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Netflix goes global: How fast can you stream videos in different countries?

Netflix has gone global, but what streaming speed and quality can you expect when traveling abroad?

Alex Kidman
Alex Kidman

Updated

With Netflix available in over 190 countries worldwide, you can now watch your favorite TV shows and movies from just about any hotel room while traveling abroad – or anywhere with an Internet connection. But is it going to be as fast to stream as it is in your home country? What kind of Netflix streaming speed you can expect abroad?

Netflix’s existing streaming rights mean that content availability varies by region. So, if you’re in Hong Kong, you might not have access to all the titles you would in Russia, India or Iran, for example. Don’t worry – if you have an active Netflix account, you’ll be able to access all the titles in the local Netflix catalogue. But you may not be able to access TV shows or movies you were watching in your home country.

You can check out the available titles per country by clicking here and the comparison of available titles versus the US library by clicking here.

Netflix streaming speeds.

Content is one issue, and the other is connection speed. Netflix streaming speeds vary according to your local connection, and it dynamically adjusts the streaming video quality based on that. Netflix recommends certain connection speeds for each level of streaming quality.

Not every title available in Netflix’s catalogue – at home or abroad – will be available in High Definition (HD) or Ultra HD quality. For example, most Netflix Originals are available in Ultra HD, but other TV shows and movies might only be available in Standard Definition (SD) quality.

Netflix recommends that your connection speed be at least 3 Mbps for SD videos and 5 Mbps for HD and Ultra HD. So, where will you be able to enjoy the best Netflix streaming speeds?

This is where Netflix streaming speeds are the fastest.

The type of connection a user can expect depends on Akamai’s State Of The Internet data for Q1 2016 shows how each country compares in Internet speeds. Once you locate the country you’re visiting, you will know what your connection speed is, and find out just how fast your Netflix streaming speed will be.

In some countries, you will be able to stream HD-quality videos, and in others you will be able to stream SD-quality (and you might have to spend some time buffering, too). For example, you’re going to be able to stream HD in South Korea, but you’re not going to be able to in India.

Keep in mind that these are only averages, and that average connection speeds are constantly going up worldwide. You may well hit a better connection than these numbers suggest, which would improve your Netflix experience. Remember that these Internet connection speeds are useful to know for more than just Netflix streaming speeds, but also for general Internet access.

You will need a minimum Internet connection speed of:

  • 5 Mbps to stream HD or Ultra HD
  • 3 Mbps to easily stream SD
  • 1.5 Mbps for SD with buffering likely
  • 0.5 Mbps as a minimum requirement for streaming content
CountryAverage Connection Speed (in Mbps)Equivalent Netflix Streaming Quality
South Korea29.047HD
Sweden20.646HD
Norway21.315HD
Switzerland18.662HD
Hong Kong19.873HD
Netherlands17.914HD
Japan18.185HD
Finland17.745HD
Latvia18.326HD
Czech Republic17.768HD
Denmark17.180HD
Romania16.070HD
Iceland17.458HD
United Kingdom14.936HD
Belgium15.286HD
United States15.333HD
Singapore16.501HD
Ireland14.390HD
Lithuania15.105HD
Bulgaria15.815HD
Canada14.288HD
Germany13.931HD
Austria13.418HD
Israel13.483HD
Slovakia13.801HD
Hungary13.752HD
Portugal13.144HD
Poland12.754HD
Spain13.309HD
Russia12.171HD
Ukraine12.329HD
Taiwan14.811HD
Slovenia14.479HD
Moldova11.513HD
Malta12.700HD
Estonia11.697HD
Rwanda11.299HD
Luxembourg10.580HD
Puerto Rico10.633HD
New Zealand10.479HD
Thailand10.769HD
France9.877HD
Australia8.785HD
Bahamas8.376HD
Mongolia8.570HD
Georgia8.683HD
Trinidad and Tobago7.589HD
United Arab Emirates8.762HD
Italy8.171HD
Greece7.835HD
Turkey7.240HD
Macedonia7.536HD
Belarus7.583HD
Qatar8.358HD
Uruguay7.099HD
Kazakhstan6.790HD
Bosnia and Herzegovina7.577HD
Jamaica6.646HD
Papua New Guinea8.253HD
Chile7.311HD
U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas)7.655HD
Croatia7.408HD
Mexico7.050HD
Cyprus7.168HD
Kuwait6.599HD
Grenada5.700HD
Sri Lanka (Ceylon)5.405HD
Albania5.853HD
Malaysia6.379HD
Montenegro5.413HD
Fiji5.543HD
Zimbabwe4.687SD (Recommended)
Peru5.200HD
Saint Kitts And Nevis4.766SD (Recommended)
Colombia4.646SD (Recommended)
Argentina5.334HD
Ecuador5.281HD
St. Vincent and Grenada4.521SD (Recommended)
Bahrain5.201HD
Dominica3.957SD (Recommended)
Cambodia (Kampuchea)5.247HD
Armenia4.491SD (Recommended)
Uzbekistan3.283SD (Recommended)
Iraq3.729SD (Recommended)
Brunei Darussalam3.697SD (Recommended)
South Africa6.500HD
Brazil4.521SD (Recommended)
Jordan4.557SD (Recommended)
Greenland3.748SD (Recommended)
Panama4.471SD (Recommended)
Azerbaijan4.425SD (Recommended)
Lesotho3.416SD (Recommended)
Vietnam5.029HD
Liberia4.077SD (Recommended)
Myanmar (Burma)3.646SD (Recommended)
Costa Rica3.883SD (Recommended)
Saint Lucia3.479SD (Recommended)
Morocco4.252SD (Recommended)
Saudi Arabia4.653SD (Recommended)
Oman3.968SD (Recommended)
Tajikistan4.286SD (Recommended)
Indonesia4.543SD (Recommended)
Mauritius5.611HD
Guatemala3.533SD (Recommended)
Tunisia3.754SD (Recommended)
British Guyana3.007SD (Recommended)
Philippines3.470SD (Recommended)
El Salvador3.189SD (Recommended)
Laos3.085SD (Recommended)
Kyrgyzstan3.281SD (Recommended)
Bangladesh3.634SD (Recommended)
Madagascar3.788SD (Recommended)
Nicaragua2.994SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Nigeria3.317SD (Recommended)
Kenya7.288HD
India3.465SD (Recommended)
Honduras2.843SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Sao Tome and Principe2.553SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Algeria2.250SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Dominican Republic3.148SD (Recommended)
Suriname2.450SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Haiti2.719SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Bhutan3.185SD (Recommended)
Burundi3.537SD (Recommended)
Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire)1.936SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Pakistan2.508SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
South Sudan3.108SD (Recommended)
Republic of the Congo3.462SD (Recommended)
Iran3.535SD (Recommended)
Belize2.145SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Turkmenistan3.113SD (Recommended)
Mozambique2.371SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Sierra Leone2.628SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Gabon1.755SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Tanzania2.939SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Gambia2.051SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Ethiopia3.029SD (Recommended)
Nepal3.774SD (Recommended)
Angola2.787SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Namibia2.263SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Bolivia2.449SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Malawi1.762SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Egypt2.428SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Djibouti Republic2.353SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Antigua and Barbuda2.250SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Ghana2.586SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Somalia1.846SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Cameroon1.954SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Uganda1.898SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Lebanon1.974SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Cuba2.429SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Paraguay2.164SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Venezuela1.904SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
East Timor (Timor-Leste)1.970SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Zambia2.103SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Swaziland1.625SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Guinea1.233SD (Minimum Requirement)
Senegal1.924SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Sudan2.121SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Botswana1.765SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Mauritania1.899SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
American SamoaN/A
Equatorial Guinea1.408SD (Minimum Requirement)
Democratic Republic of Congo1.202SD (Minimum Requirement)
Eritrea1.281SD (Minimum Requirement)
Benin (Dahomey)1.398SD (Minimum Requirement)
Chad1.599SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Afghanistan1.329SD (Minimum Requirement)
Yemen0.915SD (Minimum Requirement)
ComorosN/ASD (Minimum Requirement)
Togo1.043SD (Minimum Requirement)
Guinea-Bissau1.602SD (Recommended, buffering likely)
Niger0.867SD (Minimum Requirement)
Central African Republic0.707SD (Minimum Requirement)
Libya0.721SD (Minimum Requirement)
Burkina Faso (Upper Volta)0.725SD (Minimum Requirement)
Mali0.694SD (Minimum Requirement)
ArubaN/A
Australian AntarcticaN/A
BermudaN/A
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and SabaN/A
British Indian Ocean TerritoryN/A
British Virgin IslandsN/A
Cape Verde Islands (Cabo Verde)N/A
Cayman IslandsN/A
Christmas IslandN/A
Cocos (Keeling) IslandsN/A
Cook IslandsN/A
CuraçaoN/A
Falkland IslandsN/A
Federated States of MicronesiaN/A
French GuianaN/A
French PolynesiaN/A
GibraltarN/A
GuadeloupeN/A
GuamN/A
GuernseyN/A
Heard Island and McDonald IslandsN/A
Isle Of ManN/A
JerseyN/A
KiribatiN/A
MacaoN/A
MaldivesN/A
Marshall IslandsN/A
MartiniqueN/A
MayotteN/A
MicronesiaN/A
MonacoN/A
MontserratN/A
NauruN/A
Netherlands AntillesN/A
New CaledoniaN/A
NiueN/A
Norfolk IslandN/A
Northern Mariana IslandsN/A
PalauN/A
PalestineN/A
Pitcairn IslandsN/A
RéunionN/A
Saint BarthélemyN/A
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da CunhaN/A
Saint MartinN/A
Saint Pierre and MiquelonN/A
SamoaN/A
SeychellesN/A
Solomon IslandsN/A
South Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsN/A
Tokelau IslandsN/A
TongaN/A
Turks And Caicos IslandsN/A
TuvaluN/A
United States Minor Outlying Islands (Baker Island, Midway Atoll, Wake Island)N/A
Vanuatu (New Hebrides)1.463
Vatican CityN/A
Wallis and FutunaN/A

Adjusting your playback settings for data usage.

When you are traveling, you might be on a limited data plan and need to monitor how much data your Netflix streaming is using. You can adjust your settings for streaming higher or lower quality videos by clicking on “Your Account” in the drop down menu at the top right of your screen. Then click “Playback Settings.” If your data is limited, choose “Auto” or “Low.” If you are connected to WiFi or broadband and data is unlimited, choose “Medium” or “High” for highest quality streaming (and highest data usage).

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