How much of people’s income does mobile broadband cost worldwide?
As of 2024, mobile broadband affordability is 1.1%: from 1.9% of income in 2021 to 1.1% in 2024.
Why it changed
Competition among carriers, cheaper smartphones, and affordability policy pushed the global median price of mobile broadband down from 1.9% of income per person in 2021 to 1.1% in 2024. At the same time, people in low-income countries still pay roughly 19 times that income share compared with high-income countries, and 68 of 208 countries still haven’t crossed the UN’s 2%-of-income affordability line.
Source · ITU, Measuring Digital Development: Affordability of ICT Services 2024 ITU data openly available for non-commercial use with attribution Last reviewed 2026-07-07
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What is the source for this number?
ITU, Measuring Digital Development: Affordability of ICT Services 2024. Last reviewed 2026-07-07 — ITU data openly available for non-commercial use with attribution.
How has this changed since 2021?
from 1.9% of income in 2021 to 1.1% in 2024. As of 2024, mobile broadband affordability stands at 1.1%.
What still isn't solved?
People in low-income countries still pay roughly 19 times that income share compared with high-income countries, and 68 of 208 countries still haven’t crossed the UN’s 2%-of-income affordability line.