How much mobile data do you need abroad?
Most travellers need around 1GB of data per week for light use like maps and messaging, or 3 to 5GB per week for social media, browsing and the odd video. Heavy users who stream or work online should plan for 10GB or more.
The single most common question before a trip: how much data do I actually need?
Buy too little and you are rationing maps by day three. Buy too much and you paid for gigabytes you never touched.
Here is how to size a travel eSIM without overthinking it.
The quick answer by traveller type
Your data needs come down to what you do on your phone. Light users on maps and messaging need little. Anyone streaming video or working online needs a lot. Most people sit comfortably in the middle.
Find yourself below.
| You are the kind of traveller who... | Rough weekly data | Good plan size |
|---|---|---|
| Checks maps, messages, the odd email | 1GB | A small 1 to 3GB plan |
| Adds social media, browsing, some photos | 3 to 5GB | A mid 5GB plan |
| Streams music and video, video calls home | 10GB+ | A large or unlimited plan |
| Works online, tethers a laptop | 15GB+ | The biggest you can get |
Pick the row that sounds like you, then round up slightly, and match it to a 7-day travel eSIM for a typical short trip. Running out abroad is more annoying than a spare gigabyte.
What actually eats your data
Video is the big one. Streaming and video calls burn through data far faster than maps, messaging or browsing, which barely register by comparison. Knowing the heavy hitters helps you size a plan honestly.
A rough sense of scale helps.
Maps and messaging: featherlight. You could navigate a whole city on very little.
Instagram and browsing: moderate, especially with autoplay video.
Netflix, YouTube and long video calls: the gluttons. An hour of HD video can swallow a big chunk of a small plan in one sitting.
If you plan to stream, size up. If you mostly navigate and message, you need less than you think.
How to use less without noticing
You can stretch a travel data plan by leaning on wifi, turning off autoplay video, and downloading maps and playlists before you go. These habits cut usage sharply without spoiling the trip.
None of these are a hardship.
Hotel and cafe wifi handles the big downloads, so your eSIM data is spared.
Download your Spotify playlists and offline Google Maps at home, over your own broadband, before you fly.
Switch off video autoplay in your social apps, and you stop streaming clips you never chose to watch. Small settings, real savings.
When to size up
Size up if you are travelling for longer, streaming regularly, tethering other devices, or simply want the reassurance of headroom. Running out mid-trip means buying again, so a little extra upfront is often the calmer choice.
There is a comfort argument here too.
Some people love optimising every megabyte. Others just want to not think about it.
If you are the second sort, buy a size up and forget it exists. And if you cannot decide between a chunky one-off allowance and paying per day, it is worth weighing up a day pass versus a fixed data plan, which suits different trip shapes.