Countries With Cheapest Internet Costs in the World, Nigeria’s Position Emerges
- Nigeria has been ranked 49th out of 214 countries in global broadband affordability
- Emerging markets generally have lower broadband prices due to lower operating costs
- According to the ranking, Iran, Ukraine and Ethiopia have the cheapest broadband globally
Oluwatobi Odeyinka is a business editor at Legit.ng, covering energy, the money market, technology and macroeconomic trends in Nigeria.
Nigeria has been ranked among countries with relatively low broadband costs, placing 49th out of 214 countries in the 2026 World Broadband Price League.
According to a report by Broadband Genie, the ranking is based on an analysis of 2,631 broadband tariffs collected between January 27 and February 10, 2026, across multiple countries.
Source: Getty Images
The report showed that the average monthly cost of fixed-line broadband in Nigeria stands at $23.25 (about N31,365.55), positioning the country among the more affordable markets globally.
As reported by The Guardian, the data reviewed indicates that broadband spread in Nigeria is about 53.8%, with approximately 116.7 million users accessing the service as of February.
Broadband Genie noted that lower prices are common in emerging markets, where operating costs and infrastructure models differ from developed economies.
How Nigeria compares with other countries
Among African countries, Egypt ranked 6th with an average cost of $7.91, while Algeria placed 28th at $18.54.
Kenya was ranked 89th with broadband priced at $38.75, while the Ivory Coast and South Africa recorded higher costs at $54.45 and $50.2, respectively.
Other emerging economies also featured prominently, with Vietnam ranking 11th, Brazil 47th and the Philippines 78th.
Countries with cheapest broadband
The report identified Iran as the country with the lowest broadband cost globally at $2.61, largely due to currency depreciation and government subsidies supporting its domestic internet infrastructure.
Ukraine ranked second with an average cost of $5.35, with the report noting that strong competition and a well-developed fibre network have helped keep prices low despite the ongoing conflict.
Ethiopia came third at $6.46, although fixed broadband access remains limited, with most users relying on mobile data services.
High-cost regions
Broadband Genie highlighted that North America records some of the highest broadband costs globally, with an average monthly price of $98.40.
The United States ranked 167th with an average cost of $80, placing it below countries such as France (63rd), the United Kingdom (70th), Germany (105th) and Canada (130th).
Other major economies include China (16th), India (8th) and Japan (76th), reflecting varying pricing structures across regions.
A broadband expert at the firm, Alex Tofts, said higher costs are often found in remote or geographically challenging areas where infrastructure development is more expensive.
He also noted that in many parts of Africa and the Caribbean, mobile data remains the dominant means of internet access, limiting the role of fixed-line broadband.
Source: Getty Images
Airtel, MTN halt airtime, data borrowing services
Legit.ng earlier reported that Airtel Nigeria and MTN Nigeria have both suspended their airtime and data credit services due to new regulations.
The credit services allowed prepaid subscribers to borrow and repay on their next recharge.
The suspension is reportedly connected to the implementation of the Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations, 2025, which is being implemented by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
Source: Legit.ng
