Pakistan Ranks 6th Globally for Cheapest Mobile Data

ISLAMABAD: The cost of 1 GB of data in Pakistan is a mere US$ 0.10, making it the lowest in the region and sixth lowest in the world, the government claimed in the Economic Survey 2024-25.

The Survey noted that due to proactive regulatory practices and a competitive broadband market, Pakistan offers some of the world’s lowest and most budget-friendly telecom prices to its citizens. The cost of 1 GB of data in Pakistan is a mere US$ 0.10, making it the lowest in the region and sixth lowest in the world.

An analysis of the effective price of 1GB data over the years reveals a consistently declining trend, with data costs per GB registering a 65 percent decline since FY 2018, decreasing from Rs 77.1 per GB to Rs 27.0 per GB during FY 2025 (July-December).

The Survey noted that recent developments, such as the expansion of broadband services, flexible pricing regulations for telecom operators amidst rising inflation, and a decline in the multi-SIM phenomenon, have led to a noteworthy increase in ARPU. In Dec-2024 ARPU reached Rs 313 per month.

Pakistan’s Competitive telecom environment and its reputation for offering some of the most affordable rates in the region. The country traditionally maintained a relatively low ARPU, compared to its neighbors.

PTA has provided a level playing field for foreign investments in the mobile device manufacturing industry in Pakistan. PTA introduced the Mobile Device Manufacturing (MDM) Regulations in 2021, leading to the establishment of local manufacturing plants by 36 local and foreign companies. These companies, both stand-alone and joint ventures, secured a 10-year MDM authorization for the purpose.

From January 2019 to March 2025, Pakistan manufactured a whopping 131.26 million mobile handsets (including 51.07 million smartphones), creating numerous job opportunities. Accordingly, an uptake of smartphones to 67 percent of devices on the network can be seen in the table.