Travel SIM Card Cost Calculator
Compare local SIM, eSIM, and carrier day pass costs for a trip abroad.
Sizes the data plan you need and finds the break-even trip length between them.
Staying connected abroad is one of the most confusing travel expenses. You have three main options, each with very different cost structures.
The prices named below are rough guides from 2025 and they move constantly, which is why this calculator asks you for the three numbers instead of storing them. Looking up an eSIM price takes under a minute and gives you an exact answer rather than an estimate that was right eighteen months ago.
Option 1: Roaming with your home carrier Most US, UK, and Australian carriers offer international add-ons. Without an add-on, roaming data can cost $10 to $20 per megabyte, which is how people come home to four-figure phone bills. With an add-on:
- T-Mobile Magenta: unlimited roaming in 215+ countries (data throttled to 256 kbps)
- AT&T International Day Pass: $10/day, full home-plan speed
- Verizon TravelPass: $10/day in most countries
- Roaming is convenient but expensive for data-heavy use
Option 2: Local SIM card Buy a local prepaid SIM at the airport or a phone store. This gives you:
- Local call rates (often free incoming calls)
- Full-speed data at local prices (often 5–20× cheaper than roaming add-ons)
- Typical cost: $5–$30 for 5–30 GB of data for 7–30 days
- Requires an unlocked phone
- May need to show passport for registration in some countries
Option 3: eSIM (digital SIM) No physical SIM swap needed, which also means you keep your home number active on the other line. Providers like Airalo, Holafly, and Nomad offer:
- Airalo: from $5 for 1 GB in most countries
- Holafly: unlimited data plans from $19/7 days
- Ubigi, Nomad: regional and global plans available
- Best for: travelers with newer phones (iPhone XS+, most Android 2020+)
Rule of thumb:
- Under 3 days: carrier day pass is often easiest
- 4–14 days: eSIM usually wins on value
- 15+ days: local SIM almost always cheapest
Data usage reference:
- Social media, light browsing: 100–200 MB/day
- Maps + messaging + email: 200–500 MB/day
- Video calls + streaming: 1–3 GB/day
- Heavy use / hotspot: 3–10 GB/day
How we build and check this calculator
This calculator runs entirely in your browser, so the numbers you enter stay on your device. The math behind it is written by hand and tested against worked examples and standard references before the page goes live.
SuperGlobalCalculator is independently built and maintained. See how we build and verify our calculators.