Traveling to Saudi Arabia is undoubtedly one of the best destinations. Still, you don’t want to be without an internet connection while exploring the Kingdom Centre or the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi. Want to know how you can connect to the internet in Saudi Arabia? There are many ways to do it. Some are costly, like roaming, and others are cheap and simple, like the prepaid SIM card for Saudi Arabia.
We understand that you may not know about this new alternative called eSIM for Saudi Arabia. We will tell you about everything you need to know to enjoy your trip with a more accessible internet connection. Using a prepaid SIM card or an eSIM card.
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Where to buy a SIM card for Saudi Arabia?
If you are planning your visit to the country and you are thinking about how to stay connected abroad, don’t worry. There are many alternatives for travelers. Among them, the most recommended and used are online stores. Where you can buy your prepaid SIM card for Saudi Arabia before your trip. It usually takes only a few minutes, and then you must wait for the chip to be sent to your address.
Another way you can take it is to buy your local SIM card when you have already arrived. Saudi Arabian mobile operators such as STC, Mobily, and Zain offer tourist SIM cards as prepaid services. You must consider which international airport you will arrive at and check if the phone companies have stores there. If not, you should look for the nearest one once you arrive in the city.
Easy to buy
When you arrive in Saudi Arabia, one of the drawbacks you may have is the language. So buying a local SIM card can be an uphill struggle. However, online stores have made things much easier for tourists from Saudi Arabia and other destinations worldwide. You can find multiple providers on the web that have multilingual portals and plans for tourists.
The easiest way to buy a prepaid SIM card for Saudi Arabia is definitely through these online stores. You can also do it when you arrive in the country with a local operator, but you will encounter obstacles. You may have to look for a physical store in a city you don’t know, then when you buy a SIM card, you have to go through a local registration process. Imagine going through all this without an internet connection because until you install the SIM card, you will not be connected.
Buy before you travel.
This is the recommendation of the majority, use online stores and buy your international SIM card before your trip. One benefit you will find by doing it this way is to be connected to the internet at all times. Ideal for scheduling an Uber, looking up an address, or keeping in touch with your family. These remote providers have easy checkout processes and multiple payment methods you can use.
The online stores offer SIM cards for Saudi Arabia with delivery in several countries thanks to international shipping. Always confirm that they can ship to your address. Otherwise, you will not be able to buy them. You can also count on the virtual SIM cards that store like Holafly offer. These work similarly to traditional SIM cards, but being virtual, they can be delivered immediately via email. Whether you take the route of a physical prepaid SIM card or an eSIM for Saudi Arabia before your trip, you will make things more convenient for your experience.
Buy upon arrival
The last and least recommended is to buy your tourist SIM card from a local operator in Saudi Arabia. Operators with most coverage in the country are STC, Mobily, and Zain, which have prepaid plans for visitors. The most direct way would be to confirm that an operator has a store at the international airport you are arriving at.
If you cannot buy a local SIM card at the international airport, you must do it in the city by looking for the nearest physical store. Whichever alternative you choose, after the purchase, you will have to register your SIM card, for which they may ask for your personal information and information about the phone where you will install it.
STC, Mobily, and Zain Stores in Saudi Arabia
In Saudi Arabia, there are other telephone companies; however, these three are considered the largest because they have the most extensive coverage area. Many tourists may believe that by buying a local SIM card from one of these operators, they will have better service than with an international SIM card. However, the international options also use these local networks to work. You just have to confirm that the one you buy has one of the operators as support.
As mentioned above, it is possible to find STC, Mobily, and Zain stores throughout Saudi Arabia. There are also options at international airports, shopping malls, and smaller stores. You just need to locate the closest option to your place of arrival to buy the local SIM card and be connected.
How much does a SIM card cost to travel to Saudi Arabia?
Local SIM cards purchased in Saudi Arabia have a wide range of prices, so it will depend significantly on how much you want to pay to choose a service. There are relatively inexpensive options starting at $10 for 1GB of browsing for a month’s use. On the other hand, we can find more expensive options, up to $75 for 80GB data packages to use in a month. Any of these options will allow you to stay connected in the country after registering and installing the SIM card on your phone.
If these plans do not fit your needs, you can consider using the virtual SIM card for Saudi Arabia that Holafly has for you. We will discuss this alternative below.
eSIM card for Saudi Arabia, the new alternative
This is the new era of the traditional SIM card, known as embedded SIM card or eSIM. They are small chips that are installed directly into our phones, so the entire purchase and installation process can be done virtually through a QR code. Online stores like Holafly sell eSIM for Saudi Arabia, which after purchase, will be sent to an email in the form of a QR code. We must scan this code to install the eSIM on our phones.
This advance presents excellent advantages for travelers looking to stay connected abroad. As they are virtual, we can purchase and install them easily from home and before our trip in just minutes. It is also possible to buy them once we are in Saudi Arabia, but the ideal is to have them before to be able to be connected to the internet as soon as we arrive.
As you can see, the eSIM for Saudi Arabia is a perfect option if you want an easy and secure way to maintain communication. Before buying one, we recommend you check a few points.
- You need to confirm if your phone is compatible with eSIM. You can use the updated list of compatible devices and search if your phone is found.
- When you purchase and receive your activation QR code, you must have a valid email address and have access to it.
- You need to have an internet connection in the process. Both to make the purchase and to activate the eSIM once you receive it. This is why it is recommended to purchase before your trip.
Holafly online store
Among all the stores that offer digital SIM cards for Saudi Arabia, one that stands out is the online store of Holafly. You can find web portals of this provider in more than ten languages and with 24/7 customer support and multi-language options. The website is very easy to use and intuitive for users, but if you have any questions, there will always be someone to assist you.
The whole process of purchasing and installing Holafly eSIMs is fast and secure. They have multiple payment methods to make it more accessible to people all over the world. You can choose any of the available data packages and install your eSIM. If you need your service for more days, you can also buy a top-up that will be automatically activated on the eSIM you already have configured.
Holafly is also supported by excellent mobile operators in all available destinations. In the case of the eSIM for Saudi Arabia, you can share data with nearby devices. There is no problem with using your local WhatsApp number because you can have your home country’s SIM card along with the Holafly eSIM simultaneously.
Disadvantages of Holafly’s eSIM card
So far we have touched on the pros of Holafly as a provider, but it is time to talk about the cons. With the virtual SIM card for Saudi Arabia, you will not have a local number, so you will not be able to make analog calls. You will be able to use applications such as WhatsApp or Skype to call as long as you have data available.
How can I shop at Holafly?
Shopping at the Holafly store starts by visiting their official website and searching for the destination country for which you want to buy your eSIM. After that, you will be able to see all the data plans available for the country or region, choose one, and you can proceed to the shopping cart. When you checkout, you must enter your contact information along with an email address you can access. When you checkout, you will see the methods available. Use the one you have at hand. Finally, at checkout, you will immediately receive your eSIM for Saudi Arabia as a QR code to scan and install on your phone.
How much does the eSIM cost for Saudi Arabia?
The price of the eSIM for your trip to Saudi Arabia depends on the amount of cellular data you need and the number of days of use during your trip. If you are interested in knowing more, please read the following table.
| Days of use | Amount of Ddata | Price (USD) |
| 7 | 3 GB | $34.00 |
| 15 | 6 GB | $49.00 |
Frequently asked questions about SIM card for Saudi Arabia
During your trip to Saudi Arabia, you will find several options that, like the SIM card, allow you to connect to the internet. However, most of these options are usually costly and impractical. Among these options are roaming, pocket WiFi, and public WiFi.
The rates usually charged by cellular operators for roaming services in Saudi Arabia vary a lot depending on the operator you use. However, in most cases, the price per MB you are charged is $6.79 USD. However, if you plan to travel to different places and not only stay in Saudi Arabia, you may be interested in the SIM card for Dubai.
The most important thing to consider when ordering your SIM card with data for Saudi Arabia is the number of days that your trip will last. This is important because, based on this, you can decide the number of days you want your data to be valid. Another vital aspect is the amount of data you need during your trip. If you are a person who regularly consumes a large amount of data, then clearly, you want to have a chip with plenty of data for your trip.
Do not worry if you have a problem with your SIM card during your trip to Saudi Arabia because if you bought a Holafly virtual SIM card, there’s an exceptional customer service line that will answer any questions and resolve any problems you may have with your eSIM card.
