Can’t update data-attribute value

Use that instead, if you wish to change the attribute data-num of node element, not of data object:

DEMO

$('#changeData').click(function (e) { 
    e.preventDefault();
    var num = +$('#foo').attr("data-num");
    console.log(num);
    num = num + 1;
    console.log(num);
    $('#foo').attr('data-num', num);
});

PS: but you should use the data() object in virtually all cases, but not all…