Last updated on 4 November 2026
Ooredoo’s tourist SIM in Oman costs 5 rial plus 5% VAT (about €12.27) for 8 GB, 50 local and 50 international minutes over 10 days, and you need your original passport to buy it. The POVNOMAD Oman eSIM starts at €4.90 for 1 GB over 7 days, needs no passport check and connects to Omantel in roaming. As of 30 October 2026.
From about 3 GB on, the local SIM costs less: Ooredoo’s 8 GB cost less than our 5 GB plan at €18.90. The eSIM pays off for a stopover in Muscat or your first day, when 1 GB is enough and you want to be online before you reach an Ooredoo counter.
Local SIM, travel eSIM or roaming: what is the difference in Oman?
| Local SIM (Ooredoo tourist pack) | Travel eSIM (POVNOMAD) | Roaming on your home contract | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | 5.25 rial (€12.27) for 8 GB/10 days, 10.50 rial (€24.54) for 18 GB/15 days, VAT included | €4.90 for 1 GB/7 days, €18.90 for 5 GB/30 days, €33.90 for 10 GB/30 days | Oman is outside EU roaming, your provider sets its own rates |
| What you need | original passport; not sold to Omani nationals or residents | eSIM-capable, unlocked phone | roaming enabled on your contract |
| Validity | pack 10 to 20 days, the tourist line itself 30 days | 7 to 30 days from the first connection in Oman | your contract |
| Omani number and minutes | yes, local and international minutes included | no, data only; call apps run over data | your home number |
| Network | Ooredoo | Omantel, 5G where available, assignment variable (product page) | partner network of your provider |
| Hotspot | not checked | yes | depends on your contract |
As of 30 October 2026. Ooredoo prices from ooredoo.om (tourist pack page, listed before 5% VAT, shown here with VAT), POVNOMAD prices from the Oman product page. Converted at the Central Bank of Oman rate published on 29 October 2026, the latest on our cut-off date (€1 = 0.42785 rial).
How much does a tourist SIM cost in Oman?
Ooredoo publishes three tourist packs on its website. It lists the prices before VAT and adds 5% when you activate the SIM; the table shows what you pay. We quote Ooredoo because its price list was readable on 30 October 2026. Omantel’s tourist page redirected us to its home page.
| Ooredoo pack | Data | Minutes and SMS | Validity | Price with VAT | in euros |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist 5 | 8 GB | 50 local and 50 international minutes, 50 SMS | 10 days | 5.25 rial | €12.27 |
| Tourist 10 | 18 GB | 100 local and 100 international minutes, 100 SMS | 15 days | 10.50 rial | €24.54 |
| Tourist 20 | data Ooredoo labels unlimited | unlimited local minutes, 200 international minutes, 200 SMS | 20 days | 21.00 rial | €49.08 |
Source: ooredoo.om, tourist pack, retrieved 30 October 2026. Calls between two tourist numbers are free until the pack expires. The included data, minutes and SMS work only inside Oman. Ooredoo lists no separate price for the SIM card. We did not check the fair-use terms of the unlimited pack. Euro amounts at €1 = 0.42785 rial (Central Bank of Oman, 29 October 2026).
Compare that with travel eSIMs bought before departure, as of 30 October 2026:
| Plan | POVNOMAD | Airalo |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | €4.90 (7 days) | €4.00 (3 days) |
| 3 GB | €12.90 (15 days), €13.00 (30 days) | €9.00 (7 days) |
| 5 GB, 30 days | €18.90 | €13.00 |
| 10 GB, 30 days | €33.90 | €22.50 |
| 20 GB, 30 days | €52.90 | €35.00 |
| Unlimited, 7 days | – | €34.00 |
Read on 30 October 2026 on povnomad.com and airalo.com/de/oman-esim (EUR view). “–” = no such plan. Airalo costs less than POVNOMAD from 3 GB on. POVNOMAD sells fixed data plans only for Oman; a plan ends when its data is used up.
Do you need a passport to buy a SIM card in Oman?
Yes. Ooredoo verifies visitors with their original passport; citizens of the Gulf states can show their ID card instead. Omani nationals and holders of an Omani residence card cannot buy the tourist SIM. According to Ooredoo’s terms, you get it in its stores at the airports and in shops across the country.
- Bring the passport itself. A photo or copy is not enough for the verification.
- Check that your phone has no network lock.
- The tourist line runs for 30 days. On a longer stay you need a regular prepaid line.
- If your phone takes only one physical SIM, the Ooredoo card replaces your German SIM, and bank codes by text stop reaching you. An eSIM keeps your home SIM active next to it.
Can you make WhatsApp calls in Oman?
Oman’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) does not ban apps outright. It licenses services and told the Oman Observer that it welcomes WhatsApp voice and video calls from providers that comply with its licensing rules. In December 2024, users reported that WhatsApp calls worked without a VPN; the TRA confirmed no change officially at the time.
We could not test on 30 October 2026 which call apps work on which network. Our eSIM routes data through the United Kingdom or Norway, according to the product page, and we have not checked whether that changes how call apps behave. For calls you cannot miss, keep a fallback: the Ooredoo packs include local and international minutes, our eSIM includes none, and your German SIM calls at your provider’s roaming rate.
Sources: Oman Observer, 4 December 2024 and 24 April 2025, both read on 30 October 2026.
When is the eSIM the better choice, and when is it not?
For a stopover or your first day in Muscat, 1 GB for €4.90 covers maps, ride apps and messages. Install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi (instructions for iPhone and Android); validity starts on first contact with the Omani network. How our fixed plans compare with the unlimited plans of Airalo and Holafly is in our Oman eSIM comparison.
Neither Omantel nor Ooredoo publishes a coverage figure for the interior that we could verify. Before a drive into the mountains or the desert, look up measured coverage on the nPerf map and download offline maps.
The Ooredoo SIM is the better deal in these cases:
- You use more than 3 GB. Ooredoo gives you 8 GB for €12.27, our 5 GB plan costs €18.90.
- You need an Omani number or minutes for normal calls.
- You pass an Ooredoo store anyway and do not mind showing your passport.
This guide is also available in German.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a tourist SIM cost in Oman?
Ooredoo’s smallest tourist pack costs 5 rial plus 5% VAT, so 5.25 rial or about €12.27, for 8 GB, 50 local and 50 international minutes and 50 SMS over 10 days. The pack with 18 GB for 15 days costs 10.50 rial with VAT. As of 30 October 2026.
What do I need to buy a SIM card in Oman?
Your original passport. Ooredoo verifies visitors with it at the point of sale; Gulf citizens can show their ID card. Omani nationals and residents cannot buy the tourist SIM. As of 30 October 2026.
Do WhatsApp calls work in Oman?
Users have reported working WhatsApp calls without a VPN since December 2024, and the regulator TRA says it welcomes such calls from licensed providers. It has made no official announcement. We could not test call apps on 30 October 2026.
Is a local SIM cheaper than an eSIM in Oman?
Yes, from about 3 GB on. Ooredoo’s 8 GB pack costs €12.27, our 5 GB plan €18.90 and Airalo’s €13.00. Only for 1 GB is the eSIM cheaper: €4.90 at POVNOMAD, €4.00 at Airalo. As of 30 October 2026.
Which network does the POVNOMAD Oman eSIM use?
Omantel with 5G where available, according to the product page; the network assignment can vary. Data leaves through the United Kingdom or Norway. Hotspot is included. As of 30 October 2026.
How long is an Ooredoo tourist SIM valid?
The tourist line runs for 30 days. The packs last 10, 15 or 20 days, depending on the price. After 30 days you need a regular prepaid line. As of 30 October 2026.
How do I know if these prices are still current?
We read every price on 30 October 2026 on ooredoo.om, povnomad.com and airalo.com. Ooredoo charges in rial, so the euro amount changes with the exchange rate. Check the operator’s page before you buy.
Last updated on 30 October 2026. Prices read on that day on ooredoo.om, povnomad.com and airalo.com; exchange rate of the Central Bank of Oman of 29 October 2026. Prices and rules may change at any time.