Internet
Yes
Calls
No
SMS
No
4G
Yes
Works only on unlocked eSIM-supported devices — check your phone compatibility before purchase
Most packages do not include calls or SMS
Choose one of three methods:
Scan QR code
Install via 'Quick Install' button
Manual setup through phone settings
Use the package within 3 months from purchase
Local (one country), Regional (multiple countries), Global (many countries)
Not available for Sicily
Saudi Arabia is huge: Riyadh, Jeddah, AlUla and the Red Sea coast are hundreds of kilometres apart, and many trips rely on flights, trains and ride-hailing apps. Without internet it is hard to call a car, find the right entrance to a mall or agree a pickup with a transfer driver. An eSIM is installed at home in advance, so after landing all you do is switch data on.
This page is the quickest way to buy a travel eSIM for Saudi Arabia from 4 900 ₸. Pick a plan, pay online and install the digital SIM card at home before the flight — no passport and no queue at an airport kiosk.
The eSIM connects to local mobile networks, so you have data wherever they have coverage — Riyadh and the rest of the country.
Compared with roaming in Saudi Arabia, an eSIM is usually much cheaper for mobile data: the price of the package is fixed and known in advance. Your home number stays active on the main SIM for calls and SMS.
If your phone does not support eSIM, you can buy a regular physical SIM card with data for Saudi Arabia at a Funsim point of sale: at Almaty and Shymkent airports, or at our offices in Almaty — 130/1 Abay St and 1 Pozharsky St. Handy if you remember about the internet right before departure.
Distances in the kingdom mean one trip can cover several regions: the capital in the centre, Jeddah and the holy cities in the west, Dhahran and Al Khobar in the east, the Asir mountains in the south. You do not need a separate local SIM for each leg, as one profile works across the country. See the Saudi Arabia plan above, and if you fly via neighbouring Gulf countries, look at the regional plans too.
Your main SIM stays in the phone for calls and bank SMS while mobile data runs through the eSIM. Most plans have no voice calls or SMS, so messengers are the easiest way to reach guides, hosts and family. Taxi and delivery apps usually send a verification code by SMS, so it helps to keep your home number switched on.
| Criterion | eSIM Funsim | Roaming | Local SIM |
|---|---|---|---|
| When to set up | At home, before the flight | Usually on arrival | After landing, at an operator shop |
| What you do in Saudi Arabia | Switch data on | Check your operator's terms | Visit a point of sale in person |
| Cost of data | Fixed package, see plans above | Usually much more expensive | Depends on the operator's tariff |
| Your home number | Stays for calls and banking | Stays active | Often a second SIM or a swap |
| Several regions on one trip | One profile nationwide | Depends on operator terms | Works, but buying takes time |
Cities are densely covered, while the desert, mountain roads and the new resort areas on the coast need some preparation. These are the places where you will use the internet most.
A vast capital where everything is spread over long distances: from the Olaya district to Diriyah and the business quarters you travel by car. You need internet for taxis, maps, restaurant bookings and food orders. Business trips and conferences also run on messengers, so it is handy to be online right after landing.
A port city on the Red Sea with the Corniche promenade and the old quarter of Al-Balad. The old district has narrow lanes where a navigator really helps, and in the evening the waterfront fills with people. Jeddah is also the main gateway for many pilgrims, so internet is often needed at the airport and on transport for maps and contact with a group.
For pilgrims and umrah travellers, the heaviest load on the network comes on days of big crowds, which our article on hajj and umrah covers in detail. From a practical point of view, save prayer times, a map and group contacts in advance, and arrange transfers between the two cities in a messenger. Check visiting rules with your organiser.
An oasis in the north-west with ancient Hegra, rock-cut tombs and canyons. Tours are often booked ahead, and on site you need internet for confirmations, the map and contact with your guide. Distances between sights are long and signal can be weaker in desert stretches, so save your route offline.
A cool region in the south-west with mountain villages, scenic roads and a cable car. People come here in summer to escape the heat, and the roads wind along slopes, so signal may drop between valleys. Download an offline map and keep mobile internet for forecasts and booking a place to stay.
Yanbu, Umluj and the new resort areas, where people go boating, diving and snorkelling. Network in hotels and ports usually works, but out at sea and on empty beaches the connection is unstable. If you travel by transfer or boat, save contacts and booking confirmations in advance.
The Eastern Province with its waterfronts, malls and business districts. Many people come for work and trade shows, and from here people drive over the causeway to Bahrain. You need internet for taxis, maps and email, and for intercity drives it is handy to keep the route in your navigator.
A mountain city an hour or two from Jeddah and Mecca, visited for cooler air and its rose gardens. The road climbs in switchbacks and signal may briefly weaken in the hills. Internet is needed for taxis, cafes and booking accommodation, and it is best to save the route offline.
Trips into the desert near Riyadh, including the cliffs of Jebel Fihrayn, are usually made in a group with 4x4 vehicles. Outside the city there may be no network at all, so download maps in advance, agree a meeting point with your guide and tell people your route. Do not head into wild areas without spare water and fuel.
Most familiar services work, but a few local apps are especially in demand in the kingdom.
The main way to order a car in big cities and from airports. The price is shown before the ride and you do not have to explain the address to the driver. Install it in advance and add a card at home.
A regional ride-hailing service long familiar across the Middle East. Often useful when Uber takes a while to find a car or you want to compare options.
Popular local services delivering from restaurants and cafes. Handy in the evening when it is hot and you do not feel like going out. It is best to mark your address with a pin on the map.
The official app for organising umrah and visits to the holy sites. If you travel for that purpose, get to know it and the current conditions beforehand.
The main map for cities and highways, showing opening hours and reviews. For the desert and mountains, download an offline map of the region before you leave.
Helps with Arabic signs and menus. Download Arabic for offline use and translate text with the camera on the spot.
This is how you reach guides, hosts and transfer drivers. Since most plans have no voice calls, calling through a messenger is easiest, though in Gulf countries calls through messengers can be restricted.
Check that your phone supports eSIM and is not locked to a carrier. You can see this in the settings or on the manufacturer's website.
Choose a Saudi Arabia plan above and pay by card on the site. No passport is needed to buy.
Install the eSIM at home by QR code, the Quick install button or manually while you have Wi-Fi. Do not leave it for the airport.
After landing in Riyadh, Jeddah or another city, choose the eSIM for mobile data and switch data roaming on for that line.
Keep your main SIM for calls and bank SMS, and turn off mobile data on it so traffic does not go through roaming.
If the package runs out, buy extra data on the site. Sharing the connection with a laptop works on plans that allow it, so check the plan page for terms.
Before leaving a city, download offline maps and save your accommodation address: in the desert and mountains the signal can vanish for long stretches.
