Best eSIM for Egypt (2026): prices, WhatsApp calls and phone rules

Quick answers

UK networks typically charge £7 to £8 a day in Egypt (EE, O2, Vodafone, Three). Sky Mobile is an exception at £2 a day.
Travel eSIMs start from about £4 to £7 for 1GB. 10GB for 30 days is around £20 to £21.
WhatsApp and FaceTime voice and video calls are often reported as blocked or unreliable on Egyptian mobile data. Messages work fine.
Egypt changed its rules for foreign phones in January 2026. Tourists are exempt for 90 days, so a normal holiday is not affected.

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Prices

Egypt eSIM prices compared

All 10 plans we track, cheapest first within each length.

Provider	Data	Lasts	Price (approx. in £)
NomadOrange, Vodafone	1GB	7 days	£4.53US$6.00 · £4.53/GB	Go to Nomad Provider link
Saily	1GB	7 days	£6.78US$8.99 · £6.78/GB	Go to Saily Provider link
UbigiOrange, e&	1GB	30 days	£3.77US$5.00 · £3.77/GB	Go to Ubigi Provider link
Saily	5GB	30 days	£15.08US$19.99 · £3.02/GB	Go to Saily Provider link
Sim LocalBest value 10GB+	10GB	30 days	£20.19US$26.75 · £2.02/GB	Go to Sim Local Provider link
NomadOrange, Vodafone	10GB	30 days	£21.13US$28.00 · £2.11/GB	Go to Nomad Provider link
Saily	20GB	30 days	£32.44US$42.99 · £1.62/GB	Go to Saily Provider link
NomadOrange, Vodafone	Unlimited	7 days	£20.37US$27.00	Go to Nomad Provider link

Show all 10 Egypt tariffs

Provider	Data	Lasts	Price (approx. in £)
AiraloVodafone	Unlimited	7 days	£24.15US$32.00	Go to Airalo Provider link
HolaflyOrange	Unlimited	7 days	£27.54US$36.50	Go to Holafly Provider link

Prices checked 25 September 2026. Most travel eSIM companies charge in US dollars, even to UK customers, so your bank converts the price when you pay. We show pounds at that day's rate (US$1 = £0.75458) with the dollar price underneath.

Price per GB in Egypt

Each provider's best-value 30-day plan of 5GB or more, as a price per GB. Lower is better; orange = cheapest.

Saily£1.62

Sim Local£2.02

Nomad£2.11

Roaming

What UK networks charge in Egypt

A week in Egypt: what it costs

7 days of data on each UK network's roaming (where there's a daily price) against the cheapest 5GB+ eSIM (Saily). Orange bar = eSIM.

EE£56

Vodafone£56

Three£56

O2£49

iD Mobile£35

Cheapest eSIM£15.08

Sky Mobile£14

Your network	Per day	A week	Details
EE	£8 a day	£56	Zone 3 24h pass £8, buy on arrival Check with your network
O2	£7 a day	£49	O2 Travel bolt-on £7/day (Ultimate plans include some destinations) Check with your network
Vodafone	£8 a day	£56	Global Roam Zone C/D, approx £8/day Check with your network
Three	£8 a day	£56	Go Roam Around the World Extra £8/day (£7 on older plans), 12GB
giffgaff	Add-ons only	–	no daily pass; travel data add-on 1GB/5GB/10GB, 30 days, approx £6-£15 per GB tier
SMARTY	Add-ons only	–	PAYG by band (Roaming 1 e.g. US/TR 10p/MB, higher bands up to £5/MB) Check with your network
iD Mobile	£5 a day	£35	Roam Beyond add-on from £5 (2GB, 1 day) Check with your network
VOXI	Add-ons only	–	PAYG roaming pass rates by zone Check with your network
Lebara	Add-ons only	–	add-on 1GB/8 days £5 or 3GB/15 days £15 Check with your network
Tesco Mobile	Add-ons only	–	not Home From Home; PAYG or data bundle Check with your network
Sky Mobile	£2 a day	£14	Roaming Passport £2/day (£10 for 5 days), 25GB fair use
Lyca Mobile	Add-ons only	–	PAYG rates / country bundles, not checked Check with your network

Checked 25 September 2026. Roaming prices depend on your exact plan and when you joined, so check with your network before you travel.

Why an eSIM makes sense in Egypt

On EE, O2, Vodafone or Three a week in Egypt usually costs £49 to £56 in daily roaming charges. A 10GB eSIM for 30 days is around £20, and you get far more data.

The local networks are Vodafone Egypt, Orange, e& (formerly Etisalat) and WE. Coverage is good in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and the Red Sea resorts, and patchier in the desert.

WhatsApp and FaceTime calls. Lots of travellers report that voice and video calls over WhatsApp, FaceTime and similar apps don't work, or cut out, on Egyptian mobile data. Text messages, photos and voice notes are fine. Some eSIM providers say calls work on their service, but it is not reliable. If calling home matters, try hotel Wi-Fi, or ask the provider before you buy.

The 90 day phone rule

Since 21 January 2026 Egypt no longer lets people bring in phones from abroad without registering them. Visitors are exempt for 90 days, according to Egypt's telecoms regulator (NTRA). For a normal holiday you don't need to do anything. If you plan to stay longer than about three months, check the NTRA rules before you go.

Which eSIM to pick

A week in a resort: a 1GB to 5GB plan covers maps, messages and a bit of social media. Nomad and Saily are the cheapest here.
A Nile cruise or a tour of several places: go for 10GB or more, on a plan that uses more than one network. Nomad's plans use both Orange and Vodafone.
You don't want to think about data: Airalo and Holafly sell unlimited day plans, but Egypt is one of their dearer countries, at around £24 to £28 for 7 days.

Our plans

We are heading to Egypt for the total solar eclipse on 2 August 2027. We will test the eSIMs we recommend here, including whether WhatsApp calls work, and update this page.

FAQ

Common questions

Does WhatsApp work in Egypt?

WhatsApp messages, photos and voice notes work normally. Voice and video calls over WhatsApp and FaceTime are often reported as blocked or unreliable on Egyptian mobile networks, so don't rely on them.

How much is roaming in Egypt on a UK phone?

Usually £7 to £8 a day on EE, O2, Vodafone and Three. Sky Mobile charges £2 a day. Check your own network before you travel.

Do I need to register my phone in Egypt?

Not for a normal holiday. Visitors are exempt from the phone registration rules for 90 days, according to the NTRA.

Which network is best in Egypt?

Vodafone Egypt and Orange have the widest coverage. Plans that can use both, such as Nomad's, give you a better chance of signal outside the main towns.

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