How much data do I need for International travel?

By Mark Robins

Last updated September 1, 2023

We'll let you know how much data you need when you go abroad, so you can be sure you'll stay connected to the internet at all times.

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If you’re buying a SIM card or an eSIM to travel abroad, you might be faced with many different options. Do I need 1GB, 7GB, or Unlimited data? I need internet to work while I’m abroad – will a SIM card or eSIM give me enough data? These questions are important to answer so you can buy the right product when traveling abroad. In this post, we’ll tell you how much data you need when you travel abroad so you can make sure you always have enough.

Table of contents

Common reasons to use data when you travel

In the following table, we’ll show you how much internet is used on the following apps and websites. This will help you to calculate how much data you might need on your trip.

Remember that the following figures are averages, and the amount of data you use will vary accordingly.

Action	1 minute	1 hour	1 week (2 hours each day)	1 month (2 hours each day)
Using Google Maps for directions	1 MB	60 MB	840 MB	3.6 GB
Listening to music	1.2 MB	72 MB	1 GB	4.3 GB
Searching on Google	1.5 MB	90 MB	1.26 GB	5.4 GB
Using social media	1.5 MB	90 MB	1.26 GB	5.4 GB
Making calls with WhatsApp or Facebook	3 MB	180 MB	2.52 GB	10.8 GB
Streaming shows or movies	11.6 MB	700 MB	9.8 GB	42 GB
Watching YouTube videos	18.75 MB	1.13 MB	15.75 GB	67 GB
Video calls	30 MB	1.8 GB	25.2 GB	108 GB

Table N° 1 How much data do I need to use the internet?

As you can see, using mobile data to stream videos or make video calls could use a lot of data. Imagine planning your trip to the USA and not finding a solution with enough data. Holafly has eSIM for USA travel with unlimited data. If your destination is elsewhere, you can also use virtual SIM cards for more than 160 countries.

If you only plan to use mobile data for simple tasks such as Google, music, and directions, you will not need more than a few GBs per week.

How much is 1MB of data?

Using data from our friends at buenavibra.es, here is what you could do with 1MB of data:

Publish five posts on Facebook (text only)
Publish one photo on Facebook
Tweet 17 times
2 seconds of a videocall
Access Google Maps for one minute

This is not a lot, right? But if you use data roaming to travel you could be charged up to $15 just for each MB. That’s right: you’d be charged that much for each 2 seconds of a video call.

That’s why it’s important that you buy an eSIM or physical SIM card with prepaid plans to avoid high costs when traveling.

Holafly offers eSIM from 1GB to Unlimited data, depending on the destination.

But now let’s get to the important question.

Do you use more data abroad?

Yes, if you are in a country you don’t know, you may use more data to search for information and use apps. Especially if you don’t know the language, you will have to use a translator most of the time you are there.

How much data do I need for foreign travel?

Right, let’s examine how much data you might need for different length of trips.

Let’s say you use the internet for the following reasons on your trip:

Google searches
Directions
Social media/messaging
Listening to music

The average person spends almost 3 hours each day using the internet, so let’s see how much data you would need for three hours of internet use.

Type of internet use	Data usage per day	Data usage per week
Google searches (45 minutes per day)	67.5 MB	472.5 MB
Directions (45 minutes per day)	45 MB	315 MB
Social media/messaging (45 minutes per day)	67.5 MB	472.5 MB
Listening to music (45 minutes per day)	54 MB	378 MB
Total (3 hours per day)	234 MB	1.64 GB

Table N° 2 How much data do I need when I travel abroad?

So here is an estimate of how much data you might need for different types of trips:

1 week – 1.6 GB
2 weeks – 3.2 GB
3 weeks – 4.9 GB
4 weeks – 6.6 GB

For most trips, 3GB or 5GB of data will be enough to cover common internet usage. However, if you plan on using the internet more or traveling for a month or longer, you might want to consider cards with up to 7GB of data. But you can always use Holafly’s eSIM for USA with unlimited data, so you don’t have to worry about the amount of megabytes you consume.

Remember that everyone’s internet usage differs, so you might want to check how much you use in an average day.

How can I save mobile data when I travel?

Here are our top tips to make sure you never run out of data on your travels:

Set data usage limits to remind you if you’re using too much
Monitor how much data you’re using on your phone’s settings
Avoid watching videos or making video calls
Use free WiFi in your accommodation or a cafe if you need to download files (This is not as advisable since there are many risks in using public networks).
Download music and videos before you travel
Turn Mobile Data off when you’re not using it

If you follow these steps, your data will go further than you imagine!

Can I use unlimited data abroad?

Currently, different operators and eSIM providers offer unlimited data plans for international destinations. For example, Holafly offers unlimited data and 60 minutes for voice calls in more than ten destinations.

Some of these destinations are: