Statistics on How Much Mobile Data Does Streaming Media Use
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Streaming and mobile data are the most used and valued commodities for internet browsing and entertainment. As of 2022, there are around 5 billion unique mobile internet users worldwide – over 60% of the internet population.
As the world slowly returns to regular rotation after the pandemic – internet connections are starting to see a trend. From connectivity, hotspot devices, and frequency bands of postpaid and prepaid numbers, users are expected to see a change in data consumption.
In this article, witness the groundbreaking statistics on mobile data usage in streaming media and see the factors affecting mobile data consumption.
Editor’s Choice
- Video apps comprised 66.2% of global mobile data usage monthly as of January 2021.
- Streaming on a smartphone can have a data consumption of 1GB of data per hour.
- An average internet user utilized 5.6GB of data monthly in 2021.
- Normal quality audio (160kbps) uses 72MB of data per hour of music streaming.
- Some countries or territories’ mobile data provision is unavailable, for they only have 2G infrastructure.
- Saint Helena is the most expensive territory regarding the average cost of 1GB of mobile at $41.06, while Israel is the cheapest at $0.04.
- In the United States, the cost of 1GB of data increased by 69% from the year 2021 to the year 2022.
- In 2022, average monthly internet service costs range from about $36 to $58.
- North America has the highest price for 1GB of data, amounting to $4.98, while Northern Africa is $1.05.
Mobile Streaming Statistics 2023
40% of directors’ and marketing managers’ events were entirely virtual in 2022, which entails that people are becoming more confident with the virtual format, even in professional settings. High-quality music consumes 115.2 MB of mobile data per hour. At the same time, a 4K video stream uses an average of 7.2GB per hour.
Delve into the statistics on mobile data usage with eye-opening information about how much data a particular platform consumes and how much an average person spends on it.
Statistics on Mobile Data Usage by Streaming Media
A study from 8 representative country markets revealed that video and TV streaming consumers are expected to watch content daily or weekly using mobile phones. Knowing how much it costs rather than purely enjoying it is essential.
See these informative reports about mobile data usage of streaming media. Find out how various factors affect data usage, popular apps’ data usage, and more.
1. On average, streaming live TV for one hour on the highest quality consumes approximately 1.66 GB.
(SmartMove)
Data usage from live streaming varies on the platform, application, and video quality. Internet speed and connection also play a role in the video resolution of the live stream.
Here is the average hourly data consumption from live streaming based on video quality:
| Video Quality | Data Consumption/Hr |
| Low Quality | 360MB |
| Medium Quality | 540MB |
| High Quality | 1.26GB |
| Highest Quality | 1.66GB |
The higher the video quality is, the more data it consumes. This is why internet users with slow internet connections find it challenging to watch high-definition live-streaming videos.
2. Video apps comprised 66.2% of global mobile data usage monthly as of January 2021.
(Statista)
The most popular platforms worldwide where users can post, share, and watch videos are Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. TikTok also took place, reaching 1 billion monthly users in September 2021.
These social media applications contribute to global mobile data usage based on their popularity. In 2022, 47.1% said they use these apps to connect with friends and family. Likewise, they have several functions in business, socialization, politics, networking, and information.
3. Streaming on a smartphone has a data consumption of 1 GB of data per hour.
(SN Now)
Streaming using a smartphone – whether for live streams, Over-the-top media services, or general video consumption – uses around 1GB of data per hour. On the other hand, streaming HD videos on tablets or connected devices can consume 3 GB of data per hour.
However, these are all estimations, and the specific amount of data depends on the stream quality, length of the games, the number of features users enjoy, the device used, and other factors.
4. Aside from quality, the device and number of features used also matter to mobile data consumption, so people need to catch up when using high-tech gadgets.
(MakeUseOf, Defkey)
As a leading video social media platform, YouTube can be streamed at different quality resolutions depending on the users and mobile data.
| Resolution | Approximate Data Consumption/Minute |
| 8K (4320p) | 589 MB |
| 4K (2160p) | 174 MB |
| 2K (1440p) | 80 MB |
| 1080p | 18 MB |
| 720p | 11 MB |
| 480p | 9 MB |
| 360p | 4 MB |
| 240p | 2MB |
| 144p | 1 MB |
With low mobile data, users can experience no lagging streaming on Youtube, but the quality would be horrible. If users want smooth streaming, they should prepare with extensive mobile data.
5. Netflix’s Standard-Definition (SD) video streaming uses 1GB per hour.
(Kommandotech)
Streaming in HD uses 3GB of data per hour, and if 4K videos are desired, 7GB will be consumed. However, downloading and streaming videos on Netflix still consumes the same data.
Netflix has much to offer, including managing data usage by choosing the right quality. Netflix also encompasses over a quarter of video traffic on the Internet. It is a devoted service for watching video content such as movies and TV shows.
6. In Australia, Amazon Prime Video consumes an estimated 6 – 7 GB of data per hour in the best quality.
(Canstarblue)
Amazon Prime Videos is one of the competitive platforms in the streaming wars. It has earned 150 million subscribers while joining the ranks of streaming services. Here’s the list according to data used when streaming Amazon Prime:
| Quality | Resolution | Data usage/hour |
| Good | 480p | 700MB-900MB |
| Better | 1080p | 2GB |
| Best | 4K and Ultra HD | 6GB-7GB |
The platform offers flexible data options for its users based on their data plan. This makes Amazon Prime more competitive and attractive to a diverse media streaming market.
7. Disney+, on average, consumes an estimated 3 GB of data per hour for standard definition (SD) streaming.
(Disney Plus Informer)
On average, approximately 3 GB of data per hour is used for standard definition (SD) streaming, 7 GB per hour for high definition (HD) streaming, and up to massively 25 GB per hour for ultra-high definition (UHD) streaming.
Disney+ increases the data usage based on the chosen quality. It’s still outstanding because it provides a variety of known Disney franchises, including original content, animated classics, National Geographic, Marvel, Cinematic Universe, and more.
8. TikTok uses around 70 MB of data in five minutes under default settings.
(Whatsabyte)
Using default settings, TikTok can consume 70 MB in five minutes, which means 840 MB is needed for an hour of use. Under Data Saver, it will only use close to 30 MB in five minutes, which amounts to 360 MB in an hour.
2 to 6 MB will be used in watching a 15 seconds video on TikTok, amounting to an average of 4 MB. When using a lower resolution, the data will be down to about 2 MB. The data will also be close to 6 MB for higher resolutions. On average, 1 GB is used in watching 1-hour videos in high resolution.
Tiktok uses less data than other platforms, but it does not provide movies that are 1 hour long. The platform only focuses on short-form videos, making it great for users with smaller data plans.
9. 100 MB of mobile data per hour is used in browsing through Instagram.
(Proximus)
Scrolling through Instagram can consume 100 MB of mobile data per hour. If done daily, it will reach up to 3 GB per month. Instagram is data-friendly and doesn’t burn much data on daily browsing – when data saving is applied. Social media users also prefer the platform to others due to its low data consumption.
10. Facebook uses around 2.6 MB per minute when viewing video content.
(Wirefly)
Watching video content on Facebook uses around 2.6 MB per minute, but data consumption still varies depending on video quality. Using Facebook with a smartphone daily for 46 minutes will result in over 2GB of monthly data consumption.
2 GB of monthly data is even lighter for an average user of Facebook. It’s worth knowing because it is known as the largest social network in the world.
11. An average internet user utilized 5.6GB of data monthly in 2021.
(Ofcom, 3g)
According to Ofcom’s Communications Market Report 2022, an average person will use 5.6 GB of data monthly in 2022. Data suggests that there has been an increase yearly because that’s a 24% jump in the 4.5GB used per month in 2020 and a 27% increase in the 3.6 GB used data per month in 2019.
Increases in data usage are attributed to advancements in streaming, changes in video resolution, and 5G connectivity.
Music and Content Streaming Statistics
Music streaming services like Apple Music, Spotify, and Pandora offer universal music and podcast options. Just like in other forms of streaming, the amount of data consumed by these providers differ based on the audio quality.
These are the worth-sharing statistics about the mobile data usage of music and content streaming.
12. Spotify uses around 12MB of data every 10 minutes of high-quality streaming.
(Whistle Out)
Spotify offers a wide variety of audio quality and options for data saving. Streaming through the web player uses 128 kbps, while Spotify Premium runs 256 kbps. Listening to the lowest quality songs only utilizes 600 kilobytes, but the quality could be better.
12MB is used every 10 minutes of streaming with high-quality streams, amounting to 75 MB per hour. For premium users, it will jump to 150MB for an hour and only 10 MB per hour for the lowest quality.
Only Spotify Premium offers the best audio quality as it has Very High Quality, which consumes around 144MB.
13. Apple Music consumes 15 MB of data every 10 minutes if you’re using 4G/LTE.
(Techietechie)
Apple Music is one of the competitive Apple services in the streaming industry. Currently, the platform offers Karaoke, Dolby Atmospheric audio quality, and Spatial Audio.
Using karaoke or streaming music over 4G/LTE with the cellular network consumes approximately 15 MB of data every 10 minutes. Meanwhile, WiFi can significantly increase the figures to 40 MB of data every 10 minutes.
Moreover, listening to high-quality audio that runs up to 256kbps AAC can increase the figures exponentially. 1 hour of enjoying the music at the maximum bandwidth can consume an estimated 230 MB of data using WiFi or 75 MB over cellular networks.
There is a difference in the data usage of cellular networks, and Wifi – 4G/LTE is recommended for lower data consumption.
14. Pandora’s standard-setting streams use 23 MB an hour.
(Let’s Talk)
23 MB an hour is used in the standard setting streams at 64 kbps or 480kb per minute, while 1.2 MB per minute or 58MB per hour for the higher quality that runs at 128 kbps.
Pandora’s Premium and Plus packages provide a higher audio quality option streams at 192kbps which uses 86.4 MB per hour, and 32kbps which only uses 14.4 MB per hour for those who don’t want to consume massive data.
Pandora is the third most famous music streaming service in the United States. One reason is that choosing from standard and higher quality is allowed in the free version of Pandora, an excellent opportunity to manage one’s data.
15. An estimated 133 MB of average mobile data is used per 20 minutes of streaming in Amazon Music.
(Canstarblue)
This platform is estimated to use around 130 MB per 20 minutes, while 40 minutes of listening will eat 266 MB of data. An hour of the session will consume approximately 400 MB.
Amazon Music is a top-leading music streaming platform because it has a library of over 50 million songs.
16. 1 MB of data is consumed for every minute of streaming on Youtube Music.
(Tubeast)
Depending on how long a user streams and the audio quality, streaming music on Youtube uses big data. Generally, streaming music on Youtube for one minute will consume around 1 MB of data. Streaming for an hour will use about 60 MB of data.
Youtube is more than just a platform for videos; it has a dedicated application for music, too, and streaming on it requires less data than Amazon Music.
Mobile Plans and Internet Plans Allocation Statistics
Internet plan prices are associated with numerous factors, including internet service providers, location, speed of connection, data usage plan, bundle discounts, time of contract length, and competitors. Different factors, such as the provider and regions, also affect mobile plans’ pricing and availability.
Here are some interesting statistics about mobile plans/internet plans that reveal the average pricing and inclusions.
17. A base of 1 TB per month data plan is highly recommended for 4K media downloads.
(Popular Science)
There are prepaid plans where users can pay in advance for an allowance of data per month. Options included are 5 GB, 25 GB, and 100 GB plans. 1 TB is enough to get by in downloading 4K resolutions. Also, all major carriers offer monthly “unlimited” data options.
Aside from the options about the video quality that streaming requires, some services, such as prepaid plans, provide an option on how much data a user need per month to match those requirements.
18. Some countries or territories’ mobile data provision is unavailable, for they only have 2G infrastructure.
(Cable)
In the worldwide broadband pricing, some countries or territories are missing, such as North Korea, Marshall Island, Eritrea, Christmas Island, Vatican City (Holy See), Wallis and Futuna, Democratic Republic of Congo, Niue, and Svalbard and Jan Mayem due to numerous reasons such as the absence of 3G.
People from these countries cannot stream quality content using cellular networks because mobile plans are unavailable, regardless of their willingness to pay.
19. Saint Helena has the highest price of mobile data, at around $41.06 per 1GB.
(Cable)
The price of 1 GB of mobile data differs in countries. Here is the list of the most expensive and cheapest mobile data costs.
| Country | Price/1GB of Mobile Data |
| Saint Helena | $41.06 |
| Falkland Islands | $38.45 |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | $29.49 |
| Tokelau | $17.88 |
| Yemen | $16.58 |
| India | $0.17 |
| Fiji | $0.15 |
| San Marino | $0.14 |
| Italy | $0.12 |
| Israel | $0.04 |
Saint Helena offers the highest price for 1GB of data because it uses satellite to provide mobile internet, as the island doesn’t have submarine cables connected to other countries. Mobile data costs are highly affected by the state of the country’s infrastructure, data reliance, data consumption, and economy.
20. In the United States, the cost of 1 GB of data increased by 69% from the year 2021 to the year 2022.
(NewsDirect, Fair Betting Sites)
1 GB of mobile data in the U.S. only costs an average of $3.33 in 2021. Yet in 2022, it skyrocketed by 69% to $5.62. To compare, the cost of 1 GB in the United Kingdom fell by 44% from $1.42 in 2021 to $0.79 in 2022. Meanwhile, the price of 1 GB of data in Canada jumped by 3.58%, from $5.72 in 2021 to $5.94 in 2022.
Consumer awareness is critical, especially if the trends in these big countries about the cost of mobile data are upward. In the U.S., network construction and maintenance are expensive, affecting mobile data pricing.
21. Depending on the speed, the average prices for internet service in 2022 range from around $36 to $58 per month.
(Nerdwallet, Broadband Pricing Index)
The Broadband Pricing Index separates prices into popular packages and the highest-speed services. The standard monthly cost for the most popular internet packages was $36.33 in 2022.
This category provides a download speed of 98 Mbps. The highest-speed internet packages offer an average price of $58.12 monthly in 2022. Under this category, users can enjoy 259 Mbps of download speed.
Today’s broadband lets users choose from various prices, packages, and speeds based on their budget.
Conclusion
The world of streaming has been convenient as technology evolves. A tiny device can be utilized for communication, information, and entertainment, but everything comes with a cost.
Mobile streaming uses data that provides access to our favorite content; the higher the quality, the higher the data it consumes. The pricing for mobile data plans/internet plans also varies on different factors, like regions. It is essential to enjoy the gift of modern times. Yet, it’s more crucial to understand the cost of using them by grasping the data presented thoroughly.
