Romania drops to sixth globally in ranking of cheapest fixed internet subscriptions

Romania has lost a position and is now ranked sixth globally for the cheapest fixed internet subscriptions and second in Eastern Europe, according to a study by Cable.co.uk, which analyzed prices in 223 countries.

All countries in Eastern Europe are in the top half of the ranking, with Ukraine and Romania making it in the top 10. Ten other countries from the region’s 15 are in the top 50.

Overall the region averages USD 18.06 per month, making it the second cheapest region in the world. The cheapest three were Ukraine (USD 7.35, 4th), Romania (USD 8.60, 6th) and Bulgaria (USD 10.47, 14th). The most expensive three were Slovenia (USD 40.29, 102nd), Montenegro (USD 25.04, 59th), and Croatia (USD 21.94, 53rd), according to the study.

Globally, Sudan offers the cheapest broadband internet subscription in the world, with an average cost of USD 2.4 per month, followed by Argentina (USD 5.17), Belarus (USD 7.03), Ukraine (USD 7.35), and Egypt (USD 8.31).

With an average monthly cost of USD 8.6, Romania is ranked sixth, followed by Vietnam (USD 8.72), Kazakhstan (USD 9.08), Moldova (USD 9.19), and Nepal in tenth place (USD 9.51). Romania has dropped one position compared to the previous edition of the study from last spring, when it ranked fifth (USD 7.57). The country was previously ranked eighth, with an average cost of USD 9.

At the end of last year, 5 million Romanians had fiber optic internet contracts, according to the latest ANCOM report, based on data reported by providers. Revenues in the Romanian telecom sector remained at RON 16.9 billion in 2023, equivalent to EUR 3.42 billion, while the average monthly revenue obtained by an operator from a user was RON 73.9. Most of this went towards fixed and mobile internet services (RON 27.6), according to Economica.net.

The Solomon Islands is the most expensive place in the world for fixed broadband internet services, with an average package price of USD 457.84 per month. Burundi is the second most expensive state, with an average monthly rate of USD 304.57, followed by the Turks and Caicos Islands (USD 212), the British Virgin Islands (USD 189), and Bermuda (USD 185).

The regions offering the lowest prices are the CIS states, Eastern Europe, the Baltic countries, North Africa, South America, Asia, Western Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Near East, the Caribbean, North America, Oceania, and Central America.