1 GB
About twenty hours of GPS, around 10 hours of music streaming, 4 to 10 hours of social media, or just 2 hours of SD video (20 to 40 minutes in HD).
Updated in 2026, immediate and free results
Internet usage simulator: how many GB do you need for your trip?
Choosing the right eSIM should never feel like a gamble. Many travelers end up overspending on unused data... or running out at the worst possible moment. To make things much clearer, here's a simple overview of how much data the main online activities actually consume.
Length of stay
15 days1 day15 days30 days
Usage profile
Select your usage profile:
Your estimated data usage
Estimate for 15 days with the selected profile
20GB
- Social media browsing (Instagram, Facebook)
- Music streaming (Spotify, Apple Music)
- Occasional SD videos
- Messaging and audio calls
Where do you need data?
Suggested data plans
Data usage distribution
A quick overview to understand how much data each activity consumes on a daily basis.
| Activity | Consumption/hour | |
|---|---|---|
| MessagingWhatsApp, Telegram | 10-50 MB | WhatsApp, Telegram |
| Web browsingChrome, Safari | 50-150 MB | Chrome, Safari |
| GeolocationMaps, Waze | 30-60 MB | Maps, Waze |
| Social mediaInstagram, TikTok | 100-250 MB | Instagram, TikTok |
| SD videoYouTube, Netflix | 500 MB | YouTube, Netflix |
| HD videoNetflix, Prime | 1.5-3 GB | Netflix, Prime |
| MusicSpotify, Apple Music | 50-100 MB | Spotify, Apple Music |
1 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB, 20 GB: what can you actually do?
Gigabytes remain abstract until you translate them into actual hours of use. Here is what each tier represents, based on average data consumption per app:
5 GB
One week of light usage: daily GPS and messaging, web searches, and sending a few photos. It's enough if you use Wi-Fi in the evening, but it won't be enough as soon as you start watching videos.
10 GB
The perfect balance for a week of moderate use (social media, music, GPS) or two weeks of light use. It's the most popular data volume for travelers.
20 GB
Two comfortable weeks with moderate usage, or one intensive week with series and video calls. Beyond that, aim for 50 GB or a rechargeable eSIM.
Get your eSIM for your next trip
You know how many GBs you need, all that's left is to pick your destination.
How many GB per day do you need when traveling?
When you're planning a trip abroad, the question of a mobile plan always comes up: how many gigs do you actually need to last the whole trip? The answer depends less on the destination and more on how you use your phone. Here are the benchmarks we've noticed, for mobile data only, excluding Wi-Fi:
- Light usemessaging, GPS, web browsingabout0.5 GB per day
- Moderate usesocial media, music streaming, occasional videos1 to 1.5 GB per day
- Heavy useHD series, video calls, online gaming2 to 3 GB per day
- Very intensive use4K video, live streaming, hotspotting4 to 5 GB per day
Most travelers use between 1 and 2 GB per day.
However, two people in the same city can consume anywhere from one to four times that amount: it's the accumulation of small, repeated tasks (using Google Maps, looking for a restaurant, sending photos on WhatsApp) that makes up the bulk of data usage.
These estimates apply to the mobile network only. As soon as you connect to hotel or cafe Wi-Fi, your mobile data usage drops significantly, sometimes to zero for the entire day.
How many GB should you plan for 1 week, 2 weeks, or 1 month?
Once you've identified your profile, just multiply it by the length of your stay. Here are the data volumes to expect, calculated using the same estimates as the simulator above:
Light use
1 week
≈ 3.5 GB
2 weeks
≈ 7 GB
1 month
≈ 15 GB
Moderate use
1 week
≈ 9.5 GB
2 weeks
≈ 19 GB
1 month
≈ 40 GB
Heavy use
1 week
≈ 17.5 GB
2 weeks
≈ 35 GB
1 month
≈ 75 GB
Very intensive use
1 week
≈ 31.5 GB
2 weeks
≈ 63 GB
1 month
≈ 135 GB
Always leave yourself a little wiggle room: a few extra GBs cost much less than losing your connection in the middle of your trip. And if you're stuck between two data amounts, go for the higher tier, or just choose a rechargeable eSIM that you can top up in minutes while you're traveling.
How to use less mobile data while traveling
A few settings before you leave are enough to significantly reduce your data usage, without changing the way you travel.
Download in offline mode
Google Maps, playlists, podcasts, tickets, and reservations: everything you download in advance via Wi-Fi won't consume any data once you're there. Offline GPS works perfectly.
Close background apps
Background refreshing, automatic photo backups, updates: these invisible data uses can add up to several hundred MB per day. Disable them in your settings.
Lower the video quality
Video is the most data-heavy usage: up to 3 GB per hour in HD compared to about 500 MB in SD. Set YouTube, Netflix, and Instagram to standard quality, and save HD for when you're on Wi-Fi.
Limit hotspotting
A computer connected to your phone can consume several GBs in just a few hours, especially if it starts running updates. Save your hotspot for when you really need it.
Frequently asked questions about data usage while traveling
Count on about 0.5 GB per day for light usage (messaging, GPS), 1 to 1.5 GB for moderate usage with social media, and 2.5 GB or more if you watch videos or hotspot your connection. These estimates are for when you're not on Wi-Fi: with good hotel Wi-Fi, your mobile data consumption will drop significantly.
For one week, plan for 5 GB for light use, 10 GB for moderate use, and 20 GB or more for heavy use. Use the simulator at the top of the page to get an accurate estimate based on your profile and the exact length of your stay.
Yes, if your usage is light to moderate and you use Wi-Fi for video: 10 GB covers GPS, messaging, social media, and music. No, if you watch series or scroll through TikTok and Instagram on 4G/5G: aim for 20 GB instead.
With 1 GB: about twenty hours of GPS navigation, around 10 hours of music streaming, 4 to 10 hours of social media, or 2 hours of standard quality video. In HD, 1 GB will be gone in 20 to 40 minutes.
No. Navigating with Google Maps or Waze uses about 30 to 60 MB per hour, making it one of the lightest uses. And if you download offline maps before you leave, your data usage becomes almost zero.
Outside the European Union, roaming charges on your usual plan can be very high. The simplest solution is a prepaid eSIM for your destination: you pay for a fixed amount of data, with no commitment and no risk of extra charges. Discover voilà eSIMs for over 190 destinations.
On iPhone: Settings > Cellular, where you can see data usage app by app. On Android: Settings > Connections > Data usage. With a voilà eSIM, you can also track your usage in real time within the app.
Rarely. Most travelers use less than 2 GB per day, so a 10 to 20 GB plan covers most trips. Unlimited data is only worth it for remote work or constant video usage. If you're new to eSIM, here's how it works.