Price per GB
$0.94
Median mid-tier catalogue price.
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Prices, network indicators, operators and trip-planning tools for United Kingdom. Use the full calculator with the destination already selected.
Calculate the GB required for United Kingdom with the full Drift calculator.
Check whether your exact phone model supports eSIM.
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Compare composite value across every destination.
Compare the current cost of mobile data across the region.
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Compare population-level 5G reach across Europe.
See the local mobile networks used by our eSIM offers.
Download citable figures, charts, CSV data and studies.
EE offers the widest network with the best rural reach and 5G.
The United Kingdom has broad 4G and a fast expanding 5G footprint across London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and the major cities. EE holds the widest and most reliable coverage, including much of rural England and Wales. The known weak spots are the Scottish Highlands and islands, parts of rural Wales and the Lake District, and some rail lines that cut through cuttings and tunnels. For city travel and the main tourist regions, connectivity is strong and fast.
Typical local SIM: $15-25. Usually sold at operator stores on any high street, supermarkets and the Carphone Warehouse style outlets; airport counters at Heathrow and Gatwick. The UK is no longer in the EU, so carrier coverage area do not apply and some UK plans now charge for use in Europe. A travel eSIM that bundles the UK with Europe avoids that surprise. UK SIMs are widely sold and easy to activate.
For a short visit, or a trip that pairs the UK with Europe, a travel eSIM is the cleaner option. For a long single country stay a local pack is cheaper per gigabyte.
the widest network with the best rural reach and 5G, the strongest single choice outside the cities.
strong urban coverage with broad 5G, reliable across the main cities.
good nationwide coverage and a dense urban network, a dependable middle option.
you want to land connected at the airport, or you are combining the UK with mainland Europe and want to avoid post Brexit roaming charges on a UK plan.
you are staying a month or more in the UK specifically and want the lowest price per gigabyte from a local EE or Three pack.
No first-hand measurement has been published for United Kingdom yet. This page will update automatically when a validated field test is added to the shared dataset.
Use this page to compare the current price per GB, network indicator, transparency signal and local-operator reference for United Kingdom. It also links to a destination calculator and plan page.
It is the median price per GB of mid-tier plans in the live United Kingdom catalogue. Small 1 GB teasers and 50 GB or larger bulk plans are excluded so the figure reflects a typical traveller choice.
The page shows the current 5G coverage indicator, a transparency score and the main local operator. These are destination-level signals, not a guarantee for every street or device.
The decision section compares the practical trade-offs. A travel eSIM is usually simpler for a short visit; a local SIM can make sense when you need a local number, longer service or local pricing. Check the current conditions before deciding.
Price per GB is the median of mid-tier plans from the live United Kingdom catalogue. Network and transparency indicators come from the shared Drift dataset and are refreshed monthly.
Field measurements are published only after validation. Open dataset: data-europe.json.
Figures updated September 2026. Dataset license: CC BY 4.0.