How Much Data Do You Need When Traveling Abroad?

Choosing the right plan starts with an accurate usage estimate. Real consumption varies by habit, but these estimates help you decide.

Daily usage estimates

• Maps and navigation (Google Maps / Apple Maps): 50–100 MB per day.
• Light social media (browsing and posting photos): 150–300 MB.
• Reels and videos (30 minutes/day): 300–600 MB.
• WhatsApp voice call (1 full hour): about 40 MB.
• WhatsApp video call (1 full hour): 250–400 MB.

Recommendations by travel style

• Light traveler (maps + messages): 1–3 GB for a week's trip.
• Typical user (social + maps + limited streaming): 5–8 GB for a week.
• Heavy user (video + remote work): 10 GB+ for a week.

Tips to save data

• Download maps in Offline mode before traveling over Wi-Fi.
• Use hotel Wi-Fi for large downloads and app updates.
• Reduce video streaming quality on mobile data in the app settings.

FAQ

What if my plan runs out mid-trip? Buy a top-up via the Airalo app or on WhatsApp from Tether.sa. Do maps drain data fast? Continuous use in large cities uses more — we recommend downloading maps offline in advance.

👉 Airalo eSIM · WhatsApp

Written by the Tether.sa team