In Thailand, $11.19 buys 50 GB for 10 days. In French Polynesia, $70.25 buys 5 GB for one day. On 29 September 2026 the cheapest gigabyte in our eSIM Price Index cost 18 cents and the dearest $14.05, a gap of 78 to one. The index tracks live prices for 198 countries, and this post looks at what those numbers say about the world. Plan prices here are live. The per gigabyte figures were read on 29 September 2026.
The world map of data prices, by continent
Take each country's lowest price per gigabyte, then the middle value for each continent, and the continents sort into a clear ladder. Figures from 29 September 2026.
| Continent | Median price per GB | Countries tracked |
|---|---|---|
| Europe | $0.57 | 53 |
| Asia | $0.94 | 29 |
| North America | $1.33 | 4 |
| Middle East | $1.61 | 9 |
| South and Central America | $2.37 | 20 |
| Oceania | $2.85 | 10 |
| Africa | $4.48 | 46 |
| Caribbean | $6.51 | 26 |
Europe's median of 57 cents a gigabyte comes from big, crowded markets with many networks, plus roaming deals that let one eSIM cover the continent. At the other end, the Caribbean median is $6.51, more than ten times Europe, and Pacific islands such as French Polynesia sit up there too. Geography matters as much as economics. Islands pay for undersea cables, and small markets spread fixed costs across fewer users. If you are sizing a plan for Europe, see how much data a Europe trip really needs.
The cheapest data on earth
The UK sits at the bottom at 18 cents a gigabyte, thanks to a 200 GB plan that comes with a UK number for $35.99. Thailand is next at 22 cents, then Turkey at 43 cents. After that comes a tight pack at 48 cents: Japan, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Indonesia. Each has a 50 GB plan at the same price, $23.80 in Italy. Big markets with several networks end up close together. For a two week trip, 5 GB for 30 days on our Thailand plans costs $3.78.
The most expensive, and why
French Polynesia tops the index at $14.05 a gigabyte. Aruba follows at $11.70, then a band of African and Caribbean places between $9 and $11: Angola, Gambia, Cape Verde, Belize, Saint Vincent and Eswatini. These are small markets, often islands, often with one or two networks, and data there costs more for every seller. We would rather show you the real number than pretend a clever brand escapes geography.
The practical trick for expensive destinations is borders. In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, 1 GB for one day costs $9.32. Our Caribbean plan gives 1 GB for 7 days at $8.26 and works across 25 countries and territories, so island hopping is where a regional plan earns its place. The same logic holds elsewhere: when the country is small, check the region.
What this means for a travel budget
The spread rearranges how you should think about connectivity money. In Europe and East Asia, data is cheap enough to buy more than you need. In Italy, 3 GB for 30 days costs $2.24 and 10 GB costs $5.99. In the middle band, South and Central America at $2.37 and Africa at $4.48, size the plan to the trip honestly, our guide to how much data you need has the per activity numbers. In the expensive band, ration deliberately: download maps offline before arrival, let photo backups wait for hotel WiFi, and check whether a regional plan undercuts the single country price.
Everywhere, the comparison that matters most is against the alternatives, not between eSIM brands. Verizon charges $12 a day to roam, so two weeks costs $168. At the European median that buys close to 300 GB of travel eSIM data, and even at Caribbean prices it buys about 25 GB. Airport SIM counters charge for convenience, so compare before you queue: 10 GB for 30 days on our Italy page costs $5.99. Knowing the fair price for a destination is most of the defence, which is why the index is public.
How we build these numbers
Methodology, briefly. The index uses our own live retail prices for 198 countries and recalculates when the catalogue changes. For each country it divides every fixed data plan's price by its data and keeps the lowest result. Unlimited plans and regional plans are left out. The continent table above uses the median, so each country counts once and one extreme price does not skew a whole continent. The full country table lives on the eSIM Price Index, and journalists and researchers are welcome to the dataset under CC BY 4.0. Ask through our contact page.
Cheapest and dearest data, in short
How much does mobile data cost for travellers in 2026?
On 29 September 2026 it ran from 18 cents per GB in the UK to $14.05 in French Polynesia, on live retail prices. The median was 57 cents in Europe, 94 cents in Asia, $2.37 in South and Central America, $4.48 in Africa and $6.51 in the Caribbean.
Which country has the cheapest travel data?
The UK, at 18 cents per GB on a 200 GB plan, then Thailand at 22 cents and Turkey at 43 cents. Japan, Germany, Italy, France and South Korea sit at 48 cents. Figures from 29 September 2026.
Why is island data so expensive?
Undersea cable costs, small markets and thin competition. The Caribbean and Pacific average many times European prices for structural reasons that hit every provider, regional multi island plans are the usual workaround.
Is a travel eSIM cheaper than roaming?
Almost always by an order of magnitude. Carrier day passes at $12 per day cost more per fortnight than 100 GB of eSIM data in most of Europe or Asia. The comparison per country is exactly what the Price Index exists to show.
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