Starlink Speeds by Country 2026: Real Data from 70+ Countries

Starlink advertises speeds of 25-220 Mbps, but what you actually get depends enormously on where in the world you are using it. A Starlink dish in rural New Zealand routinely hits 200+ Mbps. The same dish in a congested suburb of London might struggle to break 50 Mbps. A traveler in Kenya might see 60 Mbps — still transformative compared to the country’s average fixed broadband of 15-25 Mbps.

We compiled speed data from our own testing across 6 countries, aggregated community reports from the Starlink subreddit and speed test databases, and cross-referenced with third-party measurement services like Ookla and Cloudflare Radar to create the most comprehensive country-by-country Starlink speed guide available. This data reflects real-world performance as of early 2026 — not SpaceX marketing claims.

For a deeper understanding of why speeds vary, see our how Starlink works technical explainer. For hardware options, see our Starlink review.

Factors That Affect Starlink Speed

Before diving into country data, understanding why speeds vary helps you interpret the numbers and predict your own performance.

1. Subscriber Density (Biggest Factor)

Starlink divides its coverage into geographic cells, each served by orbiting satellites. The more subscribers in a cell, the more the available bandwidth is shared. This is why rural areas with few subscribers consistently outperform urban and suburban areas.

Impact: A cell with 100 subscribers versus 1,000 subscribers can see a 3-5x difference in per-user speed.

2. Ground Station Proximity

Satellite data must travel from the satellite down to a ground station (gateway) before reaching the public internet. Countries with more ground stations have lower latency and higher throughput because the data takes a shorter path.

Impact: Users within 500 miles of a ground station typically see 20-40ms latency. Users relying on distant ground stations may experience 40-80ms.

3. Satellite Coverage Density

Not all parts of the world have equal satellite coverage. Starlink’s orbit inclination favors mid-latitudes (roughly 25-55 degrees N/S). Equatorial and very high-latitude regions have fewer satellite passes overhead.

Impact: Countries between 30-55 degrees latitude (most of Europe, US, Canada, southern Australia, New Zealand) have the densest coverage and fastest speeds.

4. Time of Day

Like all shared networks, Starlink is fastest when fewer people are using it. Off-peak hours (late night, early morning) deliver 30-60% faster speeds than peak evening hours (6-11 PM local).

5. Weather

Heavy rain causes signal attenuation (rain fade) that can reduce speeds by 30-40%. Light rain and overcast skies have minimal impact (10-15% reduction). Snow on the dish reduces performance until melted by the built-in heater.

6. Obstructions

Trees, buildings, and terrain that block the dish’s view of the sky cause intermittent dropouts and reduce average throughput. The Starlink app’s obstruction tool helps identify clear placement spots.

7. Hardware

The Standard dish (Gen 3) is approximately 20-30% faster than the Mini due to its larger phased-array antenna. See our Starlink Mini vs Standard comparison for detailed speed data.

Americas

North America

Country	Avg Download	Avg Upload	Avg Latency	Ground Stations	Notes
United States	80-200 Mbps	10-20 Mbps	20-40ms	50+	Best in rural West; congested in Northeast suburbs
Canada	100-200 Mbps	12-22 Mbps	22-45ms	15+	Excellent rural performance; sparse density helps
Mexico	70-140 Mbps	8-15 Mbps	30-55ms	5+	Growing network; best in north and central

United States remains Starlink’s strongest market with the densest ground station network globally. Rural western states (Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah) consistently deliver the fastest US speeds at 150-200+ Mbps due to low subscriber density. The Pacific Northwest and Great Plains also perform well. Suburban Northeast (New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts) and major metro areas are the most congested, often delivering only 40-80 Mbps during peak hours.

Canada benefits from vast geography and low population density. Rural British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba routinely exceed 150 Mbps. Northern Ontario and Quebec also perform well. Urban Toronto and Vancouver suburbs see more congestion.

Mexico has seen rapid Starlink adoption since service launched in 2022. Northern Mexico (Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua) receives strong coverage from US-adjacent satellites and ground stations. Central Mexico performs well. Southern Mexico and Yucatan Peninsula have fewer ground stations and slightly higher latency.

Central America and Caribbean

Country	Avg Download	Avg Upload	Avg Latency	Ground Stations	Notes
Guatemala	50-100 Mbps	6-12 Mbps	35-60ms	Limited	Service active, growing
Costa Rica	60-110 Mbps	7-14 Mbps	30-55ms	1-2	Active, improving
Panama	50-100 Mbps	6-12 Mbps	35-60ms	1-2	Active service
Dominican Republic	50-90 Mbps	6-10 Mbps	35-60ms	Limited	Active service

Central America and the Caribbean generally see lower speeds than North America due to fewer ground stations and equatorial satellite coverage patterns. However, Starlink still dramatically outperforms local broadband options in most of these countries.

South America

Country	Avg Download	Avg Upload	Avg Latency	Ground Stations	Notes
Brazil	80-160 Mbps	10-18 Mbps	25-50ms	10+	Large market; best in south
Chile	70-140 Mbps	8-16 Mbps	30-55ms	3-5	Good performance, southern advantage
Colombia	60-120 Mbps	7-14 Mbps	30-55ms	3-5	Active, improving network
Argentina	60-130 Mbps	8-15 Mbps	30-55ms	3-5	Growing, southern regions benefit
Peru	50-100 Mbps	6-12 Mbps	35-60ms	2-3	Active service
Ecuador	45-90 Mbps	5-10 Mbps	35-65ms	1-2	Equatorial position limits coverage

Brazil is Starlink’s largest South American market with the most ground stations on the continent. Southern Brazil (below the Tropic of Capricorn) sees the best performance. Amazonas and northern regions have fewer satellites overhead and rely on distant ground stations.

Chile benefits from its elongated geography and southern latitude, which gives it dense satellite coverage. Patagonia and southern Chile perform surprisingly well given their remoteness.

Colombia has active service that is transforming connectivity in rural areas. Urban Bogota and Medellin have good terrestrial internet, making Starlink most impactful in smaller towns and rural areas.

Europe

Country	Avg Download	Avg Upload	Avg Latency	Ground Stations	Notes
United Kingdom	80-150 Mbps	10-18 Mbps	22-40ms	5+	Good performance; competitive market
France	100-180 Mbps	12-20 Mbps	20-38ms	5+	Strong performer; good ground station coverage
Germany	90-170 Mbps	10-18 Mbps	22-40ms	5+	Excellent infrastructure; strong adoption
Spain	90-170 Mbps	10-18 Mbps	22-40ms	3-5	Excellent performance; popular with nomads
Portugal	100-180 Mbps	10-20 Mbps	22-40ms	2-3	Top performer; low density advantage
Italy	80-150 Mbps	8-16 Mbps	25-45ms	3-5	Good coverage, growing subscriber base
Netherlands	70-130 Mbps	8-14 Mbps	22-38ms	2-3	Higher density limits peak speeds
Sweden	90-170 Mbps	10-18 Mbps	22-40ms	2-3	Good latitude, low density
Norway	80-160 Mbps	10-16 Mbps	25-45ms	2-3	Good performance; Arctic coverage growing
Poland	80-150 Mbps	8-16 Mbps	25-42ms	2-3	Active, growing market
Romania	70-140 Mbps	8-14 Mbps	28-48ms	1-2	Active service
Greece	70-130 Mbps	7-14 Mbps	28-50ms	1-2	Useful for islands with poor broadband
Croatia	70-130 Mbps	8-14 Mbps	25-45ms	1-2	Active service
Ireland	80-160 Mbps	10-16 Mbps	22-40ms	1-2	Strong rural performance

Europe is Starlink’s second-strongest region after North America. The continent’s latitude (35-65 degrees N) falls in the sweet spot for satellite coverage density. Ground station infrastructure is robust across western Europe.

Portugal and Spain are standout performers and popular digital nomad destinations. Both countries have relatively low Starlink subscriber density compared to the UK and Germany, resulting in less congestion and higher average speeds. Rural Portugal, in particular, delivers some of the fastest European speeds we have measured — 150-180 Mbps was common in our testing in the Alentejo and Algarve regions.

France and Germany have excellent ground station networks but higher subscriber density in populated areas. Rural France performs brilliantly; suburban Paris is more congested.

The UK and Netherlands have the highest subscriber density in Europe, which compresses average speeds. Rural UK still performs well, but suburban areas near London, Manchester, and Birmingham see more congestion.

For nomads traveling across Europe, the Regional Roam plan ($50/month) covers the entire continent and delivers consistent performance. Pair Starlink with a European eSIM from Saily as a cellular backup for urban areas and transit.

Asia-Pacific

Country	Avg Download	Avg Upload	Avg Latency	Ground Stations	Notes
Australia	80-160 Mbps	10-18 Mbps	25-50ms	5+	Excellent outback performance
New Zealand	150-220 Mbps	15-25 Mbps	20-38ms	2-3	Fastest globally; low density
Japan	80-150 Mbps	10-16 Mbps	25-45ms	3-5	Active service; good performance
Philippines	50-100 Mbps	5-10 Mbps	35-60ms	1-2	Limited coverage; improving
South Korea	60-120 Mbps	8-14 Mbps	25-40ms	Limited	Limited adoption; fiber dominant

New Zealand is the undisputed global speed champion for Starlink. The country’s low population density, southern latitude (dense satellite coverage), and excellent ground station infrastructure combine to deliver the fastest average speeds we have seen anywhere — regularly exceeding 200 Mbps. This makes New Zealand an exceptional destination for remote workers who need satellite internet.

Australia is a natural fit for Starlink given its vast rural interior. Outback and rural areas deliver 120-160 Mbps consistently. Suburban Perth, Sydney, and Melbourne areas see more congestion. Northern Australia (close to the equator) has slightly lower coverage density.

Japan has active service with good performance, though most of the population has access to excellent fiber internet that makes Starlink unnecessary in urban areas. Starlink is most useful in rural and mountainous Japan.

Notable Absences in Asia

Country	Status	Alternative
Thailand	Not available	Excellent cellular (eSIM)
Vietnam	Not available	Good cellular (local SIM)
Indonesia	Not available	Cellular (eSIM for Bali)
India	Regulatory blocked	Strong cellular (local SIM)
Malaysia	Not available	Excellent cellular (eSIM)
Cambodia	Not available	Cellular (local SIM)
Taiwan	Not available	Excellent local internet

The absence of Starlink in most of Southeast Asia and India is the biggest gap in the network for digital nomads. These are among the world’s most popular remote work destinations. For connectivity in these countries, use an eSIM from Saily or Airalo .

Africa

Country	Avg Download	Avg Upload	Avg Latency	Ground Stations	Notes
Nigeria	40-100 Mbps	5-12 Mbps	30-60ms	2-3	Transformative vs local broadband
Kenya	40-80 Mbps	5-10 Mbps	35-65ms	1-2	Active, impactful for rural areas
Mozambique	30-70 Mbps	4-8 Mbps	40-70ms	1	Limited but active
Rwanda	35-75 Mbps	4-8 Mbps	40-70ms	1	Active service
South Africa	60-120 Mbps	8-14 Mbps	30-55ms	2-3	Growing network; good performance
Zambia	30-70 Mbps	4-8 Mbps	40-70ms	1	Active service
Malawi	25-60 Mbps	3-7 Mbps	45-75ms	Limited	Limited but active

Starlink is arguably most impactful in Africa, where terrestrial broadband infrastructure is limited and expensive. Even Starlink’s “modest” speeds of 40-80 Mbps dramatically exceed the average fixed broadband speeds available in most African countries.

Nigeria is Starlink’s largest African market with the most ground stations on the continent. SpaceX reduced Nigerian pricing significantly ($20-40/month for residential vs $120 in the US), making it more accessible. The service is transformative for Nigerian remote workers and businesses in areas with unreliable power and internet infrastructure.

South Africa delivers the best African Starlink speeds due to its southern latitude (better satellite coverage) and growing ground station network. Cape Town and the Western Cape region perform particularly well.

Kenya has active service that is expanding rapidly. Starlink is especially impactful in rural areas outside Nairobi where terrestrial broadband is limited or nonexistent.

Ground Station Impact in Africa

Africa has fewer Starlink ground stations than any other served continent, which increases latency and can limit throughput. Some data must route to ground stations in Europe before reaching the internet, adding 20-40ms of additional latency compared to regions with local ground stations.

SpaceX is actively building more African ground stations. As this infrastructure expands, speeds and latency should improve significantly across the continent.

Middle East

Country	Avg Download	Avg Upload	Avg Latency	Ground Stations	Notes
UAE	50-100 Mbps	5-10 Mbps	35-60ms	Limited	Recent launch
Saudi Arabia	50-100 Mbps	5-10 Mbps	35-60ms	Limited	Active service
Oman	40-80 Mbps	4-8 Mbps	40-65ms	Limited	Active service

The Middle East is an emerging Starlink market with limited ground station infrastructure. Performance is decent but not yet on par with North America or Europe. The region’s proximity to equatorial latitudes means slightly less satellite coverage density.

Speed Trends Over Time

How Starlink Speeds Have Changed (2022-2026)

Year	Global Average Download	Trend	Driver
2022	60-100 Mbps	Baseline	Gen1 satellites, early network
2023	70-120 Mbps	+15-20%	Gen2 satellite launches begin
2024	80-140 Mbps	+10-15%	More Gen2 capacity; subscriber growth offsets
2025	90-160 Mbps	+10-15%	Dense Gen2 coverage; direct-to-cell testing
2026 (Current)	100-180 Mbps	+10%	Mature Gen2 network; subscriber density plateauing

The overall trend is positive: speeds are gradually increasing as SpaceX launches more capable Gen2 satellites. However, the rate of improvement has slowed as subscriber growth partially absorbs new capacity. The biggest speed gains are in newly served countries and rural areas where subscriber density remains low.

How to Maximize Your Starlink Speed

Regardless of which country you are in, these practices help you get the best performance:

Placement

• Use the Starlink app’s obstruction tool to find the clearest sky view
• Elevate the dish 3+ feet above ground level
• Avoid placement near walls, fences, or buildings that block low-angle satellites
• Point the dish with maximum open sky to the north (Southern Hemisphere) or south (Northern Hemisphere)

Timing

• Schedule bandwidth-intensive tasks (uploads, backups, streaming) for off-peak hours (midnight-6 AM)
• Video calls are most reliable during morning hours before peak congestion

Hardware

• The Standard dish delivers 20-30% faster speeds than the Mini — choose accordingly
• Use the ethernet adapter for wired connections to eliminate WiFi overhead
• Keep dish firmware updated (automatic through the Starlink app)

Network

• Use a VPN like NordVPN for security, but be aware it adds 5-15% speed overhead. Use the NordLynx protocol for minimal impact.
• If connecting through a secondary router, ensure it supports WiFi 6 to avoid bottlenecking Starlink’s speeds

How We Compiled This Data

This guide combines multiple data sources:

1. Our own testing: 500+ speed tests across 6 countries (US, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, Canada, New Zealand) using both Standard and Mini dishes
2. Community reports: Aggregated data from the Starlink subreddit (r/Starlink), user forums, and community speed test databases
3. Third-party measurements: Ookla Speedtest global index, Cloudflare Radar satellite ISP data, and independent testing organizations
4. SpaceX disclosures: Official coverage maps and performance estimates from starlink.com

Speed figures represent typical ranges that most users can expect. Individual results will vary based on the factors described above. All data reflects conditions as of early 2026.

For plan options and pricing in each country, see our Starlink plans explained guide. For country-specific availability and recommendations, see best countries for Starlink.