Here's where Canada ranks among countries with the most expensive mobile data

You probably already knew this — mobile data in Canada is expensive. But just how expensive exactly?

Cable.co.uk, a price comparison site for broadband, TV, and mobile phone deals, has released a new survey that shows which country has the most and the least expensive mobile data.

“Our yearly mobile data pricing tracking study is as much a measure of the quantity of data offered as it is the price of data more broadly,” reads the statement.

To see how much people are paying for 1 gigabyte (GB) of data around the world, the company analyzed 5,603 mobile data plans in 237 countries.

This year, Israel ranks number one for the cheapest data in the world, where 1GB of data will set you back a mere C$0.026.

“With three-quarters of Israelis owning a smartphone, Israel boasts a higher smartphone market penetration than the United States of America,” reads the survey. “Multiple providers offer huge data allowances with extensive 4G LTE and 5G network coverage.”

So, how does Canada compare?

Unfortunately, Canada ranks near the bottom at the 216th spot due to its expensive mobile data. According to the survey, Canadians are paying C$7.23 for just 1GB of data, so you might want to wait until you get home before scrolling through TikTok.

Just south of the border, Americans are actually paying a bit more. It’s no wonder the US is just a few spots below Canada at 219 because just 1GB of data costs C$8.08.

But if you think that’s bad, it’s not even close to what residents of Zimbabwe pay — Zimbabweans are paying a jaw-dropping C$58.89 for a mere 1GB of data, making it the most expensive mobile data in the world.

The five most expensive countries for 1GB of data:

Zimbabwe C$58.89

The Falkland Islands C$54.62

Saint Helena C$54.02

South Sudan C$31.90

Tokelau C$23.20

The five least expensive countries for 1GB of data:

Israel C$0.02

Italy C$0.12

Fiji C$0.12

San Marino C$0.13

Cambodia C$0.16

Despite some surprising numbers, the average price of data is actually falling every year.

According to Cable.co.uk, the global average for 1GB of data is C$3.48 — a huge drop compared to the average of C$11.01 in 2019.

“It’s encouraging to see the price of data coming down across the globe as a whole, with the vast majority of countries offering 1GB of mobile data for less than USD 2.00,” states the survey.

Read the results of the survey here.