Whether you’re at the beach or admiring the beauty of the pyramids, you’ll want to share your experiences with the world. Staying online and in touch with loved ones is no problem in Egypt. But only if you prepare well to avoid any surprises.
According to information, Wi-Fi in hotels is not the best, so an eSIM or local SIM card is a good option.
Also expect that you may not be able to access some sites and apps due to censorship. These are mostly titillating content, LBQT topics or political criticism. You will probably be more affected by the inability to make calls using WhatsApp, Skype or Messenger (typing should be fine). If you still need to make calls, use a VPN service. If you use an eSIM, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to access these sites without any issues (according to reports from people around the world, eSIM essentially works like a VPN). This won’t be the case with a local SIM card.
Egypt eSIM: How to choose the best one
Data volume and validity are important considerations when choosing an eSIM. Going on a ten-day vacation to a hotel with Wi-Fi, but still want a backup plan? A 1 GB package that only lasts for 7 days won’t be enough. If you’re traveling more and spending less time in a hotel, packages with more data will come in handy. eSIMs can also be a lifesaver if the Wi-Fi in your accommodation is very poor.
Also think about which network the carrier’s eSIM uses. Egypt has 4 main operators – Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat and WE. We recommend the first two as they have the best coverage. The other two may have issues with connectivity and internet speed.
If you are going to Hurghada, you will probably be fine with all of them. There may be problems with Marsa Alam and more southern destinations. You can see on the maps that Vodafone is pretty much good all along the coast.
Last but not least, if you want to use eSIM, you’ll have to pay a little extra. For some reason, data eSIMs are several times more expensive than local ones. Could it be that Egypt doesn’t want to let more competition into the market?
The best data eSIM for Egypt
eSIM in Egypt has not always been the cheapest option, but it has improved significantly over the past few months. Now, various providers offer quite affordable packages. Let’s take a look at them.
Cheapest Packages
If you can manage with 1 GB, you have several very affordable options. The cheapest is from eSIM4Travel, costing only $3.99 with a 7-day validity.
Mobimatter offers good prices as well, with packages starting at $4.49 with a 14-day validity. If you want to be online in more neighboring countries, you’ll pay half a dollar more.
Airalo provides 1 GB for $7 with a 7-day validity.
Average Data Usage (5 GB)
If you want to be online more often while traveling and have internet always available, but your hotel has good Wi-Fi, 5 GB might suit you. The cheap 5 GB is again offered by eSIM4Travel for $12.99 with a 30-day validity.
Airhub offers a slightly cheaper price with their 5 GB package for $12.
You can also get a good deal with Mobimatter, where 5 GB costs $13.99 again with a 30-day validity.
Other eSIM providers are somewhat more expensive. Nomad offers 5 GB for $18, while Airalo charges $26.50.
High Data Usage (10 GB)
If you are very active on the internet, you’ll need at least 10 GB. The cheapest is offered by Airhub, costing only $15 with a 30-day validity.
After that, prices more than double. At eSIM4Travel, 10 GB costs $26.29, while at Mobimatter, the same package costs $25.99.
Another option worth considering is Nomad, offering 10 GB for $28.
Other sellers charge over $40. For example, the popular Airalo costs $44.
Unlimited Data
Do you need to be constantly online, are very active on the internet, and use it for work? An eSIM with unlimited data might be the solution. These are offered by Holafly. Prices depend on the number of days. The cheapest 5 days cost $27, and if you need up to 20 days, you’ll pay $54. Unfortunately, unlimited data with Holafly cannot be used as a hotspot.
Yesim also offers unlimited data, though it’s more expensive. Unlimited data for 15 days costs $57.20. The advantage is that you can share the data and it includes a VPN.
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Overview of the best Egypt eSIM packages
| Poskytovatel | GB | Cena | Platnost |
| eSIM4Travel | 1 GB | $3.99 | 7 dní |
| Airhub | 5 GB | $10 | 30 dní |
| Airhub | 10 GB | $15 | 30 dní |
| Holafly | neomezeně | $47 | 15 dní |
Classic SIM card in Egypt
If you want to save money and don’t mind standing in line at the airport kiosk (or going to the official shop in town), showing your passport to register (it takes no more than 5 minutes), the local SIM card is for you. If you’re flying into a resort, you may arrive at a time when the kiosk selling SIM cards is not open. You may be lucky enough to get one right at your hotel. We recommend that you check everything before you fly.
You can choose between Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat and WE. Vodafone is the most recommended for coverage.
They offer two tourist SIM cards. The cheaper one, for EGP 255 ($8.30), gives you 10GB, 200 minutes of calls in Egypt and 20 minutes of international calls. The more expensive one, at EGP 505 ($16.40), has 30 GB of data, 200 minutes of calls in Egypt and 30 minutes of international calls.
Orange is slightly cheaper. For EGP 200 ($6.50) you get a nice 10 GB, 400 local minutes and 20 minutes of international calls. For EGP 500 ($16.24) you get 40 GB, 400 local minutes and 30 minutes of international calls.
The other two operators have similar prices, but as I wrote above, their signal isn’t the best.
You’ll also encounter unit pricing for prepaid cards. One unit is usually equal to 1 MB. On top of that you can use cool applications. These can give you twice as much data for the same price. All in all, it is a more complicated system and a tourist SIM will definitely suffice for vacations. They are also cheap.
Summary
If you want to be online while in Egypt, be sure to do your homework and research your options. Egypt has a few pitfalls that await you when it comes to getting a SIM card. Whether it’s waiting at a kiosk, registering, being persuaded to buy a bargain, or trying to get scammed (they’ll put a SIM in your phone with less data than you paid for). You can solve this by having the SIM sent to your home some time before you travel to Egypt. And if you’re going with a travel agency, try to work it out with them.
If you don’t want to go through all of the above, eSIM Egypt is the obvious choice. It may be more expensive than local SIM cards, but you don’t have to deal with the hassle of setting it up, because you can do everything on your phone in two minutes. And you’ll be online as soon as you arrive in Egypt.
