Which countries are the most expensive and cheapest for Netflix?

Over the last few years, we’ve regularly analyzed the differences in library sizes and monthly costs of Netflix subscriptions around the world, often finding a huge disparity. The problem seems to be getting worse rather than better.

Last year, a number of countries saw price hikes, including the UK, US, France, and two of the most cost-effective countries in previous years–Argentina and Turkey. In the UK, for example, the cost of a premium HD Ultra subscription with four users is now up to £17.99 per month.

Netflix is also making basic plans unavailable to new customers in several countries, including the UK and US. Basic plans in those countries have now been replaced with standard subscriptions with ads. Ad-supported plans are much more affordable, costing £4.99 per month in the UK and $6.99 per month in the US.

The big question is, have these price hikes and restrictions affected Netflix’s value for money? And, where in the world do you get the best bang for your buck with a Netflix subscription? Keep reading to find out!

Please note: the prices included in our study are the base price as advertised by Netflix. They do not include the various taxes and other charges users may face. We are aware that several countries, including Argentina, have these charges but our study focuses on the price charged by Netflix.

Is Netflix in your country good value?

To gather this data, we’ve looked at several factors.

First, we looked at the figures based on the number of TV shows and movies available in 108 countries as per JustWatch and uNoGS. We then divided the total number of titles available by the monthly subscription price to establish each country’s cost per title per month. For the standard and premium plans, we also factored in the number of users for each account (2 and 4, respectively), multiplying the library total by this to give the number of titles available to all users.

Second, we evaluated the cost per month in each country and how these shape up against others (based on current exchange rates at the time of writing). We have also analyzed the 13 countries with ad-based subscriptions (Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Guernsey, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, South Korea, UK, and US) separately to see how these plans compare.

The results?

Our study shows a massive disparity when cost per title is analyzed between different countries–regardless of the plan you choose.

TIP – How to access different Netflix catalogs: You can securely access your usual Netflix catalogs from different countries when traveling abroad with a VPN. However, not all VPNs work with all Netflix country catalogs. We recently tested 78+ 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

Due to their incredibly cheap prices across all three plans (without ads), Egypt, Pakistan, and India are the most cost-effective countries to watch Netflix. And with above-average library sizes (at least 300 more than the average of 6,280), they certainly seem to offer more for less.

The average cost per title for basic plans is $0.00115. Egyptians, Pakistanis, and Indians pay $0.00022, $0.00024, and $0.00035 respectively while enjoying libraries with over 6,600 titles each. This makes their cost per title as much as five times cheaper than average, and a whopping 22 times cheaper than the least cost-effective country, Guernsey, where titles are $0.00473 each (due to a well below-average library of 2,172 titles).

The 10 places where Netflix isn’t good value for money

At the other end of the scale are a number of African and European countries and Fiji where none of their plans are cost-effective, despite recent library growth across the majority of these countries. This is due to extortionate monthly costs (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) or library sizes that are more than three times below average (Zambia, Seychelles, Uganda).

Guernsey, Uganda, and Seychelles are in the bottom three across all of the plans. For example, their cost per title across basic plans are $0.00473, $0.00267, and $0.00240 respectively. This is up to four times more than the average cost per title ($0.00115).

If we remove these countries with library sizes of less than 2,000 titles, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, and French Guiana are the least cost-effective countries. It’s their vast costs per month that hamper their cost-effectiveness. At 12.90 CHF ($14.34 USD) per month for a basic plan (more than double the average of $6.68) in Lichtenstein and Switzerland, these two countries are certainly paying more to get a little bit more than average (Switzerland has a total library size of 7,541 titles and Liechtenstein has 7,921). Similarly, French Guiana offers only 100 titles over the average (6,419), for a price that is almost twice the average ($11.90).

Worse still, Liechtenstein’s and Switzerland’s basic plans are no longer available to new users (only existing basic plan users can access the aforementioned prices) and their standard and premium plan prices have seen recent increases (by 2 and 3 CHF respectively). So you’ll have to set aside a whooping 20.90 CHF (or $23.24) or 27.90 CHF ($31.02) each month if you decide to join the entertainment platform anew in these two countries.

The homeland of Netflix itself, the US, also features as one of the least cost-effective countries across all of its plans. This is, again, due to its average library size and above-average monthly costs. It ranks as the eleventh, twenty-first, and seventeenth least cost-effective country for its basic, standard, and premium plans respectively.

The Netherlands’ recent price hikes on its basic, standard, and premium plans also mean it’s one of the least cost-effective countries across all subscription categories (twenty-sixth, twenty-third, and twenty-third least cost-effective for basic, standard, and premium plans respectively).

The UK hovers around mid-table for its basic and standard plans but is the 26th least cost-effective country for its premium plan thanks to a recent £2 increase (rising from £15.99 to £17.99).

Are Netflix plans with ads worth it?

One of the biggest advantages of streaming platforms over standard TV channels is their lack of adverts. So are the cheaper plans with ads on Netflix worth it? And do they offer the best value for money when we compare them to basic plans without ads from around the world?

Interestingly, in this update, there have been some changes to the ad-based plans as these are now based on standard plans rather than basic plans–but prices remain the same. This effectively means that you can have more users on one plan, which will add to their cost-effectiveness. As with the above analysis, we’ve multiplied the library sizes by two to get a cost per title for each country.

It probably goes without saying that all 13 countries save a reasonable amount of money per title when opting for the standard plan with ads. But as the above table demonstrates, some get a better deal than others.

One of the most expensive countries, Guernsey, saves the most per title when choosing the standard with ads plan (saving nearly $0.0018 per title), while Brazil (which boasts the most cost-effective standard with ads plan) saves a fourth of what Guernsey users do.

But none of these countries get a better deal per title than Egypt or Pakistan who have the most cost-effective basic plans without ads. But Brazil ($0.00031), South Korea ($0.00031), and Canada ($0.00033) do enjoy more cost-effectiveness with their standard with ads plans than India with its basic plan ($0.00035).

The cheapest places to get Netflix

Here we can compare all of the countries Netflix is available in (245 in total) to see which countries pay the most and least for their subscriptions on a cost-per-month basis. We can also see just how the recent price hikes and cuts have affected these costs.

As well as being the most cost-effective country on a cost-per-title basis, Egypt is also the most cost-effective country on a cost-per-month basis. At just $1.46, $2.50, and $3.44 per month for a basic, standard, and premium subscription, Egypt’s prices win hands down.

On average, users are now paying $6.73, $10.32, and $13.59 per month for their basic, standard, and premium Netflix subscriptions. This means Egyptians are paying as much as $10.15 less than average for their subscriptions.

The UK’s and US’s recent price hikes mean users there are paying more than average for their subscriptions.

UK users pay up to $9.53 more than average with monthly prices of £7.99 ($10.27), £10.99 ($14.12), and £17.99 ($23.12) for basic, standard, and premium plans. US users pay up to $9.40 more than average with plan prices of $11.99, $15.49, and $22.99.

But this is nothing compared to the two most expensive countries – Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Users in these countries pay $7.61 more than average for basic plans ($14.34 compared to $6.73), $12.92 more than average for standard plans ($23.24 compared to $10.32), and over $17.43 more than average for premium plans ($31.02 compared to $13.59).

If you are looking to securely access your Netflix library from abroad, here are the best VPNs for Netflix currently available on the market.

Netflix cost FAQs

Does Netflix offer an annual subscription plan?

No, Netflix doesn’t offer an annual subscription plan. Instead, it offers multiple monthly subscription tiers: Basic, Standard with ads (currently only available in 13 countries) Standard, and Premium.

The basic subscription tier lets you stream content in 720p HD on one device at a time. Both standard plans (with ads and ad-free) support 1080p full HD streaming and up to two devices at once. Only a premium subscription allows you to watch Netflix in 4K UHD on four supported devices at a time.

Why did Netflix discontinue the Basic plan in my country?

Netflix discontinued the Basic plan in some countries (including the US and the UK) as part of its efforts to adapt to the latest market trends and enhance its service model. The strategy is aimed at simplifying the subscription offerings and encouraging users to opt for other plans like Standard with ads or Premium, which provide more features or content. Obviously, these plans bring more financial gain to the company too.

Among the countries that have discontinued this option are: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and the US. As you can see, most of these are either large or developed countries (or both) whose purchasing habits can greatly affect Netflix’s global finances.

How many subscribers did Netflix lose in 2023?

In 2023, Netflix lost customers. During the second quarter of the year, the company reported a loss of approximately 970,000 subscribers. This was the largest quarterly subscriber loss that Netflix experienced since it launched. The good news for Netflix is that this loss was less severe than expected. Netflix had initially projected that it was going to lose 2 million following unexpected growth caused by the pandemic.

During the early phase of the pandemic in 2020, Netflix gained nearly 26 million subscribers in the first half of the year. Following this explosion, a readjustment was always expected and the fact that it lost 1 million fewer subscribers than predicted actually demonstrates impressive retention.

Is Netflix losing or gaining subscribers in 2024?

According to Statista, Netflix saw an increase of over eight million subscribers in the second quarter of 2024 (277.7m), compared to the quarter before (269.6m).

The increase is even more significant if we compare it to the two last quarters of 2023. In December 2023, Netflix counted 260.28 million users and, three months before, only 247.15 million subscribers.

From this, we can conclude that the year 2024 is seeing positive growth for the famous entertainment platform – which gained over 39 million users from mid-2023 to mid-2024 (it went from 238.39 million users in June 2023 to 277.65 million users in June 2024). It seems that the company’s latest customer-gaining strategies have worked, despite the prices spiking in many countries.

Is Netflix different in every country?

Yes, Netflix content is different in every country. This is due to licensing restrictions. As such, you may find that when you travel abroad on vacation, you can no longer stream some TV shows and movies. This is one of the reasons why we recommend you use a VPN to securely access your Netflix account as normal.

Note that when it comes to the most popular Netflix Original series, Netflix owns global rights which means these titles are available in most countries.

How can I get Netflix for free?

While Netflix did used to offer free trials, this is unfortunately no longer the case. Its cheapest plan is Standard with ads which costs $6.99 a month in the US (prices vary by country). The Netflix password-sharing crackdown means that getting free Netflix from a friend or family member is no longer on the table either.

With the exception of the basic tier, all Netflix plans support at least two devices at a time. So you may be able to get Netflix for free if you live with someone who is happy to share their subscription.

Alternatively, it’s worth keeping an eye out for promotions from telecommunications company, be it from mobile or internet providers. It’s not technically free but if you were planning on signing up with a company, you may be able to take advantage of an offer to get Netflix for free.

Can I use a VPN to get a Netflix account for less?

Yes. If you are an expat or somebody who is living abroad for work or studying, you can easily take advantage of cheaper Netflix prices back home. As you already have a valid payment method in your home country, it is extremely easy for you to connect to a VPN server in your home country to purchase a cheaper subscription.

For this reason, it is a good idea to check the difference in cost between where you are now and your home country. If you are visiting the UK, the US, or some other country where Netflix is expensive, the savings could be pretty decent. Netflix might require a local form of payment.

The only caveat to all of this is that using a VPN to buy a cheaper Netflix subscription is technically against the terms of service. So, doing so, even if you are only living abroad because of your studies is technically a breach. For this reason, you should remember that you always use a VPN at your own risk and Netflix withholds the right to cancel an account if it believes its policies were breached.