Home › Guides › How much mobile data do you need abroad?

How much mobile data do you need abroad?

Quick answer: Light use such as maps, messaging and browsing may only need a modest allowance, while streaming video or tethering can use several GB in a day. Use our calculator, add a margin and check each provider's rules.

Some links here are affiliate links: we may earn a small fee if you buy, at no extra cost to you.

What activities use

These are rough rules of thumb. Real figures vary by app, quality settings and phone.

Activity	Rough use per hour
Maps and navigation	About 5 to 15 MB
Messaging apps (text)	Very little
Social media and browsing	About 100 to 200 MB
Music streaming	About 40 to 100 MB
Video calls	About 300 to 600 MB
Standard-quality video	About 500 MB to 1 GB
HD video	1 GB or more

How to cut data use

Download offline maps and playlists on hotel Wi-Fi.
Set video apps to a lower quality, and turn off auto-play.
Turn off automatic app updates and cloud photo uploads on mobile data.
Use hotel Wi-Fi for large downloads, and see how safe it is first.

Work out your trip

Use the travel data calculator to add up your own use, then choose a plan with a bit of margin. If you cannot top up easily, buy a little more than you think you need. For choosing between eSIM and roaming, read eSIM vs roaming vs local SIM.

Some links here are affiliate links: we may earn a small fee if you buy, at no extra cost to you.

Frequently asked questions

Is 5GB enough for a week?

It depends how you use your phone. Light use of maps, messages and browsing may be fine, but video streaming and hotspot use can use it quickly.

Does hotspot use more data?

It can, especially with a laptop, which downloads updates in the background.

Does a VPN use more data?

A little extra for the encryption overhead, which is usually small.

Keep reading

Checked 12 November 2026. Prices, plans, airline and country rules change, so check the official or provider page before you rely on anything here.