There is no single current global price for 1GB of mobile data that compares like-for-like across countries. The latest official ITU data identified here is for 2025, but it measures two different baskets: one combines 1GB of data with calls and texts, while the data-only basket requires at least 5GB per month. The ITU’s widely quoted global figure—1.4% of average monthly income—is an affordability measure for the 5GB basket, not a dollar price for 1GB.
Why there is no single worldwide 1GB price
“Cost per gigabyte” can refer to different things: the price of a 1GB bundle, a data-only subscription that includes several gigabytes, or an average calculated from plans available in a country. A cheapest-plan figure is different again. Results also change depending on whether prices are shown in nominal US dollars or adjusted for local purchasing power, and whether the comparison uses a mean, median or minimum.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) publishes internationally comparable ICT price baskets. These are useful for comparing broadly similar services, but neither of its relevant 2025 baskets is simply a universal, standalone 1GB data-only tariff. The ITU’s [ICT prices statistics] page identifies the baskets and the 2025 series.
What the latest official ITU figures measure
The 1GB low-consumption mobile basket
The ITU’s 2025 low-consumption mobile basket includes 1GB of data, 70 minutes of voice calls and 50 SMS messages. Its price is therefore for a combined mobile package, not data alone. The ITU’s 2025 methodology says prices refer to the retail basket in effect in February 2025; country-level statistics are available for about 200 economies. See the [ITU basket definitions] and [2025 methodology].
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The 5GB data-only mobile broadband basket
The separate data-only mobile broadband basket is the cheapest qualifying domestic subscription with 3G or better and at least 5GB of monthly data. Because it has a 5GB minimum, its price cannot be treated as the price of exactly 1GB or as the marginal cost of adding one gigabyte to a plan. The methodology also specifies that the 2025 prices refer to the basket in effect in February 2025.
Prices and affordability are different comparisons
For the 5GB mobile broadband basket, the ITU reports a global median affordability figure of 1.4% of average monthly income in 2025. That percentage describes the share of income needed to afford the basket; it is not a nominal US-dollar price and should not be divided by five to create a per-GB rate. Affordability can also vary sharply among residents of the same country: the ITU reports that the burden reaches about 20% of GNI per capita for the bottom 40% of earners in least-developed and low-income economies. See [Global Connectivity Report 2025, Chapter 4] and its [report PDF].
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What older country prices can—and cannot—tell you
Cable.co.uk’s 2022 worldwide survey collected 5,292 mobile data plans across 233 countries. It reported prices of USD 0.04 per GB in Israel, USD 5.62 in the United States and USD 41.06 in Saint Helena. These are historical results from that survey, not current prices or a current country ranking. The figures illustrate how widely reported per-GB prices can differ, but they should not be substituted for a current quote or for the ITU’s differently defined baskets. The figures and sample description are in [Cable.co.uk’s 2022 worldwide mobile data study].
Cable.co.uk’s [2023 methodology document] describes deriving price per GB from sampled plans and using a median. It also cautions that prices are a snapshot and can change. That document does not establish that the same method applies unchanged to later editions. A primary 2026 global country table and methodology have not been verified here, so a 2026 global mean or current cheapest and most expensive country should not be inferred from secondary results.
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How to compare a country’s mobile data price
Before treating two published figures as comparable, check what each one actually represents:
- Year and observation date: A survey from 2022 is not a current tariff. The ITU’s 2025 basket prices refer to February 2025.
- Product measured: Distinguish a 1GB plan that includes calls and SMS from a data-only subscription with a 5GB minimum, a per-GB calculation across plans, or the cheapest available offer.
- Price basis: Check whether the number is nominal USD or adjusted for purchasing power.
- Statistic: Identify whether it is a mean, median or minimum. These answer different questions.
- Affordability or sticker price: A low dollar price does not necessarily mean mobile data is affordable relative to local income.
The ITU updated its ICT basket methodology for the 2025 collection following a methodology update adopted in 2024. As a result, avoid treating figures from different basket series as a continuous trend unless their definitions have been checked. ITU source prices are non-promotional advertised residential prices for selected services effective during collection, generally from operators with the largest market share. They provide a consistent comparison, but do not necessarily represent the cheapest deal a visitor can buy. More detail on price sourcing is available in the [ITU DataHub About page].
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