Data prices in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are the costliest in the world. At an average cost of $4.31 per Mbps, it nearly doubles that of the second-most expensive, Ghana at $2.58.
A new study by Visual Capitalist, which revealed this, noted that these high prices are often due to limited competition, infrastructure challenges, and regulatory factors. It noted that Switzerland, Kenya, and Morocco also ranked high on the list, all exceeding $1 per Mbps.
Specifically, Switzerland is $2.07; Kenya, $1.54; Morocco, $1.16; Australia, $1.05; Germany, $1.04; Nigeria, $0.72; Canada, $0.66; while Pakistan averages $0.53.
Others in the first 20 list are South Africa, $0.50; Indonesia, $0.41; Hong Kong, $0.39; UK, $0.36; Bangladesh, $0.36; Austria, $0.36; Belgium, $0.36; Greece, $0.34; Denmark, $0.30 and Taiwan, $0.28.
The study noted that countries like Romania ($0.01), Russia ($0.02), and Poland ($0.03) offer some of the cheapest broadband in the world.
It said Eastern Europe consistently leads on affordability, likely due to robust competition and government investments in digital infrastructure. Asian nations such as Vietnam, China, and South Korea, the report noted, also deliver fast Internet at low prices, some as little as $0.05 per Mbps.
The United States ranked among the more affordable countries, with the Internet priced at $0.08 per Mbps. Other Western economies like France and Japan also fall below the global average of approximately $0.42 per Mbps.
Already, the World Trade Organisation and the World Bank have warned that Nigeria’s weak infrastructure and regulatory gaps could prevent the country from unlocking its billion-dollar digital economy potential.
The warning was contained in a new report under the Digital Trade for Africa Project, jointly authored by the WTO Secretariat and the World Bank. The study assessed Nigeria alongside five other African countries—Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, and Rwanda—highlighting challenges and opportunities in building competitive digital trade systems.
The report praised Nigeria for expanding digital infrastructure but noted that Internet access remained uneven, especially between urban and rural communities.
