Last updated on 10 October 2026
You buy a tourist SIM card in Egypt in an operator shop with your passport, and since 21 January 2026 a phone from abroad works on a local SIM for 90 days per visit before a customs charge of about 38.5 per cent of its value falls due. The POVNOMAD Egypt eSIM costs €18.90 for 10 GB over 30 days, starts at €3.90 and roams on Egyptian networks, so the 90-day rule does not touch it. As of 10 October 2026.
For data alone, a local SIM is probably cheaper. The operators publish no tourist prices online, though, and the phone rule sets a hard limit for long stays. Both points are explained below.
Local SIM, eSIM or roaming: what does each cost in Egypt?
Three ways to get online in Egypt, side by side. As of 10 October 2026:
| Option | Price | What you need | How you get it | Block risk | Calls | Hotspot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vodafone Tourist Line | bundle price not published outside a bundle EGP 0.19 per MB, about €3.32 per GB | passport, for tourists only | Vodafone airport store or any Vodafone shop | phone works 90 days from activation of the Egyptian SIM, then customs charge | local and international minutes, Egyptian number | not stated |
| Orange, e& or WE | no tourist price on their websites | passport and residence document (NTRA rule) | operator shop | same 90-day rule | Egyptian number | not stated |
| POVNOMAD Egypt eSIM | €18.90 10 GB, 30 days (from €3.90) | unlocked phone with eSIM, no passport | install at home, online after landing | none from the phone rule, the eSIM roams | data only, your home SIM stays on for calls | yes |
| Airalo and Holafly eSIMs | Airalo €30.50 for 10 GB, 30 days Holafly €33.90 for 7 days unlimited | unlocked phone with eSIM | buy online | none from the phone rule | data only | depends on provider |
| Roaming on a German contract | Vodafone without add-on €0.94 per 50 kB, about €19 per MB | nothing | already on your phone | none | your own number at roaming rates | depends on contract |
Vodafone: Tourist Line page in the Internet Archive copy of 19 September 2026; vodafone.com.eg did not respond to our requests on 10 October 2026. Orange, e& and WE: no tourist offer found on orange.eg, etisalat.eg and te.eg on 10 October 2026. Airalo and Holafly read on airalo.com and esim.holafly.com on 10 October 2026. Roaming: Vodafone Germany InfoDok 443, September 2026, as in our Red Sea winter guide. Pounds converted at the Central Bank of Egypt’s official rate of 7 October 2026 (€1 = EGP 58.63, mean of buy and sell); the ECB publishes no rate for the Egyptian pound.
How much does a tourist SIM card cost in Egypt?
None of the four operators lists a tourist price on its website. Vodafone describes its Tourist Line with data, local and international minutes, sells it only to tourists and names a single figure: outside a bundle, a megabyte costs EGP 0.19. That comes to about EGP 195 or €3.32 per gigabyte. We found no tourist product on the websites of Orange, e& and WE.
Prices from shops come from travel writers. The blogger behind Traveltomtom visited stores in August 2026 and lists EGP 495 to 558 for about 20 GB at Vodafone, e& and WE, roughly €8.45 to €9.52. His overview table gives lower figures for some of the same plans, and we could not check any of them against the operators.
Vodafone sells the Tourist Line in its airport stores and in every Vodafone shop. With no published price, the counter decides what you pay, at the airport and in town alike. Ask for the total before you hand over your passport.
What do you need to buy a SIM card in Egypt?
Your original passport and a visit to a shop. The regulator NTRA’s sales rules for SIM cards require foreigners to come in person with an original valid passport and a residence document. The shop keeps colour copies of both, and you sign the contract yourself. A foreigner can hold up to five voice and five data lines per operator, and the line’s validity follows the residence period. The rules do not say which document counts as residence for a tourist, so bring your passport with your visa and ask at the counter.
Your phone must be free of a network lock. If it takes only one physical SIM, the Egyptian card replaces your home SIM, and texts from your bank stop reaching you during the trip.
What is Egypt’s phone rule for tourists since January 2026?
A phone from abroad runs on an Egyptian SIM for 90 days, then its customs charge has to be paid. On 20 January 2026, the NTRA announced the end of the exceptional exemption for phones carried by passengers, effective at noon on 21 January 2026. The exemption continues for tourists and Egyptians living abroad for 90 days (NTRA, 20 January 2026). Apple’s support page counts the 90 days from the activation of the Egyptian SIM on the network. After that, the iPhone shows No Service. Apple also states that the rule applies to Egyptian SIM cards and not to iPhones using roaming (Apple Support, 22 January 2026).
The charge is a one-time 38.5 per cent of the device’s value, covering customs and taxes, according to The National. On a phone worth €1,000, that would be about €385. You pay it in the Telephony app of the Egyptian Customs Authority or through banks and e-wallets, and the Telephony hotline is 15380. Visitors can use their phones with a foreign SIM without paying any fees, and a local tourist SIM gives 90 days per visit (Khaleej Times, 21 January 2026). In March 2026, Egypt extended the period to 120 days for Egyptians living abroad, and the reports name no change for tourists (Egypt Independent, 25 March 2026).
In the days after the change, Türkiye Today reported visitors whose phones lost service on Egyptian networks. For two to four weeks on the Red Sea, our winter guide compares the eSIM options.
Which network: Vodafone, Orange, e& or WE?
Vodafone is the largest operator with 41.5 per cent of mobile customers, ahead of Orange with 28.6 and WE with 12.1 per cent. The measurement firm Opensignal compared the networks for the 90 days to 30 June 2026:
| Network | Market share | What Opensignal measured, Q2 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Vodafone | 41.5 % | fastest uploads at 7.06 Mbit/s, highest 5G availability at 46 % among 5G phones |
| Orange | 28.6 % | last on every quality metric, 15.24 Mbit/s download |
| e& | not stated | first on all five 5G metrics, 31.4 % 5G availability |
| WE | 12.1 % | fastest downloads at 25.45 Mbit/s, best consistent quality at 51.8 % |
Source: Opensignal, “Egypt at the convergence crossroads”, September 2026, read on 10 October 2026. Market shares Q1 to Q2 2026. Opensignal measures on the devices of its app users, so roaming guests can see different results.
Our Egypt eSIM connects to e& (Etisalat) or Orange, with 4G and 5G where available. Airalo uses Vodafone, Holafly names Orange. If one network is weak at your hotel, pick the other by hand under Settings > Mobile networks > Network operators. With a local SIM you choose the network once, at the shop counter.
Is a local SIM cheaper than an eSIM in Egypt?
For data alone, probably yes. If the shop prices reported for August 2026 hold, 20 GB on a local SIM cost around €8.45 to €9.52. Our 20 GB plan for 30 days costs €28.90, Airalo charges €38.50 for the same amount. A local SIM also includes minutes and an Egyptian number, while our Egypt eSIM carries data only.
The limit is 90 days per visit. Up to then, a local SIM saves you money if you use a lot of data. After that, the customs charge on your phone outweighs the saving: about €385 on a phone worth €1,000. The eSIM is the simpler choice for short trips. You install it at home, you skip the shop and the passport copies, and your home number stays reachable.
How do you buy a local SIM the right way?
- Go to the operator’s own store or its counter at the airport: Vodafone, Orange, e& or WE.
- Bring your original passport with your visa.
- Ask for the total price of SIM card and bundle, and check the gigabytes and validity on the receipt.
- Note the day the SIM goes live. The 90 days count from the activation of the Egyptian SIM.
- Staying longer than 90 days? Check the charge for your phone in the Telephony app before the period ends.
When is the eSIM the better choice, and when not?
The eSIM suits a holiday of one to four weeks. You install it at home on Wi-Fi (instructions for iPhone and Android), its validity starts on first contact with the Egyptian network, and you are online after landing without a queue at a counter. Your home SIM stays active for calls and bank texts. Unlimited Smart with 1 GB at full speed a day costs €18.90 for 7 days and €39.90 for 15 days. All durations are in the Egypt eSIM comparison, and which plan fits which resort is in our guide to Hurghada, Cairo and Sharm el-Sheikh.
A local SIM is the better choice if you need an Egyptian number, make many local calls or use a lot of data during a stay of up to 90 days.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a tourist SIM card in Egypt?
Vodafone, Orange, e& and WE publish no tourist prices on their websites. Vodafone’s Tourist Line charges EGP 0.19 per megabyte outside a bundle, about €3.32 per gigabyte. A travel blogger who visited shops in August 2026 reports EGP 495 to 558 for about 20 GB, which we could not verify. As of 10.10.2026.
Do I need my passport to buy a SIM card in Egypt?
Yes. Under the NTRA’s sales rules, foreigners buy a SIM card in person with their original valid passport and a residence document, and the shop keeps colour copies. Vodafone sells its Tourist Line to tourists only. Bring your passport with your visa and ask at the counter which document they need.
Will my phone be blocked in Egypt after 90 days?
Only if you use it with an Egyptian SIM. Since 21 January 2026, a phone from abroad gets 90 days per visit on a local SIM, counted from the activation of that SIM. After that it shows No Service until you pay the customs charge. A foreign SIM or travel eSIM that roams is not affected, according to Apple and Egyptian authorities.
How much is the phone customs charge in Egypt?
The National reported a one-time charge of 38.5 per cent of the device’s value, covering customs and taxes. On a phone worth €1,000 that is about €385. You pay in the Telephony app of the Egyptian Customs Authority or through banks and e-wallets. The Telephony hotline is 15380.
Does Egypt’s phone rule apply to a travel eSIM?
No. A travel eSIM is a foreign SIM that roams on an Egyptian network. Apple’s support page says the 90-day rule applies to Egyptian SIM cards and not to iPhones using roaming. Visitors can use their phones with a foreign SIM without paying any fees, Khaleej Times reported on 21 January 2026.
Which mobile network is best in Egypt?
It depends on what you measure. For the 90 days to 30 June 2026, Opensignal found WE fastest on downloads at 25.45 Mbit/s, e& first on all five 5G metrics and Vodafone with the highest 5G availability. Orange came last on every quality metric. Our Egypt eSIM uses e& or Orange.
Can I buy a SIM card at the airport in Egypt?
Yes. Vodafone sells its Tourist Line in its airport stores and in every Vodafone shop. Because Vodafone publishes no price for its tourist bundles, ask for the total and check the gigabytes and validity before you pay. You need your original passport.
As of 10 October 2026. Our prices were read in euros on that day on the povnomad.com product pages, competitor prices on airalo.com and esim.holafly.com. Operator conditions come from the Vodafone Egypt page in the Internet Archive copy of 19 September 2026 and from the NTRA. Offers and fees may change at any time.
