How Much eSIM Data Do You Actually Need? A Realistic Guide
Most travelers buy too much data or run out on day three. Here are real numbers for maps, messaging, social media and video.
By Penyu Travel Team
Data sizes are hard to judge because apps behave very differently. These are realistic per-hour and per-day figures from normal travel use.
What things actually cost - Maps and navigation: about 5 MB per hour of active turn-by-turn. Very cheap. - Messaging with photos: roughly 10 to 20 MB per day. - Instagram or TikTok browsing: 200 to 400 MB per hour. This is the big one. - Video calls: around 300 MB per hour. - Music streaming: 60 to 100 MB per hour. - Netflix and YouTube: 1 GB or more per hour on high quality.
Daily totals for a typical traveler - Light: maps, messaging, occasional search. About 150 to 250 MB a day. - Normal: the above plus an hour of social media and some uploads. About 500 to 800 MB a day. - Heavy: constant social media, video calls home, tethering a laptop. 1.5 GB or more a day.
Choosing a plan Multiply your daily figure by the number of days, then subtract for hotel and cafe Wi-Fi, which usually covers evenings. A ten day trip at normal use lands around 5 to 8 GB in practice, not the 20 GB many people buy.
If you do run out, topping up an existing eSIM is faster than buying a new one, and your number and settings stay in place.