Cost of binge-watching

We all love binge-watching our favourite TV shows, but how much does it cost?

The cheapest countries for binge watching

1. Poland 

Topping our list with an impressive index score of 88.14/100, Poland is the most cost-effective streaming country in the world (of those compared). It’s one of the five cheapest countries for average broadband prices ($28.16 AUD/month) and ranks as the second most affordable area for TV electricity (costing $0.29 AUD/month).  

2. Mexico 

Mexico is the only country to beat Poland in terms of electricity affordability, as a month of TV usage can cost as low as $0.22 Aussie cents; and a month of power for a Wi-Fi router costs just $0.37 cents! However, with the cost of broadband being higher than many other countries ($51.44 AUD/month), it earns an index score of 86.47, putting it in second place.  

3. Hungary 

Hungary takes a respectable bronze medal for our Netflix energy consumption rankings, with the cheapest price of a subscription in all of Europe ($17.13 AUD/month). It also ties with Croatia and Slovakia as the fourth cheapest country in our list for energy costs – a month of TV usage sets homeowners back $0.41 cents AUD. It finishes with an index score of 85.56.  

4. Croatia 

While Croatia matches Hungary on TV electricity costs, it performs well when comparing Wi-Fi energy prices. A month of broadband in Croatia costs $34.89 AUD, but powering your router is only $0.68 AUD/month ($0.02 less than in Hungary). 

Croatia also scores respectably across the board in other categories, making it a strong country for the energy efficiency of TV streaming. With a score of 84.94, it earns the #4 spot on our rankings.  

5. Slovakia 

When it comes to how much energy streaming uses, Slovakia ranks similarly in electricity costs to our #3 and #4 positions but is benefitted by cheap broadband prices. A month of internet connection in the country costs only $27.22 AUD on average – the fourth lowest in our index. An overall index score of 83.60 sees Slovakia round out the first half of our top 10.   

6. Romania 

Scoring 81.70 in our TV energy consumption index, Romania claims sixth place, but it takes a huge lead in one particular category. 

Romania is the most affordable country on our list for a month of internet access. With an average price of $13.67 AUD/month to get connected, its internet costs are almost half the price of Lithuania’s prices in second place!  

7. South Korea 

In seventh place, South Korea makes some strong all-round claims on our energy consumption rankings but provides the cheapest streaming costs in the world. A month of Netflix in the country is worth only $14.82 AUD, making it the most affordable place for a subscription on the market. Its index score of 80.38 shows that while it doesn’t top categories across the board, it’s still a very strong country for streaming prices.  

8. Czechia 

While Czechia scores strongly on internet costs ($27.02 AUD/month), its Netflix costs of $21.28 AUD for a month of streaming makes it less of a high-priority candidate for binge-watchers. Still, with an index score of 76.98, it makes up for its expensive streaming service costs with strong all-round energy efficiency.  

9. Lithuania 

Lithuania has the second cheapest broadband services in the world according to our rankings, with a month costing just $26.94 AUD. Its electricity rates prove more expensive, however, as a month of power for a Wi-Fi router costs $1.21 AUD – more than double the cheapest options on the market. With a final score of 74.17, it just about clutches a top 10 finish.  

10. Sweden 

Finishing the top ten list with an index score of 66.88 is Sweden, which beats countries like Finland (65.20) and New Zealand (645.54) for the final position in our top 10. It has affordable electricity prices, but with the most expensive internet rates of our 10 highest ranked countries ($54.14 AUD/month), it doesn’t quite stick the landing.  

How to reduce streaming emissions 

We can all do our part to use less energy in our hobbies, so how can we cut down on electricity costs while streaming our favourite shows? Here are a few ways you could make your binge- watching sessions more affordable, while doing your part for the planet: 

Use energy-efficient hardware settings 

Nowadays, most smart TVs will have options to make your setup eco-friendlier, to preserve energy. This will typically include changes like lower brightness and less power usage. Look through the options on your device and see if you could be doing more to cut down on electricity use. 

Don’t leave your TV running 

It’s a mistake we’ve all made before: you’re mid-way through an episode of your favourite show when something urgent comes up and you forget to pause – the next thing you know, you’ve missed three more episodes once you’re back! 

When you’re not using your TV, be sure to switch it off (or even unplug it) to make sure no energy is being wasted. Every second of electricity used is ticking up on your meter, so it’s worth it to conserve what you have. 

Seek out cheaper energy bills 

Some providers may be offering worse rates on energy than others, meaning that every bit of electricity you use is wasting precious money. If you’re unhappy with your energy bills, consider switching providers to potentially cut down on costs. 

Methodology

The dataset ranks 30 countries, based on the cost of binge watching. To do this, four different factors were used. Once the data for the factors was collected, they were then normalised, to provide each factor with a score between 0 and 1. If data was not available, a score of 0 was given. The normalised values were then summed and multiplied, to give each country a total score out of 100. The countries were then ranked from highest to lowest, based on their total scores. 

The factors used are as follows: 

• Netflix Monthly Cost: The monthly cost of a standard Netflix subscription in each country as of March 2025. 
• Average Broadband Cost: The average monthly cost of broadband in each country as of 2024. 
• TV Electricity Cost: Using the average electricity cost in each country, we calculated the monthly cost of electricity for a 60W TV with 10 hours of weekly usage. 
• Wi-Fi Router Electricity Cost: Using the average electricity cost in each country, calculated the monthly cost of electricity for a 6W Router with constant 24 hours usage. 

All data & exchange rates used are correct as of 13/03/25. The ranking data shown is a compilation of multiple data sources and may not be representative of real life. All data is accurate with regards to the sources provided. 

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