Choosing a plan
How Much Data Do You Need Overseas?
Updated 27 September 2026
How much data do you need overseas? The honest answer is "it depends on what you actually do on your phone" - but that's not much help when you're staring at a list of GB options at checkout. Here are actual numbers to work from, tied to what typically drains a phone, plus what to do if you get it wrong (short version: it's not a big deal either way).
Light use: 1-3GB per week
Google Maps navigation, WhatsApp/iMessage, and checking things on the odd occasion you're out and about - not streaming video or music over mobile data - rarely adds up to more than a couple of hundred MB a day. 1GB comfortably covers a long weekend of this; 3GB covers a full week. This is the size most short trips actually need if you're relying on hotel or cafe Wi-Fi for anything heavier.
Regular use: 5-10GB per week
Add streaming music or podcasts over mobile data (rather than downloading beforehand), the odd video call home, and posting photos and short videos as you go, and daily use climbs to somewhere around 500MB-1.5GB a day. 5GB suits a week of this; 10GB covers two weeks, or one week if you're on the heavier side of "regular." This is where most people travelling for a week or two land if they're not actively trying to minimise data use.
Heavy use: 15-20GB+ per week
Streaming video over mobile data is what actually moves the number - up to about 1GB an hour at standard definition and up to 3GB an hour in HD, going by Netflix's own figures. Hotspotting a laptop for work adds a similar amount again on top. If that's the plan, budget 2-3GB for a heavy day and size up from there rather than guessing - 20GB covers a solid week of daily streaming or hotspotting for most people.
Three real trips, sized out
- 10 days in Japan, mostly cities - heavy Google Maps use for train navigation plus a translation app running most days pushes this toward regular-to-heavy use even without much streaming; see the Japan guide for a live-priced recommendation sized for exactly this.
- A week in Bali, scootering between areas - Grab/Gojek run on live GPS for the entire ride rather than a one-off lookup, which adds up faster than a walkable city trip; see the Bali guide for the fuller breakdown.
- Two weeks driving the US - light in the cities, but offline maps become the fallback the moment you're off the interstate in the backcountry; see the USA road trip guide for how to size around that gap.
Longer or heavier trips: plan on more than one plan
Most of our single-country plans top out around 20-50GB, which comfortably covers a normal trip - but if you're away for a month or more on heavy daily use, one plan almost certainly won't stretch the whole way, and that's expected rather than a sign you sized it wrong. Top up before it runs out, or buy a second plan for the same destination - see below.
A top-up isn't only for running low on GB, either - each top-up pack carries its own validity days as well as its own data, starting fresh once it's added. So if your trip's simply running longer than your plan's day count rather than your data running low, topping up before your current plan's window ends extends how long you're connected on the same eSIM, no new QR code needed.
What happens if you run out
No dramas either way. Your confirmation email has a link to top up the eSIM you've already got installed - it lands within a few minutes and there's nothing to reinstall. Lost that email? Email support@sweetassim.co.nz and we'll send it again, or just buy a fresh eSIM for the same destination if that's easier. If you're not sure which way to round when buying, it's usually easier to start slightly bigger than to guess small and top up later.
Multi-country trips
Add up roughly how many days you'll be online across the whole trip rather than sizing per country - a regional bundle covering several countries on one eSIM is often cheaper and simpler than buying separately for each stop. Check what's covered for your route before booking several single-country plans.
What actually uses the most data
- Video streaming - By far the biggest. Netflix's own figures: up to about 1GB an hour in standard definition and up to 3GB an hour in HD, or around 0.3GB an hour on its lowest setting.
- Video calls - A long FaceTime or WhatsApp video call home can use more than an hour of standard-definition video. Voice-only calls use a tiny fraction of that.
- Photo and video backup - iCloud or Google Photos uploading every clip over mobile data can quietly eat gigabytes in a day.
- Social media video - Autoplaying video in Instagram, TikTok and Facebook adds up fast when you're scrolling on the go.
- Maps and messaging - Small by comparison - a day of navigation and chat is usually a couple of hundred megabytes.
Five ways to make your data go further
- Download offline maps before you go. They still give driving directions without data - though walking and public transport directions need a connection.
- Download shows, playlists and podcasts on Wi-Fi before a flight, train or beach day, instead of streaming them.
- Set streaming apps to a lower data setting - most, including Netflix, let you choose a data-saver option for mobile.
- Set photo backup to Wi-Fi only and let it catch up at the hotel.
- Turn off video autoplay in social apps - it's usually a single toggle in settings.
Frequently asked questions
Does hotspotting use more data?
It uses whatever the connected laptop or tablet uses, which is often far more than a phone - software updates and cloud syncing kick in automatically. Pause those before you hotspot.
How much data do I need for two weeks overseas?
For maps, messaging, social media and the odd video call, around 5-10GB covers most two-week trips. Heavy streaming or hotspotting a laptop can double that - and you can always top up the same eSIM if you run low.
Does using Wi-Fi at my hotel save data?
Yes - anything you do on Wi-Fi doesn't touch your plan. Save big downloads, photo backups and streaming for the hotel, and keep mobile data for maps, messages and bookings when you're out.
What happens if I run out of data overseas?
You can top up the eSIM you already have from your confirmation email - no new QR code and nothing to reinstall. The top-up usually lands within minutes.
Is 1GB enough for a week overseas?
Only for very light use - maps and messaging, with Wi-Fi at your accommodation for everything else. Most travellers who post photos or make the odd video call are better off with 3-5GB a week.
How much data does streaming Netflix use?
Netflix says up to about 1GB an hour in standard definition and up to 3GB an hour in HD. Downloading episodes on Wi-Fi before you go avoids using any mobile data at all.
What uses the most data when travelling?
Video - streaming, video calls and autoplaying social media clips. Maps and messaging use very little by comparison.
Sources
Information checked 27 September 2026. Entry rules, fees and local details change - confirm anything important with the official source before you travel.
- How to control how much data Netflix uses - Netflix Help Center (help.netflix.com)
- Download areas & navigate offline in Google Maps - Google Maps Help (support.google.com)