UAE Tops List for Most Expensive Internet; Eastern Europe Offers Best Value

UAE Tops List for Most Expensive Internet; Eastern Europe Offers Best Value
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A new report by the firm We Are Social for 2025 has revealed vast differences in the average price of fixed-line internet across more than 60 countries, with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) offering the most expensive rates while Eastern European nations provide the most affordable service.

The report, which compares the cost per megabit per second (Mbps) of fixed internet, found the UAE to have the world’s most expensive internet at an average of $4.31 per Mbps, according to Zoomit.

This figure is nearly double that of the second most expensive country, Ghana, at $2.58 per Mbps. Experts attribute the high costs in countries like the UAE, Switzerland, Kenya, and Morocco (which are also at the high end of the list) to limited competition among service providers, infrastructural challenges, and restrictive regulations.

In contrast, several Eastern European countries offer the world’s most affordable internet: Romania: $0.01 per Mbps; Russia: $0.02 per Mbps; Poland: $0.03 per Mbps.

According to Zoomit, this affordability is driven by extensive competition among operators and substantial government investment in digital infrastructure, ensuring widespread access to high-quality, low-cost internet.

The report noted the absence of Iran from the ranking entirely. Experts suggest that a lack of transparency in internet costs, coupled with limited competition and legal restrictions, limits Iranian users’ access to affordable, quality internet. The stark price differences globally underscore how internet cost impacts citizens’ access to education, information, and digital services, benefiting countries with advanced digital infrastructure.