1GB for R45,000
South Africa’s mobile data prices have declined by more than 99% since 2000, due to substantial network investments, increased availability of radiofrequency spectrum for cellular use, and heightened competition.
The past 25 years have seen tremendous advances in cellular technology in South Africa — both in terms of network and end-user device capabilities.
Mobile Internet connectivity was still in its infancy in South Africa in 2000, with cellular networks using second-generation (2G) technologies.
At that time, the concept of a one-gigabyte data bundle for mobile users was still unimaginable. One megabyte of mobile data was R45 in South Africa, which means 1GB would have cost R45,000.
It would have taken a very long time to consume 1GB of data. The earliest iteration of 2G could only support speeds of 9.6kbps.
At peak usage, a subscriber could only download 1.2 kilobytes of data per second. Consuming one megabyte of data would therefore have taken nearly 14 minutes.
Downloading a one-gigabyte file would have taken over 231 hours. However, that was never really a concern, as cellphones at the time did not have that much storage.
The first inter-generational improvement — GPRS (2.5G) — increased data throughput rates to 33Kbps, while Edge pushed it even further
In 2000, Internet penetration was still very limited in South Africa, with most people using voice calls and SMS to communicate.
Devices that supported Internet connectivity were also limited. Vodacom’s launch of 3G in 2003 introduced megabit speeds to mobile Internet, while also increasing bandwidth.
The increased capacity enabled Vodacom to significantly reduce its data charges without compromising the stability of its network.
As coverage increased, the effective cost of a megabyte of data dropped below R1 on 2GB prepaid bundles. By 2010, the effective cost was around R0.16 per MB.
The game changed again with Vodacom and MTN introducing 4G in South Africa in 2011, which supported data speeds much faster than ADSL, the most common fixed broadband connection at the time.
However, the lack of additional radiofrequency spectrum allocations caused prices to stagnate around R0.12 per MB on a 2GB bundle until 2019.
Spectrum changes the game
Since the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa opened up more spectrum to mobile networks in 2020, prices have plummeted.
Icasa originally granted mobile networks emergency spectrum during the Covid-19 pandemic, when demand for connectivity surged.
That enabled significant 4G upgrades and the expansion of mobile 5G, which first became available just a few months into the country’s first hard lockdown.
In 2022, it held the country’s first successful mobile network spectrum auction, granting major telecoms operators licences to operate on new frequencies for good.
In 2025, the country’s two biggest mobile networks charge R79 for 1GB of prepaid mobile data, working out to 7.9 cents per MB — a 99.8% decrease.
The number of mobile networks has also surged. After Cell C and Telkom came dozens of mobile virtual network operators, many of which have highly competitive data prices.
For the same R45 that you could buy 1MB of mobile data in 2025, you can now buy 1GB of mobile data from Capitec Connect, a 1,000-fold increase.
The table below compares the prices of mobile data and various essential items between 2000 and 2025.
| Product | 2000 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1GB of mobile data | R45,000 | R79 | -99.8% |
| 1 litre long life full cream milk | R3.32 | R20 | +5024% |
| 2.5kg maize meal | R3.64 | R40 | +998.9% |
| Coca-Cola can | R3.00 (340ml) | R13.99 (300ml) | +366.3% |
| Litre of unleaded 93 petrol (inland) | R3.74 | R20.97 | +460.7% |
| Loaf of white bread (700g) | R2.68 | R19 | +608.9% |
South Africans especially sensitive to mobile data costs
Despite this big drop in prices, South Africans often express frustration at “high” mobile data costs. A heavy reliance on mobile Internet connectivity may fuel the high dissatisfaction.
According to Statistics South Africa’s 2024 General Household Survey, 82.1% of the country’s households had access to the Internet last year.
However, only 17.4% of households had a fixed Internet connection, while 75.6% accessed the Internet through their mobile phones.
Cable.co.uk’s latest comparison of the average cost of 1GB of mobile data in 237 countries found South Africa had the 88th most expensive price.
However, the country’s average cost of $1.81 per GB was 45% less than the $3.31 average across Sub-Saharan Africa.
As a whole, the continent ranks as the 10th most affordable region, better than Oceania, South America, and North America.
Comparing South Africa’s mobile data prices with those of other African countries is also not fair without considering that we have far better coverage and data speeds available locally.
South Africa has long ranked as the top African country on these measures in multiple research studies, including regular reports by Ookla, Opensignal, and Surfshark.
Surfshark’s 2025 Digital Quality of Life Index also ranks South Africa’s mobile Internet speed as the 59th fastest in the world, with an average speed of 104.8Mbps, and 63rd in mobile Internet latency.
Average salaries are also much higher in South Africa than on the rest of the continent, meaning the average South African can afford to spend more on mobile data.
These economic factors are important when it comes to building profitable products, which enable mobile networks to employ thousands of people and constantly invest in their infrastructure.
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