How much data do I need for my trip? A simple guide with examples
How much mobile data maps, messages, social media, calls and video use — plus ready estimates for a weekend, a week or two weeks abroad.
In short
- Maps and messages use very little; video and video calls use the most.
- A light traveller needs about 300–500 MB a day, a regular one about 1 GB.
- For a typical week abroad, 5–10 GB covers most people.
- Downloading maps and playlists on Wi-Fi before you go saves a lot of data.
- If in doubt, choose a little more than you think — running out mid-trip costs more time than it saves.
Contents
Choosing an eSIM package means choosing a number: 1 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB, more? Pick too little and you run out on day four, standing on a street corner without a map. Pick too much and you pay for gigabytes you never touch.
The good news: once you know what uses the most data, the choice is easy. Here is how to estimate it in two minutes.
What uses how much data
The figures below are typical averages. The real amount depends on the app, its quality settings and how you use your phone — but they are a reliable guide.
| Activity | About how much |
|---|---|
| Messages and email | Under 100 MB a day, with photos now and then |
| Maps and navigation | 5–20 MB an hour |
| Browsing websites | 50–150 MB an hour |
| Social media, photos | 100–300 MB an hour |
| Social media, videos | 500 MB–1 GB an hour |
| Music streaming | 40–150 MB an hour |
| Voice calls in apps | 30–60 MB an hour |
| Video calls | 300 MB–1.5 GB an hour |
| Video streaming (standard quality) | About 0.7 GB an hour |
| Video streaming (HD) | 2–3 GB an hour |
The pattern is clear: text and maps are cheap, video is expensive. One hour of HD video uses about as much data as a week of messages.
Three kinds of travellers
Light: "I just need maps and messages"
You navigate, message family, check a booking, look something up now and then.
- About 300–500 MB a day.
- A weekend: 1–2 GB. A week: 3–5 GB.
Regular: "I share my trip as I go"
On top of maps and messages, you post photos, scroll social media in the evening and browse restaurant reviews.
- About 0.7–1.5 GB a day.
- A week: 5–10 GB. Two weeks: 10–20 GB.
Heavy: "My phone is my office and my TV"
Video calls, streaming, sharing your phone's connection with a laptop.
- 2 GB a day or more.
- A week: 15 GB or more — or an unlimited plan, if your destination offers one.
Ready-made estimates
| Trip | Light | Regular | Heavy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekend (3 days) | 1–2 GB | 3 GB | 5 GB+ |
| One week | 3–5 GB | 5–10 GB | 15 GB+ |
| Two weeks | 5–10 GB | 10–20 GB | 30 GB+ or unlimited |
| A month | 10–15 GB | 20–30 GB | Unlimited |
Seven ways to make your data last
- Download maps for offline use before you leave, on Wi-Fi. Navigation then needs almost no data.
- Download playlists and podcasts at home instead of streaming them abroad.
- Turn off automatic updates for apps, and photo backup over mobile data.
- Lower video quality in streaming and social media apps, and turn off autoplay.
- Use Wi-Fi for big things — video calls, uploads, downloads — at the hotel or a café.
- Watch your usage in the phone's settings for the first day or two: you will quickly see your own daily pace.
- Share your hotspot carefully — a laptop can use far more data than a phone, especially with its own updates.
Choosing your package
Once you have your estimate, choose a package that covers it with a little to spare. A practical rule:
- Unsure between two sizes? Take the larger one. Running out in the middle of a day costs you time and stress; the difference in price is usually small.
- Long trip? Compare a large package with an unlimited one where your destination offers it.
- Several countries? A regional package covers them with one amount of data.
New to eSIMs? Read what an eSIM is, and our 7 setup tips before your trip.
Questions and answers
How much data does Google Maps use?
Navigation itself uses little — often 5–20 MB an hour. Downloading the area for offline use before you go brings it close to zero.
Does WhatsApp or Telegram use a lot of data?
Text messages use almost none. Photos and voice messages use a little; video calls use the most — roughly 300 MB to 1.5 GB an hour.
Is 1 GB enough for a week?
Only if you use your phone very lightly — maps and messages with offline maps downloaded. For most people, a week needs 3–10 GB.
What happens if my data runs out?
The mobile internet on that eSIM stops. You can buy another package for the same destination in minutes, so it is easy to fix — but choosing enough from the start is more comfortable.
Does sharing my connection (hotspot) use more data?
The data counts the same, but a laptop or tablet on your hotspot usually uses much more than a phone — for example, for its own updates.
Ready for your trip?
An eSIM for 200 countries: set up in minutes, with no roaming bill.