Honest math, no upsell
How many GB do you need?
Most people buy twice the data they use. Here is what Greece trips actually consume, per app and per day.
By trip length and style
| Trip style | 5 days | 10 days | 14 days | 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maps, messages, a few photos | 1–2GB | 3GB | 4GB | 8GB |
| + social feeds, photo uploads, music | 3GB | 6–7GB | 10GB | 20GB |
| + video calls, some streaming | 6GB | 12GB | 15–20GB | unlimited |
| Hotspot for a laptop, daily calls | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited |
Assumes hotel wifi at night. Doubling every figure still lands you under the next plan size in most cases.
Per app what actually eats data
| App | Typical burn | Greece reality |
|---|---|---|
| Google Maps, navigating | ~5MB / hour | Nearly free. Download offline maps anyway for ferries and gorges. |
| WhatsApp, iMessage | ~10MB / day | Negligible, even with photo sharing. |
| Instagram, TikTok feeds | ~100MB / 15 min | The main budget-killer. Reels on the beach is where gigabytes go. |
| Photo backup / uploads | ~3–5MB per photo | Set backup to wifi-only and this drops to zero. |
| Video call home | ~700MB / hour | A nightly half-hour call is ~350MB. Budget for it. |
| Netflix / YouTube | ~1–3GB / hour | Download on hotel wifi. Streaming on mobile data is what unlimited plans are for. |
| Spotify | ~50MB / hour | Or download playlists before the ferry. |
Three settings before you fly: photo backup to wifi-only, auto-play off in Instagram and TikTok, offline maps for every island on the route. These three cut most people's usage by a third.
Questions on data
How many GB do I need for 10 days in Greece?
3GB for maps and messages, 6–7GB with social media, 12GB or more with video calls and streaming. Full table above, and the plans that fit each answer are in the main guide.
What happens when I run out?
All four of our picks let you top up or stack a new plan in the app in about a minute. Running out is a $10 inconvenience, not a crisis, which is another reason not to overbuy.
Is wifi good enough in Greece to skip mobile data?
Hotel and cafe wifi is common and decent in tourist areas. But ferries, beaches, buses and the walk between them are exactly when you need maps and messages. A small plan beats wifi-hunting with luggage.
The safe middle · 10GB · $18.29
Covers two social-heavy weeks. Top up in the app if you burn through it.
Get GigSky 10GBSources & freshness: Per-app figures from provider documentation and our own metering, rounded; verified August 31, 2026.