Recent research by Cable.co.uk has revealed that Pakistan ranks 33rd on the list of countries with the cheapest mobile data rates in the world. However, it is also the second most expensive in its own region, South Asia. The research was conducted across 230 countries, analyzing 6,313 mobile data plans.
The standard was set to 1GB to analyze the data and rank the countries. As per the research, Pakistan has the 33rd cheapest mobile data rates in the world, having an average cost of $1.85 per GB which translates roughly to Rs. 258.73.
A total of 58 mobile data plans were analyzed in the research which showed that 1GB data at its cheapest rate is available for $0.29 i.e. Rs. 40 in Pakistan while at the most expensive rate, the cost fluctuates to $7.15 which means around Rs. 1000 for 1GB.
India is the cheapest country in the world to buy mobile data while Zimbabwe is the most expensive one
However, when it comes to South Asia, Pakistan is the second most expensive one, whereas India has the lowest mobile data rates in the region with an average rate of $0.26 for 1GB of mobile data.
Similarly, other countries in South Asia are also cheaper than Pakistan like Sri Lanka offers 1GB at $0.78, Bangladesh at $0.99, Bhutan at $1.25, Afghanistan at $1.60, while the price of 1GB in the Maldives is $5.27 which is the only country expensive than Pakistan.
Here is a list of the top ten countries with the cheapest mobile data rates.
| Rank | Country | Average Cost of 1 GB Mobile Data | Plans Measured |
| 1 | India | $0.26 | 57 |
| 2 | Kyrgyzstan | $0.27 | 12 |
| 3 | Kazakhstan | $0.49 | 26 |
| 4 | Ukraine | $0.51 | 12 |
| 5 | Rwanda | $0.56 | 36 |
| 6 | Sudan | $0.68 | 35 |
| 7 | Sri Lanka | $0.78 | 38 |
| 8 | Mongolia | $0.82 | 26 |
| 9 | Myanmar | $0.87 | 11 |
| 10 | DRC | $0.88 | 31 |
Globally, two of the most developed countries, the UK and the US are two of the most expensive as well. The UK ranks at 136 with an average mobile data rate of $6.66 per 1GB while the US costs an average of $12.37 for 1GB of mobile data.
Here is another list of ten countries that have the most expensive mobile data rates in the world.
| Rank | Country | Average Cost of 1 GB Mobile Data | Plans Measured |
| 220 | Wallis and Fortuna | $26.86 | 6 |
| 221 | Nauru | $28.13 | 5 |
| 222 | Tokelau | $29.96 | 15 |
| 223 | Samoa | $30.09 | 42 |
| 224 | Greece | $32.71 | 15 |
| 225 | Bermuda | $37.74 | 25 |
| 226 | Djibouti | $37.92 | 5 |
| 227 | Falkland Islands | $47.39 | 4 |
| 228 | Saint Helena | $55.47 | 4 |
| 229 | Equatorial Guinea | $65.83 | 12 |
| 230 | Zimbabwe | $75.20 | 37 |
While India is the cheapest country to buy 1GB of mobile data, Zimbabwe is the most expensive one with average mobile data rates of $75.20 for 1GB, which is almost 289 times more than India.