Report: Streaming Price Hikes Push Annual U.S. Media Spending to $3,350

The State of Consumer Media Spending in 2025

Average costs of internet, TV, streaming and mobile in 2025, Reviews.org

Year-over-year trends (2024 vs. 2025) in internet connection types—with growth of 5G wireless home internet and fiber, and the decline of cable and DSL, Reviews.org

Reviews.org’s State of Consumer Media Spending finds streaming costs up 22% in 2025

SALT LAKE CITY, UT, UNITED STATES, November 12, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Reviews.org released its annual “The State of Consumer Media Spending Report,” a yearly look at how much Americans pay for home internet, mobile, traditional TV and streaming. In 2025, U.S. consumers spent an average of $3,350 per year ($278.50 per month) to stay connected, a 2% increase year over year, driven largely by higher streaming and TV costs.

Streaming costs jumped 22% in 2025, with the average American now subscribing to an average of three platforms, up from two in 2024. The increase reflects widespread price hikes from major services including Netflix, Hulu and Max, as platforms push subscribers toward higher-priced premium tiers and bundled packages. Meanwhile, cable TV costs surged 14% to $101 per month, making traditional cable and satellite TV the most expensive media category.

Americans will now spend $200,980 over a 60-year bill-paying lifetime on internet, mobile, traditional TV and streaming services. The average monthly costs are:
Internet: $68/month (down from $69 in 2024)
Mobile plans: $58/month (down from $61 in 2024)
Streaming: $52/month (up from $42 in 2024)
Cable TV: $101/month (up from $89 in 2024)

In 2025, home internet, mobile, TV and streaming costs make up 5.4% of the average U.S. worker’s monthly earnings. The average cost of home internet plans fell 1.6%, while mobile costs dropped 4.9%. Meanwhile, U.S. consumers with fiber and 5G home internet connections both grew by 1.9%. With nearly half of American homes now having access to fiber and overall household internet connectivity growing 1.5% over the last 3 years, the adoption of these newer technologies may be driving overall costs down by increasing market competition.

Key Findings
U.S. consumers will spend $200,080 on internet, mobile, TV and streaming bills in their (60 year bill-paying) lifetime
In 2025, monthly media spending costs reached $278.50, up 2% from last year
The average cost of streaming services reached $51.71, up 22% from last year
Americans now subscribe to an average of 3 streaming services, up from just 2 last year
Consumers are overspending nearly 40% on mobile plans by choosing "Big 3" carriers (T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon) over more affordable MVNOs

“Even with rising costs, there are plenty of ways you can cut down your bills,” says Kelly Huh, Staff Writer at Reviews.org. “Several cell phone carriers include streaming services with their plans for free or at a discounted rate. You can also switch to a budget carrier like Mint Mobile or Visible, which offer the same cell phone coverage for less than half the price of major carriers."

Read the full report here: https://www.reviews.org/internet-service/cost-of-internet-streaming-and-cell-phone-bills/

METHODOLOGY: We combined current pricing from leading internet, mobile, TV, and streaming providers with a Pollfish survey of 1,000 U.S. adults. We calculated average monthly costs, annualized them, and projected lifetime totals over 60 years. Year-over-year figures compare 2025 with 2024. All amounts are in U.S. dollars and rounded; inflation and the time value of money are not included.

ABOUT REVIEWS.ORG: Featured in CNBC, New York Times, USA Today, Lifehacker and more. Reviews.org combines hands-on testing, independent research and local customer reviews to show how providers perform where you live, so you can choose the best options for home internet, mobile, TV and streaming.

Tim Tincher
Reviews.org
tim@reviews.org
Visit us on social media:
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
TikTok
X

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.