The most common question when buying a travel eSIM: how many gigabytes do I actually need? Too little means running out mid-trip. Too much means paying for data you never use. This guide breaks down real data consumption for common travel activities and helps you choose the right plan size.
Data usage by activity
Maps and navigation: Google Maps uses about 5–10 MB per hour of active navigation. A full day of walking around a city: 30–50 MB. One week: 200–350 MB. This is less than most people expect. Messaging (WhatsApp, Telegram): Text messages use about 1 KB each — essentially nothing. Voice messages use about 0.5 MB per minute. Photo sharing: 2–5 MB per photo. Social media browsing: Instagram uses about 100 MB per hour of scrolling. Twitter/X uses about 50 MB per hour. Facebook uses about 80 MB per hour. Video calls: WhatsApp video: 5 MB per minute (300 MB per hour). FaceTime: 15 MB per minute (900 MB per hour). Zoom: 40 MB per minute (2.4 GB per hour). Music streaming: Spotify standard quality: 40 MB per hour. High quality: 150 MB per hour. Video streaming: YouTube 480p: 500 MB per hour. Netflix standard: 1 GB per hour. HD: 3 GB per hour.
Recommended plan sizes by traveler type
Light user (maps, messaging, email): 1–2 GB per week. You check maps a few times per day, send messages, and browse email. Social media is minimal or done on WiFi. Moderate user (maps, messaging, social media, ride-hailing): 3–5 GB per week. You use maps frequently, post photos, use Uber/Grab/Bolt, and browse social media daily. Video calls are done on WiFi. Heavy user (all of the above plus video calls, streaming): 7–10 GB per week. You make video calls from your phone, stream music regularly, and use data for work. Remote worker: 10–15 GB per week or unlimited. Multiple video calls daily, cloud sync, constant connectivity. Yesim unlimited is the safest choice.
Quick reference table
Weekend trip (2–3 days): Light 1 GB, Moderate 2 GB, Heavy 3 GB. One week: Light 2 GB, Moderate 5 GB, Heavy 10 GB. Two weeks: Light 3 GB, Moderate 8 GB, Heavy 15 GB or unlimited. One month: Light 5 GB, Moderate 15 GB, Heavy unlimited.
Tips to reduce data usage
Download offline maps. Set cloud backup to WiFi-only. Disable auto-play on social media. Make video calls on hotel WiFi. Download entertainment before leaving. These habits can reduce consumption by 50–70%. See our full list of data-saving tips.
Find the right plan for your destination.
Compare Plans →