A WhatsApp voice call uses roughly 0.5–1.5 MB per minute, so 1 GB lasts about 11–33 hours of talking. A WhatsApp video call uses roughly 2.5–8 MB per minute — about 2–7 hours per GB. IMO video calls tend to use more, around 8–15 MB per minute at standard quality. For a family in Afghanistan making one 20-minute video call a day, that means about 3–5 GB a month, plus whatever else they use the phone for.
These are typical figures from independent tests, not official numbers — real use depends on the connection, the phone and how much moves on screen. Below is how to estimate it properly and which data bundle to send.
Data used per minute: WhatsApp, IMO and others
| Call type | Data per minute (typical) | 1 GB lasts about |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp voice call | 0.5–1.5 MB | 11–33 hours |
| WhatsApp video call (1-to-1) | 2.5–8 MB | 2–7 hours |
| WhatsApp group video call | 10–15 MB | 1–1.7 hours |
| IMO voice call | about 0.75 MB | about 22 hours |
| IMO video call (standard quality) | 8–15 MB | 1–2 hours |
| IMO video call (HD) | 22–37 MB | 30–45 minutes |
Sources: WhatsApp figures from tests reported by itgeared and BreezeSim; IMO figures from Buffget's estimate based on IMO's bandwidth needs. Neither WhatsApp nor IMO publishes official per-minute numbers.
Voice calls are cheap on data. Video is where the gigabytes go — and HD video can use five times more than standard video for the same call.
How much data per month for regular calls?
Using a middle estimate of 5 MB per minute for a WhatsApp video call and 1 MB per minute for a voice call:
| Calling habit | Data per month |
|---|---|
| 10-minute voice call every day | about 0.3 GB |
| 30-minute voice call every day | about 0.9 GB |
| 10-minute video call every day | about 1.5 GB |
| 20-minute video call every day | about 3 GB |
| 30-minute video call every day | about 4.5 GB |
| 1-hour video call every day | about 9 GB |
| 1-hour family group video call every week | about 3 GB |
If they mostly use IMO video, roughly double the video figures.
Remember that both people on the call use data — this is the data used on their phone in Afghanistan. Calls on your side abroad use your own plan or Wi-Fi.
Which data bundle to send for calls
Prices below are what TopUpAFG charged on 28 October 2026 for 30-day bundles, including fees.
| Their calling habit | Suggested size | Example bundles |
|---|---|---|
| Voice calls only | 1–3 GB | ATOMA 2 GB ($3.97), Etisalat 3 GB ($5.25), AWCC 3 GB ($5.29) |
| Short daily video call | 3–6 GB | ATOMA 5 GB ($7.21), AWCC 6 GB ($8.30) |
| Long daily video calls | 10–13 GB | ATOMA 13 GB ($12.14), Etisalat 12 GB ($12.14), AWCC 13 GB ($12.21) |
| Video calls plus YouTube and TikTok | 25–30 GB | ATOMA Monthly 30GB ($16.07), Etisalat 25 GB ($20.01), AWCC 25 GB ($20.01) |
See every package with prices in our ATOMA internet packages list, or compare all three networks in which Afghan network has the best data deals.
5 ways to make a bundle last longer
- Turn on "Use less data for calls" in WhatsApp (Settings → Storage and data). Tests suggest it can bring call usage down to around 0.4–0.7 MB per minute.
- Switch the video off when the picture is not needed. A voice call uses a fraction of the data of a video call.
- Avoid HD in IMO. Standard quality is much cheaper and usually looks fine on a phone screen.
- Stop auto-download of videos in WhatsApp groups — forwarded videos eat data quietly.
- Use Wi-Fi when there is any. Many homes, shops and offices share Wi-Fi; calls over Wi-Fi do not touch the bundle.
Frequently asked questions
How much data does a 1-hour WhatsApp video call use?
Usually about 150–480 MB, with around 300 MB as a common middle figure. A group video call can use 600–900 MB an hour.
How much data does a WhatsApp voice call use?
Roughly 0.5–1.5 MB per minute, or about 30–90 MB an hour. 1 GB is enough for many hours of voice calls.
Does IMO use more data than WhatsApp?
For video, usually yes — estimates for IMO standard-quality video are around 8–15 MB per minute, against about 2.5–8 MB for WhatsApp. HD IMO calls use much more.
Is it cheaper to send airtime or a data bundle for WhatsApp calls?
Usually a data bundle. Internet used from airtime without a package is normally charged at a pay-as-you-go rate, which typically works out much more expensive per GB. Read more in airtime vs data bundle.
How many GB do I need for daily video calls with family?
For a 20–30 minute WhatsApp video call every day, about 3–5 GB a month. If they also watch videos or use TikTok, send 10 GB or more.
Send a data bundle for calls
Pick a bundle on TopUpAFG — enter their number, choose Data plans and the packages for their network appear, with the price shown before you pay. Calling them for free? Here are the best apps to call Afghanistan.