How Much Mobile Data Do You Need for a Trip?
How much data each app really uses, three example trips you can copy, and a two-minute method to pick the right package size.
Your data budget depends on what you do online and how long you travel. Start with a daily estimate, multiply by the number of days, and add about 20% as a buffer. The examples below show the calculation and the package size that fits.
How much data each app uses
Rough figures. Real use depends on the app, the video quality and how long you use it.
| Activity | Approximate data use |
|---|---|
| WhatsApp messages | Almost nothing (a few MB a day) |
| Sending a photo | 0.5–3 MB per photo |
| Google Maps navigation | 5–10 MB per hour |
| Web browsing | 50–100 MB per hour |
| Instagram or TikTok scrolling | 300–800 MB per hour |
| WhatsApp voice call | About 0.5 MB per minute |
| WhatsApp video call | 5–10 MB per minute |
| Video streaming (HD) | 1–3 GB per hour |
The big lesson: messages and maps are cheap, video is expensive. An hour of TikTok can use more data than a whole day of navigating.
Three example trips
Light: a weekend or city break, 4 days Maps, WhatsApp, some browsing and a few photos shared. About 300 MB a day × 4 days = 1.2 GB, or about 1.5 GB with a 20% buffer, so a 3 GB package covers it.
Typical: a one-week holiday Maps every day, lots of WhatsApp and photos, social media in the evenings, a couple of short video calls. About 500–800 MB a day × 7 days = 3.5–5.6 GB, or about 4.2–6.8 GB with a 20% buffer, so choose a 5–10 GB package.
Heavy: two weeks, or working remotely Daily video calls, social media stories, hotspot for a laptop or a partner's phone. At 1–2 GB a day × 14 days, allow 14–28 GB, or 16.8–33.6 GB with a 20% buffer, so choose 20 GB+. If your daily use is higher, increase the budget accordingly.
Find your own number in 2 minutes
- Check your normal use at home. iPhone: Settings › Cellular, and scroll to see usage per app. Android: Settings › Network & internet › Data usage. Divide the monthly total by 30 to get a daily figure.
- Adjust for the trip. You'll probably use more maps and fewer streaming apps than at home, but more photos.
- Multiply by the number of days, and add about 20% as a buffer.
- Choose an available package that covers your estimate and the length of your trip. Check the destination page for current data allowances and validity periods. The examples above already include the buffer; do not add it twice.
Include every connected device
If you share your connection with a laptop, a tablet or someone else's phone, their usage comes out of your package too. A laptop can use far more than a phone, because of background updates and cloud sync. Add it separately, and check that hotspot is supported for your package.
6 ways to make your data last
- Download before you leave: offline Google Maps areas, playlists, shows and translation language packs.
- Turn off auto-play videos in Instagram, Facebook and TikTok (usually under "Data saver").
- Limit WhatsApp media downloads to Wi-Fi: Settings › Storage and data.
- Stop cloud photo backup on mobile data (iCloud Photos, Google Photos) until you're on Wi-Fi.
- Turn on Low Data Mode (iPhone: Settings › Cellular › [travel eSIM] › Data Mode) or Data Saver (Android).
- Save video calls for hotel Wi-Fi when you can.
Running low mid-trip?
Check your remaining data anytime in My eSIMs. If a top-up is available for your eSIM, you can add more data there without installing anything new. Otherwise, you can buy a new package for the rest of your trip.
Heading somewhere specific? See our guides for Japan and Greece, or browse all destinations.