Best SIM and eSIM for Egypt: data plans, Wi-Fi and phone tips

If your phone is unlocked and eSIM-capable, set up an eSIM before you fly. It activates when you land, costs less than roaming, and skips the airport SIM queue. Choose a plan with 10–20 GB for a two-week trip; maps, ride-hailing and messaging use little data, video uses a lot.

If you want a local +20 number — for calls to hotels, guides or a Egyptian bank app — buy a tourist SIM at Cairo airport from Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat (e&) or WE. Bring your passport; registration is required. Expect about EGP 500–1,000 for 20–40 GB (2026 estimate, check current prices at the counter).

An eSIM is a data plan you install as a QR code or app profile before departure. Nothing to swap, your home SIM stays active for bank codes, and data starts when you land. The trade-off: most travel eSIMs are data-only, so you cannot make normal calls or receive SMS on an Egyptian number.

A local physical SIM gives you an Egyptian number, which matters if you book a guide, call a hotel, or need SMS verification for a local service. It also tends to be cheaper per GB on longer stays because you can top up in any phone shop.

A practical combination: eSIM for data from day one, plus a cheap local SIM if you decide you need calls. Most modern phones hold one physical SIM and one eSIM at the same time.

Tourist SIMs are sold at Cairo airport arrivals by Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat (e&) and WE. You need your passport, and the staff will register the number for you. Counters can be busy when several flights land together; if the queue is long, city branches of the same operators sell the same tourist plans with less pressure.

Ask three things before paying: how many GB, how many days, and what happens when the bundle ends. Top-up cards are sold in kiosks and supermarkets everywhere. Keep the SIM in your phone for the whole trip — removing it or letting it expire can complicate reactivation.

Phones bought abroad may face an import tax or registration requirement if you stay long or use a local SIM for an extended period (check current rules before a long stay).

4G covers Cairo, Alexandria, the Nile Valley cities and the Red Sea resorts well. Expect usable speeds for maps, messaging and ride-hailing. Coverage thins in the desert: the Western Desert oases, the road between them, and remote stretches of Sinai can drop to weak signal or none.

On a Nile cruise, signal follows the towns along the river and fades between them. Download offline maps and your tickets before you board. In Siwa, Kharga and other oases, treat data as a bonus rather than a guarantee.

Wi-Fi is common in hotels, cafés and restaurants in cities and resorts, but it is often slow and sometimes drops during peak hours. Hotel and cruise Wi-Fi is the weakest link: many travellers find it fine for messaging and useless for video calls or uploads. Treat free Wi-Fi as a backup, not your main connection.

Public Wi-Fi in cafés is usually unencrypted. Avoid logging into banking or email on open networks; use your mobile data or a VPN for anything sensitive.

WhatsApp is the default for messaging and is used by drivers, guides and hotels, so install it before you arrive. Uber and Careem work in Cairo and Alexandria and give fixed fares, which avoids haggling; both need data and a working phone number for the account.

Set up your eSIM at home on Wi-Fi, test that it connects, then turn data roaming on for that line only when you land. Keep your home SIM active for bank verification codes, but switch off its data roaming to avoid charges.

Charging: Egypt uses 220 V, 50 Hz, with type C and type F sockets. US, UK and Australian plugs need an adapter. Power cuts are uncommon in tourist areas but possible; a small power bank is worth packing for long days at sites.