Cost of Internet by State in 2026

At the end of 2024, we found the least and most expensive states for internet in the U.S., and with the cost of living still high in 2026, we decided to do it again. Here’s what we found.

Internet is still pricier in rural areas (after all, there’s less demand for it in empty spaces). To our surprise, Alaska no longer has the most expensive internet per Mbps. Instead, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana are now the most expensive states for internet.

Meanwhile, you can find more affordable internet in urban sections of the U.S., specifically the East Coast. New Jersey now leads as the state with the most affordable internet, with Florida and Delaware close behind.

Cheapest states for internet in 2026

To figure out which states have the cheapest internet, we took the internet plans in our database and calculated the average cost per Mbps (megabits per second, aka the speed at which the internet travels).

The 10 cheapest states all pay close to the national average of $91.27 each month, but they have higher internet download speeds, making the cost per Mbps lower. For instance, New Jersey’s median download speed is 201.80Mbps while the monthly cost is $93.50. Customers pay around $0.46 for each Mbps of speed, the lowest in the nation.

States that pay the least per Mbps

Most expensive states for internet in 2026

The most expensive states in 2026 also have monthly internet costs close to the nation’s average, but the speeds are far slower. All but one have a median speed of under 100Mbps. Idaho, the most expensive state, has a median speed below 50Mbps but an average monthly payment of $127.27.

States that pay the most per Mbps

Biggest internet cost changes

While some states stayed at around the same prices and positions as in our 2024 data, others showed big changes.

Here are some of the biggest movers since 2024:

• Idaho went from the sixth-most expensive state for internet value in 2024 to number one in 2026, jumping from $1.27 to $2.89 per Mbps, even as its average internet speed fell.
• Idaho is also now more expensive than other states by far, with a $0.99 lead over the second-most expensive option.
• Alaska went from the most expensive state in 2024 to the seventh-most expensive in 2026, dropping from $2.92 to $1.04 per Mbps as its speed nearly tripled.
• Utah dropped out of the 10 cheapest states since 2024 and now ranks 32nd.

The middle-of-the-pack states

In the middle of our data, we have the “Goldilocks zone.” People in a state like Kentucky or Missouri don’t get the sweet $0.50 per Mbps pricing that the cheaper locales enjoy, but they also aren’t spending two to three dollars apiece like some of the more expensive states. Instead, they enjoy a monthly cost around $0.75 per Mbps.

Internet cost data trends

So what’s changed with internet costs since 2024?

For starters, both internet prices and internet speeds have gone up since 2024. The average household now pays $91.27 a month, up 23% from $74.17. Median speeds also rose 36%, from 85.45 to 116.34Mbps. The rise in costs may be due to wrapping up the Affordable Connectivity Program, while the speed increase is likely from advancing technology.

Just like in 2024, the cheapest states are some of the most densely populated, while the most expensive are the least densely populated. In other words, states with a higher demand for more internet in close quarters have cheaper prices, likely due to both existing infrastructure and steeper competition.

Speed and internet types

Your internet type essentially dictates the speed of your home Wi-Fi (and, by extension, your cost per Mbps).

Satellite internet involves beaming internet straight to the home from satellites in space. Satellite internet tends to be slow and has a high cost per Mbps, as the infrastructure is very costly.

DSL internet uses an old-fashioned phone line to connect to the internet. It’s often a little faster and less expensive than satellite internet, giving it a cheaper cost per Mbps.

Fixed wireless, 4G LTE, and 5G internet all use cell phone networks to provide internet wirelessly. The already-existing infrastructure helps lower the cost, and the speed is pretty good, too.

Cable internet uses coax cables to provide a solid, physical connection between homes and the network at large. This tangible link brings extra-fast speeds, so although the overall price is usually more than that of a wireless setup, the cost per Mbps is often lower.

Fiber internet uses fiber all the way through the network, giving rise to the name fiber-to-the-home (FTTH). Fiber can be astonishingly expensive but is superfast, so its cost per Mbps can’t be beat.

Our final thoughts

Whether you live in a low-cost-internet state, high-cost-internet state, or somewhere in between, there’s no reason you should pay more than typical for your area. If you think you might be overpaying, don’t just shrug and spend more time using public Wi-Fi. Switch to a faster, better-priced option and free up some funds for other monthly costs.

If you can’t find internet in your price range, try some of these known cheaper internet options. And if they don’t cut it, you can also look for financial help from internet affordability programs.

Methodology

To determine the average cost of plans per state, we analyzed plan and package data from HighSpeedInternet.com’s database of internet plans. We used proprietary speed test data to find the median download speed in every state.

We divided each state’s average monthly payment by its median download speed to calculate a price-per-Mbps score, then ranked all 50 states and Washington, D.C., from cheapest to most expensive based on that score. Population density figures came from the 2024 U.S. Census.

Full state rankings