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Data from 3,356 broadband packages in 220 countries were gathered and analysed by Cable.co.uk between 19 January 2022 and 30 March 2022.
Syria offers the world’s cheapest broadband, with an average cost of USD 2.15 per month. The African nation of Burundi is the most expensive place in the world to get fixed-line broadband, with an average package price of USD 429.95 per month.
27 countries were measured in the Asia (ex. Near East) region, which has an average price of USD 40.29. This global region covers a vast expanse and as such pricing runs the full length of the table from top to bottom. The cheapest packages were found in seventh-place Mongolia (USD 8.80), 11th-place Iran (USD 10.46), and 13th-place Vietnam (USD 10.81). The most expensive countries in the region were Brunei Darussalam (USD 258.42), Timor-Leste (USD 107.33) and Maldives (USD 72.59).
The Baltics, comprising three countries, ranked entirely within the top 60, coming in second-cheapest overall regionally, with a regional average price of USD 19.19. Lithuania fared best in 15th place overall, with an average price of USD 11.13. Latvia followed, in 36th place overall with an average price of USD 18.08. Estonia trailed in third position, in 60th place overall and averaged USD 28.37 per month.
The Caribbean is a region of island nations where the average cost of fixed broadband tends to be high. The average package price is USD 78.44, with most countries featuring in the more expensive half of the table. The cheapest countries in the region were Cuba (USD 21.68, 46th), Grenada (USD 36.63, 84th), and Jamaica (USD 37.45, 86th), while the British Virgin Islands (USD 184.00, 217th), the Turks and Caicos Islands (USD 170.50, 216th), and Haiti (USD 169.58, 214th) were the most expensive.
Most Central American countries found themselves sitting in the middle of the league table. The region as a whole has an average package price of USD 43.87, but there is a wide price difference across the area. Mexico is cheapest (USD 17.82, 35th), followed by Ecuador (USD 35.00, 76th), and Nicaragua (USD 36.99, 85th). Meanwhile, the most expensive average prices in the region are found in Panama (USD 66.03, 163rd), Honduras (USD 56.00, 139th), and Guatemala (USD 54.55, 132nd).
Of the 12 CIS nations in the table, with the exception of Turkmenistan, all can be found in the top 25 cheapest in the table, making it the cheapest region in the world for broadband. The region had an average monthly price of USD 13.96. The cheapest nations were Belarus (USD 7.39, 3rd), Ukraine (USD 7.40, 4th), and Russian Federation (USD 8.07, 5th). In comparison, the most expensive countries in the region were Turkmenistan (USD 46.28, 116th), Tajikistan (USD 15.38, 25th) and Azerbaijan (USD 15.00, 22nd).
There are 14 qualifying countries in the Eastern Europe region, all bar one of which are in the top half of the table, with one (Romania) making it into the top ten, and 11 others in the top 50. Overall the region averages USD 19.90 per month, making it the second cheapest region in the world. The cheapest three were Romania (USD 9.00, 8th), Bulgaria (USD 10.67, 12th) and Kosovo (USD 15.01, 23rd). The most expensive three were Slovenia (USD 45.61, 114th), Montenegro (USD 26.06, 53rd), and Croatia (USD 23.37, 50th).
The 15 countries in the Near East measured for this year's broadband pricing league span the top to almost the very bottom of the table. The average price for the region is USD 60.62. The cheapest countries were Syria (USD 2.15, 1st place), Turkey (USD 9.32, 9th) and State of Palestine (USD 25.44, 52nd). The most expensive were the United Arab Emirates (USD 156.66, 209th), Qatar (USD 123.59, 205th) and Oman (USD 109.11, 199th).
The six countries in Northern Africa all feature in the cheapest half of the table, with three countries in the top 30. The average price in the region is USD 22.41. The cheapest was Tunisia (USD 14.79, 20th), followed by Egypt (USD 16.67, 29th), and Libya (USD 17.12, 30th). The most expensive was Senegal (USD 38.00, 87th), followed by Morocco (USD 29.66, 63rd) and Algeria (USD 18.21, 38th).
Four countries were recorded in Northern America, and all of them sit in the bottom half of the table. The region as a whole has an average price of USD 89.44. The United States was cheapest (USD 55.00, 134th), followed by Canada (USD 68.26, 166th) and Bermuda (USD 115.00, 201st). Greenland was the most expensive in the region (USD 119.51, 203rd).
Four countries were recorded in Northern America, and all of them sit in the bottom half of the table. The region as a whole has an average price of USD 89.44. The United States was cheapest (USD 55, 134th), followed by Canada (USD 68.26, 166th) and Bermuda (USD 115.00, 201st). Greenland was the most expensive in the region (USD 119.51, 203rd).
Of the 16 qualifying countries in Oceania, most were in the bottom half of the table. The region has an overall average price of USD 85.14. The cheapest in the region was Fiji (USD 35.78, 80th), with Tonga in second place (USD 38.47, 91st), and New Caledonia (USD 40.26, 93rd) in third. The most expensive in the region was Vanuatu (USD 163.89, 212th) followed by Christmas Island (USD 163.48, 211th) and Samoa (USD 146.01, 207th).
The 10 countries measured in South America span from the upper to the lower end of the table, with a regional average price of USD 55.17. The cheapest broadband in South America can be found in Colombia (USD 20.75, 42nd), Argentina (USD 20.92, 43rd), and Paraguay (USD 21.56, 45th). The most expensive packages on average are in Suriname (USD 164.46, 213th), the Falkland Islands (USD 146.87, 208th), and French Guiana (USD 51.67, 129th).
44 countries were measured in Sub-Saharan Africa, most of which sit in the bottom half of the league table. The average cost per month in the region is USD 77.70. Going against the trend somewhat were Sudan (USD 4.80, 2nd), the Democratic Republic of Congo (USD 17.50, 33rd), and Lesotho (USD 19.05, 40th). At the other end of the table, the most expensive was Burundi (USD 429.95, 220th) – also the most expensive in the world – followed by Sierra Leone (USD 316.69, 219th) and Benin (USD 169.66, 215th).
The 29 countries measured in Western Europe span the middle to the lower end of the table, with none in the top 50 and two in the bottom 50. The regional average price of USD 49.56 makes it the seventh cheapest of the 13 global regions overall. The cheapest in the region was Italy (USD 27.70, 58th), followed by Germany (USD 27.81, 59th) and France (USD 28.92, 61st). The most expensive was Norway (USD 89.10, 185th), followed by the Faroe Islands (USD 78.83, 176th) and Iceland (USD 69.65, 168th).
In a previous report, Cable.co.uk analysed over 1.1 billion broadband speed tests to rank 224 countries by the average internet speed they offer. Cable.co.uk has also measured the cost of 1GB of mobile phone data in 230 countries, and the price of electricity in 230 countries. Cable.co.uk also analysed the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown periods on global broadband speeds in 2020.
Commenting on the findings of the research, Dan Howdle, consumer telecoms analyst at Cable.co.uk, said:
“This year we have noticed a greater weighting towards currency devaluation in the top half of the table. For example, first-place Syria, whose Syrian Pound has lost three-quarters of its value against the US dollar in the last 12 months.
Island nations such as those in the Caribbean and Oceania continue to present problems when it comes to providing cheap, fast connectivity options. Those lucky enough to have an undersea cable running close by tend to be able to offer it, where others have to lean into pricier hybrid satellite, 4G and/or WiMAX solutions.
It's hard to see how more affordable connectivity for the general population will be coming anytime soon to those countries at the bottom of the table, plagued as they are with limitations that are geographical and geopolitical, and where there is a lack of desire in the marketplace for fixed-line broadband solutions."
