Middle East & Africa

Best eSIM for Egypt

Egypt has four networks — Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat (etisalat by e&) and WE — with good 4G in Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, Aswan and the Red Sea resorts. Coverage holds along most of the Nile but thins in the Western Desert and around the oases. Travel eSIMs cost more here than in Europe, so compare.

Updated

At a glance

  • Budget pick: Talisim — $24.40 for 10 GB / 30 days on Orange, Etisalat and Vodafone, with no account needed
  • For repeat visitors: Dracotel — about $1.59 per GB on Orange ($15.90 for 10 GB), plus a $12-a-year subscription, and the balance carries over while you renew it
  • Best for Egypt plus Jordan: Airalo Menalink
  • Best for unlimited data: Holafly Egypt — useful on a Nile cruise, from $36.50 for 7 days, but hotspot is capped at about 500 MB–1 GB a day

Prices we checked

10 GB of data for 30 days, from each provider’s own website on 17 October 2026.

Provider Price Networks
Talisim $24.40 Orange, Etisalat, Vodafone
Nomad $28.00 Orange, Vodafone
Airalo $33.00 Vodafone

Holafly sells unlimited data instead: $36.50 for 7 days or $50.50 for 15 days.

Network notes

Vodafone has the widest coverage. Orange, Etisalat and WE — Telecom Egypt’s network, which has done well in recent independent tests — all cover the big cities, the Nile Valley and resorts like Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh and Dahab.

Talisim’s Egypt plans can use Vodafone, Orange and Etisalat, which helps on Nile cruises, where signal changes as you move between towns.

Practical connectivity tips

  • Install before you land. Cairo airport Wi-Fi is unreliable, and you’ll want data for Uber or Careem on arrival.
  • Apps you’ll want online: Uber, Careem and inDrive (rides — agree the route before you set off), Google Maps, and Talabat (food).
  • Nile cruises: signal comes and goes between Luxor and Aswan. Cruise-boat Wi-Fi is usually slow.
  • Desert trips to Siwa, the White Desert or Bahariya can be out of coverage for hours.

Watch out for

  • Drones are banned without a permit, and customs may confiscate them.
  • Red Sea dive boats lose signal offshore.
  • Bring cash for tips and small purchases. Card payments work in hotels and bigger shops, but not everywhere.

Recommended providers

Talisim

Usually the cheapest plan we can find, and buying one takes less time than finding your passport.

Editor's pick
4.4 / 5
From
$0.60
Countries
202+
Hotspot
Yes

Nomad

Like Airalo, but almost always a bit cheaper. Worth a look before you buy anything.

4.1 / 5
From
$3.50
Countries
200+
Hotspot
Yes

Airalo

The supermarket of eSIMs: plans for almost everywhere, just rarely the cheapest thing on the shelf.

4.1 / 5
From
$4.50
Countries
200+
Hotspot
Yes

Holafly

Unlimited data, so no more doing maths. Hotspot taps out at about 500 MB–1 GB a day, though.

4.0 / 5
From
$6.90
Countries
170+
Hotspot
Yes

Dracotel

One eSIM that stays on your phone between trips. It works like old-school pay-as-you-go, just in 200+ countries.

Something different
4.4 / 5
From
$1.00
Countries
200+
Hotspot
Yes

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