A new study shows that Irish consumers pay less than many of our European counterparts for mobile data and less than a fifth of what users in the US are charged.
A new study today from Cable.co.uk which looks at the price of mobile data in over 200 countries worldwide has revealed that Ireland is among the cheapest in Europe.
With an average price of €1.25 ($1.36) for 1GB of mobile data, Ireland was the 11th cheapest out of 44 European countries and territories included in the study and ahead of traditionally less expensive places like Spain, Portugal and Greece.
5,554 mobile data plans in 228 countries were gathered and analysed by Cable.co.uk between 3rd and 28th February 2020 to compare the cost of one gigabyte (1GB) of mobile data across the entire world with 17 price plans being measured in Ireland.
On a worldwide basis, Ireland is ranked 55th cheapest.
Previous research from Cable.co.uk had shown that Ireland was still one of the most expensive places for fixed-line broadband, though speeds here tend to be good.
The results in detail
India is the place to go if you want cheap mobile data. There 1GB will set you back just $0.09, meaning you really can browse away on your smartphone to your heart’s content.
Israel, not known for being a cheap destination by any means, surprisingly comes in second, with a price of just $0.11 per GB of data. Kyrgyzstan rounds out the top three at an average cost of just $0.21.
Meanwhile Saint Helena and the Falkland Islands are the most expensive places in the world for mobile data with a staggering cost of $52.50 and $40.41 respectively for every GB of data.
Within Western Europe, out of 29 nations and territories studied, Italy is the cheapest, with an average cost of €0.40/$0.43 per GB, followed by Denmark $0.80, and then France (€0.75/$0.81). The UK came in ninth cheapest (and 59th cheapest worldwide), with an average cost of £1.12/$1.39 per GB, just behind Ireland.
In North America, neither the States nor Canada fare particularly well. Indeed the US is one of the most expensive places in the world for mobile data at a cost of $8 per GB. Canada fares even worse. At an average cost of $12.55 per GB it’s the 20th most expensive country in the world.
If good quality, cheap mobile data is your thing, then Sub-Saharan Africa is definitely the place to avoid. Five of the 10 most expensive countries to buy mobile data are located here. Island nations in Oceania and the Caribbean also tend to be among the most expensive in the world.
|
Rank |
Country |
Average cost per GB |
|
1 |
India |
$0.09 |
|
2 |
Israel |
$0.11 |
|
3 |
Kyrgyzstan |
$0.21 |
|
4 |
Italy |
$0.43 |
|
5 |
Ukraine |
$0.46 |
|
6 |
Kazakhstan |
$0.46 |
|
7 |
Somalia |
$0.50 |
|
8 |
Sri lanka |
$0.51 |
|
9 |
Russia |
$0.52 |
|
10 |
Vietnam |
$0.57 |
|
16 |
Australia |
$0.68 |
|
55 |
Ireland |
$1.36 |
|
59 |
UK |
$1.39 |
|
188 |
United States |
$8.00 |
| 209 | Canada | $12.55 |
You can download the full data set, along with further insights, a detailed research methodology, and various graphics and interactive tools here.
Commenting on the findings of the research internationally, Dan Howdle, consumer telecoms analyst at Cable.co.uk, said Ireland and other countries should consider themselves lucky that mobile data is so affordable.
"Many countries around the world are not so lucky. Ironically, with most of us stuck indoors with full access to home wifi, our need for mobile data is lessened considerably. However, this is a far better position to be in than, for example, many countries in sub-saharan Africa, where data remains expensive and home broadband is all but non-existent."
Not happy with the price of your mobile package?
How does the cost of your mobile data measure up in comparison? If you’re not satisfied, it might be time to shop around for a new provider. You can compare SIM-only mobile plans quickly and easily right here on bonkers.ie.
