How Far Will 10GB Mobile Data Take You While Travelling?
Key Takeaways
- 10GB is activity-dependent: It can last a month for a light user (maps, email) or just a few days for a heavy user (HD streaming, video calls). Your habits define its lifespan.
- Monitor and optimise your usage while travelling: Adjust app settings, download content for offline use, and connect to Wi-Fi whenever possible to stretch your data.
- Roaming is an expensive way to stay connected abroad: Relying on your home carrier’s roaming can be costly.
- Travel eSIMs and SIM cards offer flexibility and peace of mind: They let you stay connected abroad with plans from 10GB to unlimited, avoid surprise charges, and manage your data easily through apps.
Ten gigabytes of mobile data sounds like a lot—until you’re mid-holiday, with maps open, Spotify streaming, and a few TikTok scrolls deep. With your essential travel apps running, it’s easy to use more data than you realise.
So, how far does 10GB actually stretch in the real world? It’s important to determine if 10GB is enough data for your travel needs by considering your typical usage patterns, such as social media, streaming, and web browsing. Understanding what your data can really get you helps you make smarter choices about your plan, use it efficiently while travelling, and avoid running out at the worst possible moment. 10GB is a common amount of data included in many prepaid mobile plans and data plans, so understanding the features of plans with data included is especially important for travelers.
Let’s break it down.
What 10GB of Mobile Data Really Means
A gigabyte (GB) is a standard unit of digital information, used to measure data that is sent, received, or stored. One GB equals roughly one billion bytes of information. Ten gigabytes is simply ten times that. It can sound abstract for casual users, but every email you send, every video you watch, and every map you load uses up GB. How far 10GB lasts depends entirely on how you spend it. In many mobile plans, 10GB is the monthly data allowance, so it's important to consider your monthly data needs when choosing a plan.
Gigabytes vs. Gigabits: Data Amount vs. Speed
Gigabytes (GB) and gigabits (Gb) are often confused, but they measure very different things. GB measures the amount of data you can use, while Gb measures internet speed—or how fast data moves. One gigabyte equals eight gigabits.
A 10GB data plan allows you to use up to 10 gigabytes of data for browsing, streaming, and other online activities within the billing cycle. Some plans may also include a speed cap, which limits the maximum speed at which you can use your data, regardless of the total data allowance. Network speeds can also be affected by factors such as hardware, software configuration, and local conditions. By comparison, a plan labeled 10Gbps indicates the rate of data transfer, not the total data available for use.
It’s an easy distinction to mix up, but knowing the difference helps you compare plans accurately and avoid overestimating how much you can do online.
Your Data Usage While Travelling
From navigating new cities and checking local transport, to sharing photos, finding restaurants, or booking tickets on the go, travel apps and services use data at very different rates. Some activities, like messaging or map look-ups, use very little, while others, like browsing high-resolution images or live updates, can chew through your 10GB quickly. Network speeds and your data experience can also be affected by the number of concurrent users on the network, especially in crowded areas. Here’s how your data might be used on a typical trip.
Navigation and Maps
Finding your way around new destinations is a top priority for travellers. Navigation apps typically use data sparingly, though features like live traffic updates and satellite view can consume more. Data usage and app performance may also vary depending on local conditions like network coverage and signal strength.
✅ Google Maps
- Consumption:
- Standard navigation: ~0.01 per hour
- Satellite view and real-time traffic: ~0.1 GB per hour
➡️ 10GB: ~150-200 hours of navigation
✅ Waze
- Consumption: ~0.05 GB per hour
➡️ 10GB: ~200 hours of navigation
💡Tip: Download offline maps before your trip to minimise real-time data usage. This reduces data usage to near zero for basic navigation.
Work and Communication
Even on vacation, staying connected is often necessary. Work apps, emails, and messaging services vary in data use. Standard calls typically do not use mobile data, but are an important part of staying connected while travelling.
Some mobile plans include unlimited standard national calls, and may also offer allowances or add-ons for international calls to international numbers, making it easier to stay in touch with people in other countries while travelling.
✅ Zoom / Video Calls
- Consumption:
- Standard definition: ~0.5 GB per hour
- HD: ~1.2–1.5 GB per hour
➡️ 10GB: ~7-20 hours of calls
✅ Emails
- Consumption:
- Text-only emails: ~0.00002 GB each (20 KB)
- With attachments: Varies widely (e.g., a 1 MB attachment = 0.001 GB)
➡️ 10GB: ~500,000 text-only emails
✅ Messaging Apps (WhatsApp, Telegram)
- Consumption:
- Text-only: Negligible (~0.00001 GB/message)
- With photos/videos: ~0.001–0.01 GB per message
➡️ 10GB: ~1,000 to 10,000 messages with photos/videos
💡Tip: Reduce video call quality, avoid sending large attachments, and use Wi-Fi for calls to extend your data.
Social Media
Sharing your travel moments or keeping up with friends consumes different amounts of data depending on the platform. Social media platforms are considered high speed applications, especially when streaming videos or uploading high-resolution content, which can chew through your 10GB quickly.
✅ TikTok
- Consumption: ~0.5–1.5 GB per hour (depending on video quality)
➡️ 10GB: ~7–20 hours of scrolling
- Consumption:
- Scrolling feed: ~0.1–0.2 GB per hour
- Stories/Reels: ~0.2–0.3 GB per hour
➡️ 10GB: ~33-100 hours of scrolling
✅ X (formerly Twitter)
- Consumption: ~0.03–0.05 GB per hour (light if mostly text; higher with videos)
➡️ 10GB: ~200-330 hours of scrolling
- Consumption: ~0.2–0.5 GB per hour (a mix of scrolling, photos, and videos).
➡️ 10GB: ~20 to 50 hours.
💡Tip: Conserve data by disabling video auto-play and limit high-resolution downloads.
Entertainment
Streaming can quickly use up your data. Music is relatively light, while video in HD or 4K consumes much more.
✅ Spotify
- Consumption:
- Normal quality: ~0.05 GB per hour
- High quality: ~0.1 GB per hour
➡️ 10GB: ~100-200 hours of streaming
✅ YouTube
- Consumption:
- SD (480p): ~0.7 GB per hour
- HD (1080p): ~1.5–2 GB per hour
- 4K: ~7+ GB per hour
➡️ 10GB: ~5-14 hours of streaming
✅ Netflix
- Consumption:
- SD: ~1 GB per hour
- HD: ~3 GB per hour
- 4K: ~7 GB per hour
➡️ 10GB: ~1.25-10 hours of streaming
💡Tip: Download videos on Wi-Fi before travelling to save mobile data. Adjust streaming quality settings proactively in all your apps.
Gaming
Gaming itself isn’t usually data-heavy, but updates and multiplayer sessions can add up.
✅ Genshin Impact
- Consumption: ~0.05–0.2 GB per hour
➡️ 10GB: ~50-200 hours of gameplay
✅ Fortnite
- Consumption: ~0.1 GB per hour
➡️ 10GB: ~100 hours of gameplay
✅ Call of Duty: Mobile
- Consumption: ~0.04–0.1 GB per hour
➡️ 10GB: ~100-250 hours of gameplay
💡Tip: The biggest data drain is updates and downloads, which can be multiple gigabytes. Disable auto-downloads for updates and monitor usage during long sessions. Always download game updates over Wi-Fi only.
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Assessing Your Data Needs
For some travellers, 10GB is plenty; for others, it vanishes in no time. Whether it lasts a few days or stretches for weeks depends entirely on your mobile habits. When choosing a mobile phone plan, consider whether a prepaid plan or postpaid plan best suits your needs, as each offers different levels of flexibility and control over your data usage. Prepaid mobile plans often provide flexibility and control, and some prepaid mobile options include features like data rollover, allowing you to carry over unused data to the next billing period.
Here’s what 10GB looks like for different types of users:
Light
Travellers who mainly rely on their phones for essentials—like using maps for navigation, checking emails, and the occasional scroll through social media—will find 10GB stretches a long way. These habits don’t put a heavy strain on your data, especially if you save bigger downloads or video watching for when you’re on Wi-Fi. With smart use, a light user can comfortably make 10GB last close to a month, even on an extended trip. For personal use, 10GB is often sufficient, but always check if your plan is intended for personal use only.
Moderate
If you mix practical use with a bit of entertainment, you’ll fall into the moderate category. This includes browsing the web, streaming music, watching standard-definition videos, or jumping on the odd video call. While none of these on their own will drain your data too quickly, together they add up faster than you think. For moderate users, 10GB usually provides enough for around 10 to 14 days of travel, provided you’re mindful about quality settings and take advantage of Wi-Fi where possible. Keep in mind that your actual data usage can vary depending on your compatible device, location, and mobile network conditions.
Heavy
Heavy users lean on their phones for almost everything—streaming HD or 4K video regularly, joining multiple video calls each day, or logging long hours of mobile gaming. These high-bandwidth activities consume data at a rapid pace, so 10GB won’t stretch far. For this type of traveller, the allowance could be gone in as little as three days, and at best, about five. If you run out of data before your plan expires, you may need to recharge manually or set your plan to automatically recharge to avoid service interruption. If this sounds like your usage style, you’ll need a much larger data plan—or unlimited data—to stay connected without constantly topping up.
Keep an eye on your phone’s data settings to track how quickly you’re burning through your allowance. For more detailed insights, you can monitor data usage in real time with your provider’s app or through your device’s built-in settings. If you have an existing data plan, be aware that switching to a new plan may forfeit any remaining data, so check your provider’s rollover and same plan policies. Some prepaid mobile plans offer data rollover, letting you keep unused data for the next billing cycle.
While roaming is an option for staying connected abroad, it can quickly lead to high phone bills—especially for moderate to heavy users or longer trips. Travel eSIMs and SIM cards provide a more affordable and flexible alternative, with plans ranging from 10GB to unlimited. They keep you online without the risk of surprise charges. Note that eSIMs require compatible devices, and some plans may automatically switch between 5G and 4G depending on network availability.
Some providers offer discounted prices for new customers or when using a promo code, but these discounts may revert to the standard rate after the initial period. These discounted price offers may apply to both prepaid mobile plans and postpaid plans, so check the details before purchasing. Be aware that some plans exclude calls to premium numbers and satellite numbers, and exit fees may apply to lock in contracts, while month-to-month plans usually do not have such fees. Additionally, some providers use the Telstra network for broader mobile network coverage.
Staying Connected While Travelling Whatever Your Mobile Habits
Reliable mobile data keeps your trip running smoothly, helping you stay safe and move confidently wherever your travels take you. Roaming is expensive, especially for moderate to heavy users or longer trips. Public Wi-Fi isn’t always safe—or reliable.
Travel SIM cards and eSIMs provide a smarter, more flexible way to stay connected. They give you control over your data and remove the risk of surprise bills. SimCorner offers a range of plans—including 10GB and unlimited options—so you can choose one that matches your travel style and usage needs.
SimCorner supports both digital eSIMs and physical SIM cards, ensuring every traveller can stay connected regardless of their device. eSIMs are fully digital: purchase a plan, scan a QR code, and you’re online within minutes. Physical SIM cards can be ordered in advance and delivered to your doorstep, ready to use for your trip.
The SimCorner app adds another layer of control, letting you monitor data in real time and manage usage across multiple accounts. This provides flexibility, convenience, and confidence—so you can focus on exploring, not worrying about losing connection.
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