Italy is the country with the cheapest mobile data in Europe, with mobile customers paying an average of **** U.S. dollars per gigabyte of data as of February 2021. Among the selected European countries, Norway had the highest average price for mobile data, with **** U.S. dollars per gigabyte. This is, however, a significant decrease compared to 2019, when the average cost in Norway was ***** U.S. dollars.

The Global Cost of 1GB of Mobile Data

How Much Does it Really Cost?

By Andy Kriebel [source]

About this dataset

This dataset contains the average price of 1GB of mobile data by country. It includes data for over 150 countries, providing a valuable resource for anyone interested in global mobile data pricing trends. The data is sourced from Visual Capitalist, and was last updated in 2021

How to use the dataset

This dataset contains the average price of 1GB of mobile data by country as of April 2021. The data is sourced from Visual Capitalist.

To use this dataset, you can simply download it and then open it in your preferred spreadsheet software. The dataset is organized by rank, with the most expensive countries being listed first. Each row also lists the country's name and its corresponding average price for 1GB of mobile data.

If you want to compare the cost of mobile data across different countries, this dataset provides a useful starting point. You can also use it to track how prices have changed over time by comparing against previous editions of the dataset

Research Ideas

1. To compare the cost of living in different countries.

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2. To find out which countries have the most expensive mobile data plans.

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**3. To see how the cost of mobile data has changed over time

Acknowledgements

Data Source

License

License: Dataset copyright by authors - You are free to: - Share - copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially. - Adapt - remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially. - You must: - Give appropriate credit - Provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. - ShareAlike - You must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original. - Keep intact - all notices that refer to this license, including copyright notices.

Columns

File: Cost of 1GB of Data.csv | Column name | Description | |:---------------------------|:---------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Rank | The rank of the country based on the cost of 1GB of mobile data. (Numeric) | | Country | The country where the data was collected. (String) | | Avg Price of 1GB (USD) | The average price of 1GB of mobile data in the country, in USD. (Numeric) |

Acknowledgements

If you use this dataset in your research, please credit Andy Kriebel.

Chad: Mobile phone subscribers, per 100 people: The latest value from 2022 is 68.2 subscribers per 100 people, an increase from 60.22 subscribers per 100 people in 2021. In comparison, the world average is 118.20 subscribers per 100 people, based on data from 150 countries. Historically, the average for Chad from 1960 to 2022 is 11.87 subscribers per 100 people. The minimum value, 0 subscribers per 100 people, was reached in 1960 while the maximum of 68.2 subscribers per 100 people was recorded in 2022.

Zimbabwe had the most expensive mobile internet in Africa as of 2023. One gigabyte cost on average ***** U.S. dollars in the African country, the highest worldwide. Overall, the cost of mobile data varied significantly across the continent. South Sudan and the Central African Republic also recorded elevated prices for mobile data, positioning among the ** countries with the highest prices for data globally. By contrast, one gigabyte cost **** U.S. dollars in Malawi, the lowest average price registered in Africa. Determinants for high pricing On average, one gigabyte of mobile internet in Sub-Saharan Africa amounted to **** U.S. dollars in 2023, one of the highest worldwide, according to the source. In Northern Africa, the price for mobile data was far lower, **** U.S. dollars on average. Few factors influence the elevated prices of mobile data in Africa, such as high taxation and the lack of infrastructure. In 2021, around **** percent of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa lived within a range of ** kilometers from fiber networks. Mobile connectivity Over *** million people are estimated to be connected to the mobile internet in Africa as of 2022. The coverage gap has decreased in the continent but remained the highest worldwide in 2022. That year, ** percent of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa lived in areas not covered by a mobile broadband network. Additionally, the adoption of mobile internet is not equitable, as it is more accessible to men than women as well as more spread in urban than rural areas.

Service Charges: 36 City Avg: Mobile Phone Fee: China Mobile: GSM Card: Package Fee data was reported at 0.210 RMB/min in Nov 2021. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.210 RMB/min for Oct 2021. Service Charges: 36 City Avg: Mobile Phone Fee: China Mobile: GSM Card: Package Fee data is updated monthly, averaging 0.230 RMB/min from Jan 2012 (Median) to Nov 2021, with 119 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.740 RMB/min in Apr 2012 and a record low of 0.210 RMB/min in Nov 2021. Service Charges: 36 City Avg: Mobile Phone Fee: China Mobile: GSM Card: Package Fee data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Price Monitoring Center, NDRC. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Price – Table CN.PA: Price Monitoring Center, NDRC: 36 City Monthly Avg: Service Charges.

Service Charges: 36 City Avg: Mobile Phone Fee: China Unicom: Local Call: Post Paid data was reported at 0.210 RMB/min in Nov 2021. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.210 RMB/min for Oct 2021. Service Charges: 36 City Avg: Mobile Phone Fee: China Unicom: Local Call: Post Paid data is updated monthly, averaging 0.270 RMB/min from May 2003 (Median) to Nov 2021, with 223 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.430 RMB/min in Nov 2003 and a record low of 0.210 RMB/min in Nov 2021. Service Charges: 36 City Avg: Mobile Phone Fee: China Unicom: Local Call: Post Paid data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Price Monitoring Center, NDRC. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Price – Table CN.PA: Price Monitoring Center, NDRC: 36 City Monthly Avg: Service Charges.

This statistic shows the average price of cellular data per gigabyte in the United States from 2018 to 2023. In 2018, the average price of cellular data was estimated to amount to 4.64 U.S. dollars per GB.

Mexico: Mobile phone subscribers, per 100 people: The latest value from 2022 is 100.29 subscribers per 100 people, an increase from 99.81 subscribers per 100 people in 2021. In comparison, the world average is 118.20 subscribers per 100 people, based on data from 150 countries. Historically, the average for Mexico from 1960 to 2022 is 32.24 subscribers per 100 people. The minimum value, 0 subscribers per 100 people, was reached in 1960 while the maximum of 100.29 subscribers per 100 people was recorded in 2022.

Service Charges: 36 City Avg: Mobile Phone Fee: China Mobile: Local Call: Shenzhou Pre Paid Card data was reported at 0.260 RMB/min in Nov 2021. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.260 RMB/min for Oct 2021. Service Charges: 36 City Avg: Mobile Phone Fee: China Mobile: Local Call: Shenzhou Pre Paid Card data is updated monthly, averaging 0.280 RMB/min from Jan 2012 (Median) to Nov 2021, with 119 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.300 RMB/min in Feb 2017 and a record low of 0.250 RMB/min in Dec 2020. Service Charges: 36 City Avg: Mobile Phone Fee: China Mobile: Local Call: Shenzhou Pre Paid Card data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Price Monitoring Center, NDRC. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Price – Table CN.PA: Price Monitoring Center, NDRC: 36 City Monthly Avg: Service Charges.

Serbia: Mobile phone subscribers, per 100 people: The latest value from 2021 is 123.72 subscribers per 100 people, an increase from 120.22 subscribers per 100 people in 2020. In comparison, the world average is 110.40 subscribers per 100 people, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for Serbia from 2004 to 2021 is 118.2 subscribers per 100 people. The minimum value, 51.17 subscribers per 100 people, was reached in 2004 while the maximum of 141.04 subscribers per 100 people was recorded in 2011.

The land use and cover category contains the "geostat25" and "wslhabmap" datasets.

The geostat25 dataset describes the land use and cover of Switzerland. After resampling the “Downscaled Land Use/Land Cover of Switzerland” source data (Giuliani et al., 2022) to the SWECO25 grid, we generated individual layers for the 65 land use and cover classes and the 3 time periods (1992-1997, 2004-2009, and 2013-2018) that were available. For each class and period, we provided the binary maps (0 or 1) and computed 13 focal statistics layers by applying a cell-level function calculating the average percentage cover value for a given class in a circular moving window of 13 radii ranging from 25m to 5km. This dataset includes a total of 2,730 layers. Final values were rounded and multiplied by 100.

The wslhabmap dataset (land use and cover category) describes the natural habitats of Switzerland. After rasterizing and resampling the “Habitat Map of Switzerland v1” source data (Price et al., 2021) to the SWECO25 grid, we generated individual layers for 41 categories (32 classes and 9 groups). The groups correspond to the first level of the TypoCH classification and the classes to the second level. For details on the TypoCH classification see Delarze, R., Gonseth, Y., Eggenberg, S., & Vust, M. (2015). Guide des milieux naturels de Suisse : Écologie, menaces, espèces caractéristiques. Rossolis. For each of the 41 categories, we provided the binary maps (0 or 1) and computed 13 focal statistics layers by applying a cell-level function calculating the average percentage cover value for a given category in a circular moving window of 13 radii ranging from 25m to 5km. This dataset includes a total of 574 layers. Final values were rounded and multiplied by 100.

The detailed list of layers available is provided in SWECO25_datalayers_details_lulc.csv and includes information on the category, dataset, variable name (long), variable name (short), period, sub-period, start year, end year, attribute, radii, unit, and path.

References:

G. Giuliani, D. Rodila, N. Külling, R. Maggini, A. Lehmann, Downscaling Switzerland Land Use/Land Cover Data Using Nearest Neighbors and an Expert System. Land 11, 615 (2022).

B. Price, Huber, N., Ginzler, C., Pazúr, R., Rüetschi, M., "The Habitat Map of Switzerland v1," (Birmensdorf, Switzerland, 2021)

Külling, N., Adde, A., Fopp, F., Schweiger, A. K., Broennimann, O., Rey, P.-L., Giuliani, G., Goicolea, T., Petitpierre, B., Zimmermann, N. E., Pellissier, L., Altermatt, F., Lehmann, A., & Guisan, A. (2024). SWECO25: A cross-thematic raster database for ecological research in Switzerland. Scientific Data, 11(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02899-1

V2: metadata update

Burkina Faso: Mobile phone subscribers, in millions: The latest value from 2021 is 24.7 million subscribers, an increase from 22.1 million subscribers in 2020. In comparison, the world average is 43.01 million subscribers, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for Burkina Faso from 1960 to 2021 is 3.85 million subscribers. The minimum value, 0 million subscribers, was reached in 1960 while the maximum of 24.7 million subscribers was recorded in 2021.

Aruba: Mobile phone subscribers, per 100 people: The latest value from 2021 is 132.35 subscribers per 100 people, an increase from 132.29 subscribers per 100 people in 2020. In comparison, the world average is 110.40 subscribers per 100 people, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for Aruba from 1960 to 2021 is 45.74 subscribers per 100 people. The minimum value, 0 subscribers per 100 people, was reached in 1960 while the maximum of 135.24 subscribers per 100 people was recorded in 2015.

Eritrea: Mobile phone subscribers, per 100 people: The latest value from 2021 is 49.75 subscribers per 100 people, a decline from 50.65 subscribers per 100 people in 2020. In comparison, the world average is 110.40 subscribers per 100 people, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for Eritrea from 1960 to 2021 is 5.08 subscribers per 100 people. The minimum value, 0 subscribers per 100 people, was reached in 1960 while the maximum of 50.65 subscribers per 100 people was recorded in 2020.

The number of smartphone users in the United States was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 17.4 million users (+5.61 percent). After the fifteenth consecutive increasing year, the smartphone user base is estimated to reach 327.54 million users and therefore a new peak in 2029. Notably, the number of smartphone users of was continuously increasing over the past years.Smartphone users here are limited to internet users of any age using a smartphone. The shown figures have been derived from survey data that has been processed to estimate missing demographics.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to 150 countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).Find more key insights for the number of smartphone users in countries like Mexico and Canada.

Ireland: Mobile phone subscribers, per 100 people: The latest value from 2022 is 113.28 subscribers per 100 people, an increase from 107.77 subscribers per 100 people in 2021. In comparison, the world average is 118.20 subscribers per 100 people, based on data from 150 countries. Historically, the average for Ireland from 1960 to 2022 is 47.78 subscribers per 100 people. The minimum value, 0 subscribers per 100 people, was reached in 1960 while the maximum of 114.01 subscribers per 100 people was recorded in 2007.

The global smartphone penetration in was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 20.3 percentage points. After the fifteenth consecutive increasing year, the penetration is estimated to reach 74.98 percent and therefore a new peak in 2029. Notably, the smartphone penetration of was continuously increasing over the past years.The penetration rate refers to the share of the total population.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to 150 countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).Find more key insights for the smartphone penetration in countries like North America and the Americas.

Bolivia: Mobile phone subscribers, in millions: The latest value from 2021 is 12 million subscribers, an increase from 11.8 million subscribers in 2020. In comparison, the world average is 43.01 million subscribers, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for Bolivia from 1960 to 2021 is 3.01 million subscribers. The minimum value, 0 million subscribers, was reached in 1960 while the maximum of 12 million subscribers was recorded in 2021.

Guinea: Mobile phone subscribers, per 100 people: The latest value from 2021 is 101.94 subscribers per 100 people, a decline from 104.47 subscribers per 100 people in 2020. In comparison, the world average is 110.40 subscribers per 100 people, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for Guinea from 1960 to 2021 is 21.55 subscribers per 100 people. The minimum value, 0 subscribers per 100 people, was reached in 1960 while the maximum of 104.47 subscribers per 100 people was recorded in 2020.

The Republic of the Congo: Mobile phone subscribers, per 100 people: The latest value from 2021 is 96.79 subscribers per 100 people, a decline from 98.52 subscribers per 100 people in 2020. In comparison, the world average is 110.40 subscribers per 100 people, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for the Republic of the Congo from 1960 to 2021 is 27.69 subscribers per 100 people. The minimum value, 0 subscribers per 100 people, was reached in 1960 while the maximum of 104.57 subscribers per 100 people was recorded in 2016.