Broadband & Mobile Cost by Country

Reliable, affordable internet is a baseline requirement for digital nomads and relocators. This reference covers 30 popular destinations: monthly fixed broadband cost, a representative 20 GB mobile data plan, typical installation wait time for a home connection, whether genuine contract-free options exist, and whether tourist prepaid SIMs are readily available. All prices are approximate USD equivalents based on 2024–2025 retail rates.

Last reviewed: 2026-06-01. Prices fluctuate with exchange rates and promotional offers — verify with providers before relocating.

Country	Fixed broadband / mo (USD)	Mobile 20 GB / mo (USD)	Typical install (days)	Contract-free	Prepaid SIM for tourists
Argentina	$8–15	$4–8	5–14	Yes	Yes Prices are very low due to ARS devaluation; quality varies significantly by neighbourhood. Claro and Fibertel dominate fibre. Travellers can buy Claro/Personal SIMs at kiosks.
Australia	$55–80	$20–35	7–21	Yes	Yes NBN-based broadband. Month-to-month plans widely available. Optus, Telstra, and Woolworths Mobile prepaid SIMs sold at supermarkets.
Brazil	$20–40	$10–18	7–21	Limited	Yes Fibre (FTTH) rollout is rapid in major cities. Most ISP contracts are 12 months; cancellation fees apply. Vivo and Claro offer good tourist SIMs.
Canada	$55–90	$35–55	7–14	Yes	Yes Among the most expensive in the developed world. Rogers, Bell, and Telus dominate. No-contract plans exist but cost more. Public Mobile and Lucky Mobile offer affordable prepaid options.
Chile	$25–45	$12–20	5–14	Yes	Yes Strong fibre penetration in Santiago and major cities. Movistar and Entel are leading providers. Prepaid SIMs widely available at pharmacies and convenience stores.
Colombia	$18–35	$8–15	5–14	Yes	Yes Claro Colombia and ETB offer fibre in Bogotá and Medellín. Contract-free month-to-month plans are common. Claro and Tigo prepaid SIMs easy to obtain.
Croatia	$22–38	$12–20	7–21	Yes	Yes HT (T-Mobile Croatia) and A1 are the main providers. Good coverage in coastal cities. Tourist SIMs available at airports and tobacco shops.
Czech Republic	$18–32	$10–18	5–14	Yes	Yes Affordable and fast. O2 Czech Republic and T-Mobile are dominant. Month-to-month plans common. Prepaid SIMs at any convenience store.
Estonia	$20–35	$10–15	3–7	Yes	Yes World-class digital infrastructure. Elisa and Tele2 lead. Fast installation, often same-week. e-Resident and digital nomad visa holders can open contracts with ID.
France	$28–45	$8–15	7–21	Yes	Yes Free (Iliad) and SFR offer very competitive pricing. Mobile prices are among the lowest in the EU. Orange and Bouygues also available. Tourist SIMs widely available.
Germany	$30–50	$12–22	14–42	Limited	Yes Broadband installation timelines are notoriously long (Telekom slot scheduling). Most ISP contracts are 24 months. Prepaid SIMs (Aldi Talk, Congstar) offer no-contract mobile. Fibre rollout accelerating post-2023.
Greece	$22–40	$12–20	7–21	Yes	Yes Cosmote and Vodafone Greece are dominant. Prices have dropped sharply since 2022. Month-to-month plans available. Tourist SIMs at supermarkets and airports.
Hungary	$15–28	$8–14	5–14	Yes	Yes Very affordable. Magyar Telekom and Vodafone Hungary cover most areas. Prepaid SIMs available at post offices and convenience stores.
Indonesia	$15–30	$6–12	7–21	Yes	Yes IndiHome (Telkom) dominates fixed broadband. Mobile is the primary internet method for most. Telkomsel, XL, and Indosat prepaid SIMs at every minimart. Quality varies heavily by island and neighbourhood.
Japan	$30–50	$15–25	14–30	Limited	Yes Extremely fast and reliable. NTT and SoftBank dominate broadband. Installation requires a Japanese address and can take 2–4 weeks. Prepaid data SIMs (IIJmio, OCN) widely available at airports for visitors.
Malaysia	$18–30	$8–14	7–21	Limited	Yes Unifi (TM) is the main fibre provider. Most broadband contracts are 24 months. Maxis, Celcom, and Digi offer excellent tourist prepaid SIMs; purchase at KLIA on arrival.
Mexico	$20–40	$10–18	7–21	Yes	Yes Telmex (fixed) and Telcel (mobile) dominate, both Slim-owned. Month-to-month plans available. Oxxo stores sell prepaid Telcel and AT&T SIMs on every corner.
Netherlands	$35–55	$12–22	7–21	Yes	Yes KPN, Ziggo, and T-Mobile NL are the main players. Month-to-month plans exist at a premium. Lebara and Lyca prepaid SIMs popular with expats; sold at supermarkets.
Poland	$14–25	$6–12	5–14	Yes	Yes Excellent value. Orange, Play, and T-Mobile Poland offer competitive rates. No-contract plans widely available. One of the best value internet markets in the EU.
Portugal	$30–50	$12–20	7–14	Yes	Yes NOS, Vodafone Portugal, and MEO are the big three. 24-month contracts common but monthly options exist at a small premium. NOS and MEO tourist SIMs at Lisbon and Porto airports.
Romania	$10–18	$6–10	3–7	Yes	Yes Among the fastest and cheapest in Europe. Digi (RCS & RDS) is the dominant provider with outstanding value. Month-to-month plans normal. Prepaid SIMs at any supermarket.
Singapore	$30–50	$15–25	3–7	Yes	Yes World-class connectivity. Singtel, StarHub, and M1 compete aggressively. No-contract fibre plans common. Tourist SIMs available at Changi Airport arrival halls.
South Korea	$25–40	$20–35	3–7	Limited	Yes Fastest average speeds in the world. KT, SK Broadband, and LG U+ dominate. Most contracts require a Korean ID (ARC). Tourist data SIMs (KT Olleh, SK Telecom) at Incheon Airport.
Spain	$30–50	$10–18	7–21	Yes	Yes Movistar, Vodafone Spain, Orange Spain, and MásMóvil compete. Month-to-month plans widely available. Spain has some of the best fibre coverage in Europe. Prepaid SIMs at tobacconists (estancos) everywhere.
Taiwan	$20–35	$10–18	7–14	Limited	Yes Chunghwa Telecom, FarEasTone, and Taiwan Mobile dominate. Most broadband contracts are 12–24 months. Excellent tourist prepaid SIMs at Taoyuan Airport 7-Eleven and FarEasTone counters.
Thailand	$15–28	$8–15	5–14	Yes	Yes AIS, DTAC (now True Move H), and True Move H are the main mobile operators. Fixed broadband via True Online and AIS Fibre. Month-to-month plans normal. Tourist SIMs available at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports.
Turkey	$10–20	$6–12	5–14	Yes	Yes Turk Telekom and Superonline for fixed broadband; Turkcell, Vodafone Turkey, and Türk Telekom for mobile. Low prices in TRY terms due to currency weakness. Tourist SIMs require passport registration at point of sale.
United Arab Emirates	$60–110	$25–45	3–7	Limited	Yes Etisalat (e&) and du are the only providers (government duopoly). Prices are high. Most broadband plans are 12-month contracts bundled with TV. Tourist SIMs widely available at airports and malls.
United Kingdom	$35–60	$12–22	7–21	Yes	Yes BT, Virgin Media, Sky, and Hyperoptic are main broadband providers. No-contract 30-day plans available (often via rolling monthly deals). Three, Giffgaff, and SMARTY offer no-contract SIM-only plans.
United States	$50–80	$25–45	7–21	Yes	Yes Comcast/Xfinity, Spectrum, and AT&T Fiber dominate, with significant regional variation. Month-to-month plans available but often cost more. T-Mobile Prepaid and Mint Mobile popular no-contract options.
Vietnam	$8–18	$5–10	3–7	Yes	Yes Exceptional value. VNPT, Viettel, and FPT Telecom offer fast fibre at very low prices. Month-to-month plans normal. Viettel and Vietnamobile prepaid SIMs at airports and convenience stores.

How to read this table

Fixed broadband / mo reflects a typical entry-level to mid-tier fibre or cable home plan in USD equivalent at 2024–2025 exchange rates. Actual prices vary by speed tier, city, and provider.
Mobile 20 GB / mo is a representative SIM-only or prepaid plan with at least 20 GB of data. Many markets include unlimited plans at the upper end of the range shown.
Contract-freemeans genuine no-commitment month-to-month home broadband plans are available without cancellation penalties. "Limited" means most plans require a 12–24 month commitment, though rolling monthly add-ons or MVNO/mobile substitutes may exist.
Prepaid SIM for tourists indicates whether a visitor can easily purchase a working data SIM without a local ID or address. Some markets require passport registration at point of sale but still qualify as tourist-accessible.
Install time is the typical calendar-day wait from order to working home broadband service. It can vary significantly in rural areas and apartment buildings requiring new infrastructure.