Calling home while studying abroad: a student’s budget guide
On a student budget, every recurring cost matters, and calling home is one of them. The good news is that most of it can be free. The rest, meaning grandparents on a landline, your bank, the university back home, the visa office, costs far less than a carrier plan if you pay by the minute only when you actually call. Here is a realistic budget.
Free where it works, per minute where it doesn’t
If your parents and friends use WhatsApp, WeChat or another messaging app, use it: app-to-app calls cost nothing beyond data. Paid calls are for the numbers apps can’t reach, such as landlines, businesses and offices, and for relatives who don’t use smartphones. That split alone keeps most students’ calling bill small.
What an hour a month costs, by country
These are Hyallo’s starting rates, which usually apply to landlines. Calls to mobiles cost more in many countries, and the dialer shows the exact rate for the number you type before you call.
- India: from $0.08/min, so an hour a month from $4.80.
- China: from $1.02/min, so an hour a month from $61.20.
- Brazil: from $0.03/min, so an hour a month from $1.80.
- Mexico: from $0.02/min, so an hour a month from $1.20.
- Vietnam: from $0.26/min, so an hour a month from $15.60.
- Colombia: from $0.02/min, so an hour a month from $1.20.
China is the outlier: phone calls to China start at $1.02/min, so for everyday calls WeChat is the cheaper choice. Keep paid calls for landlines and for anyone who can’t use the app.
Five ways to make a small balance last
- Top up small. Credit starts at $5.00, there is no subscription, and credit doesn’t expire, so nothing is lost if you don’t call for a month during exams.
- Mind the minute mark. Calls are billed per started minute, so a call of 5 minutes and 10 seconds counts as 6 minutes.
- Don’t worry about unanswered calls. If nobody picks up or the line is busy, you pay nothing.
- Schedule calls around the time difference. A quick message ("calling in 10 minutes") saves paying for calls that reach voicemail, since voicemail counts as answered.
- Use campus or home Wi-Fi. Calls run in the browser over any internet connection, so you don’t need a local SIM or a calling plan.
Your first 1-minute call is free (for destinations up to $0.50/min), so you can check the sound quality to home before adding any credit.
Ready to make your first call?
Frequently asked questions
Is there a student discount?
No. Everyone pays the same per-minute rates, with no monthly fee, which for most students already costs less than a carrier add-on they barely use.
Can my family call me back on Hyallo?
No. Hyallo only makes outgoing calls; it doesn’t give you a number to receive calls or texts. For calls in both directions, a messaging app is the better fit.
Does it work on a university network?
Usually, yes: it only needs a browser and an internet connection. A few very locked-down networks block real-time voice; if a call won’t connect there, try your phone’s mobile data or another Wi-Fi.