 5.20 5.20 6.40 6.40 17.53 20.23
Brazil 1.89 1.89 1.89 3.40 6.61 11.33
British Virgin Islands 20.00 20.00 20.00 20.00 60.00 99.00
Brunei Darussalam 3.75 7.50 7.50 7.50 9.76 21.01
Bulgaria 1.84 6.16 6.16 9.24 9.24 9.24
Burkina Faso 2.76 2.76 4.60 7.35 14.70 27.57
Burundi 0.51 1.78 2.83 3.05 6.04 10.06
Côte d’Ivoire 3.86 3.86 3.86 5.15 9.19 18.38
Cabo Verde 5.46 5.46 5.46 8.74 13.65 27.30
Cambodia 1.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 5.00 10.00
Cameroon 1.32 1.56 3.68 5.15 12.87 14.70
Canada 8.14 24.41 22.78 24.41 48.82 65.09
Cayman Islands 42.00 42.00 42.00 42.00 66.00 126.00
Central African Rep. 7.72 7.72 11.03 18.38 27.57 36.76
Chad 4.60 9.19 9.19 12.87 18.38 29.41
Chile 5.59 5.59 5.59 5.59 6.99 13.99
China 1.55 3.10 3.10 4.65 7.74 10.84
Cocos Keeling Islands NA NA NA NA NA NA
Colombia 5.25 8.12 8.12 8.12 8.12 10.82
Comoros 6.01 6.01 6.01 9.80 19.61 24.51
Congo (Rep. of the) 5.51 5.51 10.11 18.38 29.41 48.71
Cook Islands NA NA NA NA NA NA
Costa Rica 6.50 6.50 6.50 6.50 18.69 32.50
Croatia 3.20 3.20 3.20 8.64 9.61 17.61
Cuba 4.17 4.17 4.17 8.33 16.67 33.33
Curacao 19.55 19.55 19.55 32.96 52.51 75.42
Cyprus 8.44 13.26 13.26 18.09 30.15 54.26
Czech Republic 5.12 5.12 10.29 10.29 17.35 22.05
Dem. People’s Rep. of Korea NA NA NA NA NA NA
Dem. Rep. of the Congo 1.00 3.00 5.00 5.00 10.00 15.00
Denmark 27.41 27.41 27.41 27.41 27.41 27.41
Djibouti 16.88 16.88 16.88 16.88 16.88 16.88
Dominica 31.48 31.48 31.48 31.48 31.48 31.48
Dominican Rep. 7.01 7.01 7.01 14.71 14.71 14.71
Ecuador 10.00 10.00 10.00 10.00 10.00 15.00
Egypt 0.32 0.64 1.28 3.20 5.12 12.81
El Salvador 15.00 15.00 15.00 15.00 15.00 15.00
Equatorial Guinea 64.33 64.33 64.33 110.28 248.14 459.52
Eritrea NA NA NA NA NA NA
Estonia 1.21 2.41 2.41 4.81 6.03 9.65
Eswatini 4.81 5.66 7.01 12.74 35.39 42.47
Ethiopia 1.00 1.00 1.88 3.26 8.15 13.03
Falkland (Malvinas) Is. 20.97 41.95 55.93 NA 146.82 286.64
Faroe Islands 7.62 7.62 7.62 15.24 20.59 20.59
Fiji 12.21 12.21 12.21 12.21 12.21 12.21
Finland 15.56 15.56 15.56 15.56 15.56 15.56
France 22.90 22.90 22.90 22.90 22.90 22.90
French Guiana NA NA NA NA NA NA
French Polynesia 10.00 10.00 10.00 10.00 28.09 46.98
Gabon 3.68 3.68 7.35 12.87 18.38 27.57
Gambia 0.88 2.84 4.89 7.91 15.07 25.44
Georgia 1.50 1.50 1.50 2.71 3.61 7.21
Germany 3.62 6.02 6.02 12.05 18.08 24.12
Ghana 0.36 0.72 2.11 4.32 10.55 21.10
Gibraltar 13.98 13.98 13.98 20.97 27.97 41.95
Greece 10.25 10.25 10.25 10.25 12.06 30.15
Greenland 58.22 58.22 58.22 58.22 58.22 80.92
Grenada 37.04 37.04 37.04 37.04 37.04 37.04
Guadeloupe NA NA NA NA NA NA
Guam NA NA NA NA NA NA
Guatemala 12.82 12.82 12.82 12.82 12.82 19.42
Guernsey NA NA NA NA NA NA
Guinea 2.73 2.73 4.98 4.98 10.45 17.31
Guinea-Bissau 5.51 5.51 5.51 5.51 9.19 16.54
Guyana 18.23 18.23 18.23 18.23 30.70 38.37
Haiti 20.83 20.83 20.83 20.83 20.83 20.83
Honduras 16.67 16.67 16.67 16.67 16.67 16.67
Hong Kong – China 5.41 5.41 5.41 5.41 5.41 5.41
Hungary 11.51 11.51 11.51 11.51 13.55 25.78
Iceland 15.37 15.37 15.37 21.84 21.84 29.93
India 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 2.70 2.70
Indonesia 2.71 2.71 2.71 2.71 4.37 7.08
Iran (Islamic Republic of) NA NA NA NA NA NA
Iraq 6.90 6.90 6.90 6.90 6.90 10.34
Ireland 24.12 24.12 24.12 24.12 24.12 24.12
Israel 9.16 9.16 9.16 9.16 9.16 9.16
Italy 12.05 12.05 12.05 12.05 12.05 12.05
Jamaica 12.64 12.64 12.64 12.64 16.30 32.59
Japan 31.66 31.66 31.66 41.71 51.76 65.83
Jersey NA NA NA NA NA NA
Jordan 13.07 13.07 13.07 13.07 13.07 13.07
Kazakhstan 6.05 6.05 6.05 6.05 6.05 7.68
Kenya 1.30 2.32 3.68 4.64 9.28 18.57
Kiribati 15.40 15.40 15.40 15.40 23.11 96.28
Korea (Rep. of) 12.75 12.75 14.71 14.71 14.71 14.71
Kosovo NA NA NA NA NA NA
Kuwait 16.61 16.61 16.61 16.61 16.61 23.25
Kyrgyzstan 1.18 1.18 1.48 2.37 2.96 4.73
Lao P.D.R. 1.06 2.12 5.31 5.31 5.31 10.60
Latvia 3.61 3.61 4.81 7.22 19.26 36.12
Lebanon 11.10 11.10 21.09 28.86 28.86 36.63
Lesotho 3.96 5.80 5.10 7.08 10.48 17.69
Liberia 2.00 2.00 5.00 8.00 10.00 20.00
Libya 0.89 1.12 2.68 3.57 5.58 5.58
Liechtenstein 10.86 10.86 10.86 10.86 10.86 10.86
Lithuania 4.22 4.22 4.22 4.22 7.22 14.45
Luxembourg 12.05 12.05 12.05 12.05 21.69 21.69
Macao – China 4.75 4.75 4.75 11.00 11.00 17.00
Madagascar 3.18 3.18 3.18 5.30 10.61 19.89
Malawi 1.50 3.00 3.00 5.00 13.12 19.36
Malaysia 7.70 7.70 7.70 8.48 8.48 8.48
Maldives 17.25 17.25 17.25 17.25 20.63 27.53
Mali 1.29 3.68 3.68 7.35 9.19 18.38
Malta 12.05 12.05 12.05 12.05 12.05 18.08
Marshall Islands NA NA NA NA NA NA
Martinique NA NA NA NA NA NA
Mauritania 5.56 5.56 5.56 5.56 5.56 11.11
Mauritius 6.71 6.71 6.71 6.71 6.71 6.71
Mayotte NA NA NA NA NA NA
Mexico 9.99 9.99 9.99 9.99 14.98 29.96
Micronesia 30.00 30.00 30.00 30.00 30.00 30.00
Moldova 2.80 2.80 2.80 2.80 5.61 11.22
Monaco 48.22 48.22 48.22 48.22 48.22 48.22
Mongolia 5.79 5.79 5.79 5.79 5.79 9.83
Montenegro 15.56 15.56 15.56 15.56 24.12 24.12
Montserrat NA NA NA NA NA NA
Morocco 2.25 2.25 2.25 3.37 5.62 11.25
Mozambique 2.00 2.00 3.33 4.99 8.32 16.64
Myanmar 0.50 0.57 0.93 1.94 3.88 7.77
Namibia 2.34 8.35 10.42 10.42 13.02 17.26
Nauru 23.88 23.88 23.88 32.35 53.45 108.60
Nepal (Republic of) 2.38 2.38 2.38 2.38 5.36 7.74
Neth. Antilles NA NA NA NA NA NA
Netherlands 13.26 13.26 13.26 22.91 25.93 31.35
New Caledonia NA NA NA NA NA NA
New Zealand 9.30 10.73 11.44 16.45 27.18 28.61
Nicaragua 10.03 10.03 10.03 10.03 10.03 10.03
Niger 3.68 3.68 3.68 7.35 12.87 14.70
Nigeria 2.49 2.49 2.49 2.99 6.73 7.48
Niue NA NA NA NA NA NA
Norfolk Islands NA NA NA NA NA NA
North Macedonia 9.75 9.75 9.75 9.75 9.75 19.51
Northern Marianas NA NA NA NA NA NA
Norway 35.75 35.75 35.75 35.75 35.75 41.73
Oman 8.19 8.19 8.19 13.65 19.12 27.31
Pakistan 0.58 0.58 0.58 0.58 1.44 2.26
Palau 25.00 25.00 25.00 25.00 25.00 25.00
Palestine 7.66 7.66 7.66 7.66 12.77 25.53
Panama 20.00 20.00 20.00 20.00 20.00 40.00
Papua New Guinea 23.94 23.94 23.94 39.90 57.00 63.84
Paraguay 9.30 9.30 9.30 9.30 9.66 9.66
Peru 7.91 7.91 7.91 7.91 11.86 23.72
Philippines 6.21 6.21 6.21 6.21 7.26 8.22
Poland 6.64 6.64 6.64 6.64 6.64 6.64
Portugal 4.81 8.43 12.05 15.07 18.08 36.18
Puerto Rico 33.30 33.30 33.30 33.45 33.30 44.40
Qatar 16.48 16.48 16.48 16.48 24.18 24.18
Réunion NA NA NA NA NA NA
Romania 6.03 6.03 6.03 6.03 6.03 6.03
Russian Federation 6.87 6.87 6.87 6.87 6.87 6.87
Rwanda 1.02 2.03 2.03 4.07 8.13 10.17
Saint Kitts and Nevis 37.04 37.04 37.04 37.04 37.04 37.04
Saint Lucia 29.59 29.59 29.59 29.59 29.59 29.59
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 27.78 37.04 37.04 37.04 37.04 37.04
Samoa 17.38 17.38 17.38 17.38 17.38 17.38
San Marino 12.06 12.06 12.06 12.06 12.06 12.06
Sao Tome and Principe 5.38 5.38 10.76 10.76 16.14 32.29
Saudi Arabia 9.20 9.20 9.20 15.33 24.53 33.73
Senegal 2.57 3.68 3.68 3.68 9.19 14.70
Serbia 9.73 9.73 9.73 9.73 9.73 9.73
Seychelles 5.82 11.82 12.07 24.19 51.48 103.01
Sierra Leone 0.78 1.94 3.69 5.37 14.36 24.91
Singapore 7.50 7.50 7.50 9.76 18.76 18.76
Slovakia 2.41 4.82 6.03 8.44 20.50 37.38
Slovenia 13.25 13.25 13.25 13.25 18.08 18.08
Solomon Islands 19.24 19.24 17.49 17.49 34.97 34.97
Somalia 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 4.00 5.00
South Africa 2.05 4.88 6.02 11.25 24.70 33.20
South Sudan NA NA NA 21.06 NA NA
Spain 7.17 7.17 7.17 7.17 12.00 16.82
Sri Lanka 0.17 0.56 0.56 1.22 2.23 3.90
St. Helena NA NA NA NA NA NA
St. Maarten NA NA NA NA NA NA
St. Pierre & Miquelon NA NA NA NA NA NA
Sudan 0.26 0.26 0.52 1.25 2.00 2.75
Suriname 6.71 6.71 6.71 9.96 9.84 16.36
Sweden 5.83 5.83 17.72 17.72 39.12 39.12
Switzerland 7.57 7.57 15.14 21.84 49.38 98.77
Syrian Arab Republic NA NA NA 3.52 NA NA
Taiwan – Province of China 7.11 7.11 7.11 17.86 21.40 28.54
Tajikistan 0.88 1.77 3.09 5.74 8.75 14.13
Tanzania 4.33 4.33 4.33 4.33 6.06 11.75
Thailand 3.38 3.38 3.38 8.16 15.36 15.36
Timor-Leste 4.00 4.00 4.00 7.00 12.50 20.00
Togo 2.57 5.15 9.19 9.19 22.06 33.09
Tokelau NA NA NA NA NA NA
Tonga 8.87 8.87 8.87 8.87 8.87 19.97
Trinidad and Tobago 33.13 33.13 33.13 33.13 33.13 33.13
Tunisia 3.16 3.16 3.16 3.16 5.42 9.03
Turkey 2.39 2.39 2.39 3.94 5.97 6.57
Turkmenistan 1.43 4.29 15.71 31.43 61.43 100.00
Turks & Caicos Is. NA NA NA NA NA NA
Tuvalu NA NA NA 16.48 NA NA
Uganda 1.54 2.80 3.92 5.60 11.20 14.00
Ukraine 4.53 4.53 4.53 4.53 4.53 6.34
United Arab Emirates 8.58 8.58 14.30 22.87 42.89 57.18
United Kingdom 13.98 13.98 13.98 13.98 20.97 27.97
United States 32.40 32.40 37.80 37.80 37.80 48.60
Uruguay 3.76 3.76 6.83 11.28 23.92 47.84
Uzbekistan 0.84 0.84 1.23 1.42 3.32 5.22
Vanuatu 9.27 9.27 9.27 9.27 9.27 18.53
Vatican NA NA NA NA NA NA
Venezuela NA NA NA NA NA NA
Viet Nam 0.43 0.43 0.86 1.08 5.18 5.18
Virgin Islands (US) NA NA NA NA NA NA
Wallis and Futuna NA NA NA NA NA NA
Yemen 0.55 1.96 2.94 4.91 7.63 14.72
Zambia 2.23 2.50 2.23 4.47 4.47 8.94
Zimbabwe 1.19 5.67 11.05 20.73 46.30 95.18

Methods and Sources

The above figures are based on the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) ICT price data collection rules to determine the cheapest prepaid data-only mobile-broadband plan per country. That is, the cheapest plan providing at least 1GB of high speed data (≥ 256Kbit/s) over a 30-day (or four weeks) period of time from the operator with the largest market share in each economy. In some countries, smaller data bundles (e.g., 100MB) are not available and instead we identify the cheapest option to purchase that bundle. This may lead to the same price for several bundles. The pricing data was collected by the A4AI during the second quarter (May-Jun) of 2021.

Gross National Income (GNI) per capita data and PPP conversion factors are from the World Bank World Development Indicators, 2020 (or last available year). GNI per capita current LCU was used for all cases (2018 or later), unless when prices were registered in USD. In those cases the Atlas method (current US$) was used instead.

The reference exchange rates are based on 2021 Q2 – or Q1 when Q2 was not available (extracted 9.11.2020) from the IMF (Exchange Rates, Domestic Currency per US Dollar, Period Average, Rate – ENDA_XDC_USD_RATE) and UN OPS (Operational rates of exchange – monthly).

Maps made with HighCharts.