Which countries pay the most and least for Netflix?

Last year, we analyzed the differences in library size and monthly cost of Netflix subscriptions around the world. We found a huge disparity.

Since our last update in November, there have been a number of price increases, including the recent one in the US, as well as Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, and Mexico. It also looks as though the UK is next, with a trial price increase in place of nearly 17 percent (from £5.99 to £6.99 for the basic plan) in certain areas.

So, we’ve updated our analysis to reflect the recent and pending Netflix price increases, analyzing 78 countries in total to find where in the world you get the best value for money with Netflix.

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 uNoGS, or where data wasn’t available, Finder.com). We then divided the total number of titles available by 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, Colombia, India, and Canada are actually the most cost-effective countries to watch Netflix in, with US and UK customers* paying 15 or 5 percent more per title than Colombian, Indian, and 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, Colombia, India, and Canada win hands down on cost-per-title value.

However, the real sense of injustice comes when you look at a country like Denmark that has a significantly smaller Netflix library. This means Danish customers pay 93 percent more per title compared to Colombian, Indian, and Canadian customers, nearly 90 percent more than UK customers, and over 80 percent more than US customers.

Furthermore, the average cost of a title (worldwide) is $0.00211. This means the average customer worldwide pays 47 percent more per title than Colombian, Indian, and Canadian customers, while Danish customers pay 52 percent more than average.

Shouldn’t you pay less to watch less?

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 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 Colombia. At a cost per month of $5.40 (£4.14), it’s $3.59 or £1.85 cheaper than the US and UK, respectively – that’s around 50 or 37 percent!

In fact, on a cost-per-month basis, the US and UK don’t fare too well, with the US falling into the bottom 10 (thanks to its recent price increase) and the UK ranking as the 16th cheapest place. This is probably due to Netflix using the US, UK, et. al., to subsidize its growth elsewhere.

However, as and when the price hike is implemented in the UK, it will fall dramatically into the bottom 10, becoming the fourth most expensive place on a cost-per-month basis. This will make it nearly 9 percent more expensive than the average cost per month (£6.41). However, at present, the UK is nearly 7 percent cheaper than average.

The US is over 7 percent more expensive than the average cost per month ($8.35).

How expensive is Netflix relative to average income?

We’ve analyzed the monthly cost of Netflix relative to the average monthly income in a country to determine where Netflix “feels” the most expensive.

Netflix prices and exchange rates accurate at time of publishing. Due to currency fluctuations and ongoing volatility, Argentina, Turkey, and Pakistan 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 Switzerland, you’re paying $3.55 (approximately 35 percent) more for the privilege of Netflix access than the average Netflix customer. This is $6.50 (approximately 75 percent) more than the cheapest place, Colombia. 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 percent of subscribers use the premium service, which has increased by 21 percent 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 Colombia is the best value place to subscribe to Netflix. While Canada and India are on a par with Colombia when it comes to cost per title, the price per month in Colombia means it has to be our winner. So if you want access to a good number of titles and at an affordable rate, a move to Colombia (or a good VPN) may be in the cards.

*UK prices discussed in the analysis are based on the current basic plan rate of £5.99, not the suggested increase that’s currently being trialed.

Sources:

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