Which countries pay the most and least for Netflix?

Back in September we analyzed the differences in library size and monthly cost of Netflix subscriptions around the World. We found a huge disparity and there has been a lot of interest in our study so we decided to expand the analysis to include an additional 54 countries (bringing the total to 78) and update the figures for all countries to find out where in the World you get the best value for money.
Is Netflix in your country good value?

To gather this data, we’ve taken a look at several different factors.

First, we looked at the figures based on the number of TV shows and movies available in 78 countries (according to the most up-to-date figures from both uNoGS and Finder.com). Adding these two together, we’ve got the total number of titles available, which we’ve divided into the monthly subscription price to establish each country’s cost per title per month.

Second, we evaluated the basic cost per month in each country and how this shapes up against others (based on current exchange rates at the time of writing).

The results?

American customers may have the largest choice of titles on Netflix but they don’t get the best value for money. Our study shows a massive disparity when cost per title is analyzed between different countries. Due to the cheap price and number of titles available, Canada is actually the most cost-effective country to watch Netflix in*, with US and UK customers paying 10 or 13 percent more per title than Canadian customers, respectively.

Not only does the number of available titles vary widely between countries, so too does the value for money customers get from their Netflix subscriptions. With a difference of nearly 100 percent between the least cost-effective and most cost-effective countries, it’s clear some customers are getting a raw deal.

TIP – How to access different Netflix catalogs: You can access Netflix catalogs from different countries but will need a VPN to do so. However, not all VPNs work with all Netflix country catalogs. We recently tested 59 different VPNs with 30 different country catalogs so be sure to pick a VPN that works with the Netflix country version you want access to. You can see our list of recommended Netflix VPN services here.

Top 10 places where Netflix is good value for money

When it comes to value for money, Canada wins hands down on cost-per-title value. With over 5,500 titles available, each title is around 10 percent cheaper than what US, UK, and Australian customers are paying.

The real sense of injustice comes when you look at a country like Denmark that has almost half the library size of Canada. This means Danish customers pay 98 percent more per title compared to Canadian customers and around 90 percent more than US and UK customers.

Furthermore, the average cost of a title (worldwide) is $0.00222. This means the average customer worldwide pays 57 percent more per title than Canadian customers, while Danish customers pay 48 percent more than average.

Shouldn’t you pay less to watch less?

*UPDATE 30/11: The cost of Netflix is rising in Canada from CAD 8.99 to 9.99 for the basic subscription. Once the price rise is in place for all Canadian customers, we’ll be updating these listings. And we will do this for all other countries as and when these price rises occur.

How cost-effective are other countries? We’ve compared another 66 countries (customers in Denmark, Iran, Egypt, and Norway may want to look away now):

As you can see, there is a distinct difference between what European countries pay and what non-European countries pay. European countries are almost always paying more than the rest of the world – something you can see highlighted in the below chart. While the reason for this is unclear without further research, it may be due to higher VAT taxes in these countries.

Top 10 cheapest places to get Netflix

When comparing the cost per month of Netflix around the world, the cheapest place to watch Netflix is Brazil. At a cost per month of $5.24 (£4.02), it’s $2.75 or £1.97 cheaper than the US and UK, respectively – that’s around 40 percent!

In fact, on a cost-per-month basis, the US and UK don’t fare too well, with the US ranking as the 23rd cheapest place and the UK as the 18th. This is probably due to Netflix using the US, UK, et. al., to subsidize its growth elsewhere.

However, the US and UK are 3.2 and 5.6 percent cheaper than average, respectively, with the average monthly cost for Netflix being $8.25 (£6.34).

Netflix prices and exchange rates accurate at time of publishing. Due to currency fluctuations and ongoing volatility, Argentina and Turkey have been excluded from these results.

Top 10 most expensive places to get Netflix

In contrast to the above, the most expensive monthly subscriptions for Netflix are found in the below areas, which, if you look closely, are primarily made up of Nordic countries and their neighbors.

According to these statistics, if you live in Denmark, you’re paying $3.95 (approximately 40 percent) more for the privilege of Netflix access than the US. This is $7.92 (approximately 99 percent) more than the cheapest place, Brazil. And as we’ve already seen, you’re probably being given access to a far more limited library, as well.

How many opt for Netflix’s higher-tier premium services?

Netflix’s recent subscriber data revealed that more people are signing up to its premium services. According to the estimates, 30% of subscribers use the premium service, which has increased by 21% since the end of 2017, despite the price increase that happened last October.

What do you get for each service?

• Basic: Watch standard-definition videos on one screen at a time.
• Standard: Watch high-definition videos on two screens at a time.
• Premium: Watch ultra-high-definition videos on four screens at a time.

Where should you opt to watch Netflix?

Based on all of the above, it’s clear Canada is the best value place to tune into Netflix*. While Brazil is considerably cheaper than other places, its library is a little more limited. So if you want the maximum number of titles available and at an affordable rate, a move to Canada (or a good VPN) may be in the cards.

*Please see our update above.

Sources:

https://data.oecd.org/earnwage/average-wages.htm
https://www.worlddata.info/average-income.php
https://www.worldbank.org