Before you buy
How much data you actually use on a trip
Almost everyone buys too much out of fear of running short. Here are the real figures per hour and per day, plus three habits that save data.
Dani Requena 8 min Photo by Julio Lopez on Unsplash It's the question that comes up most before buying, and the honest answer is that you need less data than people think, unless you watch video. Video is the only thing that really moves the needle; everything else is background noise.
What each thing uses, per hour
Rough figures from real use, not from a lab. They're there to give you the order of magnitude, which is all you need to pick a plan.
| What you're doing | Per hour | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Maps and navigation | 5 MB | A whole day on foot doesn't reach 100 MB |
| Messaging with photos | 10 to 20 MB | Voice notes are tiny; videos aren't |
| Email and web browsing | 20 to 60 MB | Depends how many images each page carries |
| Music streaming | 50 to 150 MB | Downloading it at home brings this to zero |
| Social media | 100 to 250 MB | Climbs fast if videos autoplay |
| Video call | 500 MB | A long call home is noticeable |
| HD video | 1 to 3 GB | This is where it all goes |
Translated into days of travel
An ordinary day of sightseeing (maps, looking places up, messages, a few photos uploaded and some social media in the evening) runs between 300 and 600 MB.
| Type of traveller | Per day | One week |
|---|---|---|
| Maps and messaging only | 150 to 300 MB | 1 to 2 GB |
| Normal sightseeing with social media | 300 to 600 MB | 3 to 4 GB |
| Heavy social media and some video | 800 MB to 1.5 GB | 6 to 10 GB |
| Working with video calls | 1.5 to 3 GB | 10 to 20 GB |
If you're torn between two plans, look at the row that most resembles what you do at home on a Saturday. It predicts better than any calculation.
Three habits that save more than overbuying
Download the map before you go
Google Maps and Apple Maps both let you save a whole area for offline use. Navigation works the same, walking routes included, and that's exactly what gets used most on a trip. Do it at home on wifi and it saves about half of typical usage.
Turn the default video quality down
Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Netflix all let you cap quality when you're off wifi. The difference on a phone screen is small; in gigabytes it's three to one.
Leave photo backups for wifi
This is what empties plans without anyone noticing: your phone uploads every photo you take in the background, and on a trip you take a lot. One switch in your iCloud or Google Photos settings limits it to wifi.
What if I run short?
It depends on the plan. Some let you top up data without changing eSIM, and others keep working at reduced speed once the full-speed allowance runs out. Those are two different things, and they're worth checking on the destination page before you buy, because plans don't all behave the same way.
What rarely pays off is buying twice the data just in case: on most trips half of it goes unused.
A quick way to decide
- Count the days of your trip.
- Multiply by 0.5 GB for normal sightseeing, or by 1.5 GB if you watch video every day.
- Add 20% as headroom and round up to the plan just above.
- If that looks like a lot, apply the three habits above and work it out again at 0.3 GB a day.
Once you have your number, the next step is having it installed before you leave. How that works and when the plan starts counting, in install it at home, not at the airport.
Frequently asked questions
How much data do I need for a week away?
For normal sightseeing with maps, messaging and some social media, 3 to 4 GB is usually plenty. If you watch video every day, count on 6 to 10 GB. If you only use maps and WhatsApp, 1 or 2 GB will do.
How much data does Google Maps use?
Around 5 MB per hour of navigation, which is very little. And if you download the area on wifi before you go, it works without using any data at all.
What uses the most data on a phone?
Video, no contest: 1 to 3 GB an hour in HD. After that come video calls, at around 500 MB an hour, and social media with autoplay switched on.
What happens if I run out of data mid-trip?
It depends on the plan: some can be topped up without changing eSIM and others keep working at reduced speed. It's worth checking on the destination page before you buy, because they don't all behave the same way.
Is it better to buy extra data just in case?
Usually not. On most trips half of what you buy goes unused. You're better off using the method above and, where a plan allows it, topping up if you actually need to.
