Travel eSIM Data Calculator: How Many GB Do You Need?

Picking the wrong data allowance is the most common regret with travel eSIMs. This calculator takes your trip length and how you actually use your phone, and returns a figure with headroom built in. We deliberately round up — topping up abroad is a hassle, and the extra cost is far smaller than the cost of being offline.

Travel eSIM data calculator

Trip length (days)

Count from your arrival day to your departure day. Add a day for an overnight flight.

Which describes you on a trip?

Will you share the connection?

Rough data usage reference

Activity	Approximate usage
Google Maps navigation	Roughly 5–10MB an hour, but it adds up over a full day
Text messaging apps	Negligible
Sending one phone photo	About 2–5MB
30 minutes of Instagram or Threads	About 300–600MB
30 minutes of short video (Reels, TikTok)	About 600MB–1GB
One hour of YouTube at 1080p	About 1.5–2GB
One hour of video calling	About 1–1.5GB

These are general estimates. Actual usage varies with quality settings, network conditions and app versions.

Three habits that save data

✅ Download offline maps in Google Maps before you go. Navigation still uses a little data, but far less.
✅ Turn off automatic photo backup. It is the most common invisible data drain.
✅ Set streaming apps to data-saver quality and catch up on hotel Wi-Fi.

Not sure your phone supports eSIM? Start with what is an eSIM, run the compatibility checker, or read the installation guide.

Last updated: 2026-08-02