07 Oct 2026

How much mobile data do I need for a trip?

A practical guide to data use per day — maps, messengers, social media, video — and how to pick the right eSIM size without overpaying.

Most travellers buy either far too much data or run out on day three. The good news: phone data use is predictable once you know what eats it.

What uses how much

• Maps, messengers, e-mail: about 50–100 MB a day. Navigation with Google Maps or Apple Maps uses less than people think — around 5 MB per hour of driving.
• Browsing and social media: about 100–200 MB per hour. Instagram and TikTok with videos are at the top of that range.
• Video streaming: 500 MB–1 GB per hour in phone quality, up to 3 GB in HD.
• Video calls: about 400–600 MB per hour (WhatsApp, FaceTime, Zoom).
• Music streaming: about 60 MB per hour. Download playlists on Wi-Fi to save it.
• Hotspot for a laptop: plan at least 1 GB extra per working day — updates and cloud sync run in the background.

Typical sizes

• Weekend city trip, light use: 1–3 GB.
• One or two weeks, social media and photos: 5–10 GB.
• A month, or a lot of video: 20–50 GB, or an unlimited day pass.

How to avoid overpaying

Pick the smallest plan that covers your trip plus about 10% reserve. If you run out, you can top up the same eSIM in a minute — no new QR code needed. Turn off automatic app updates and photo backup over mobile data before you fly, and let videos load on hotel Wi-Fi.

Not sure? Our data calculator works out the exact size from your habits and trip length and shows the cheapest matching plan.