Local SIM Card Guides for Asia (2026)
43 country guides with local carrier comparisons, pricing, and where to buy. Average tourist plan: $8.
- Countries
- 43
- Cheapest Plan
- $2Myanmar
- Avg. Tourist Plan
- $8
- Full Guides
- 43
HelloRoam eSIM (8.8/10, 31/31 activations) offers the best pricing and app UX for Asia: covers Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, and 10+ countries from $4-6/GB, activates in 2 minutes, no passport required. For local SIMs, Vietnam and Cambodia have the cheapest tourist plans from $3-5 at airports.
Asia offers the best value SIM cards anywhere in the world. Vietnam, Cambodia, and Indonesia have tourist plans starting under $5, sold at airports and convenience stores within minutes of landing. Registration requirements vary: Japan requires no ID for tourist SIMs while India mandates biometric verification with passport scans at official Jio, Airtel, or Vi counters. Carriers AIS in Thailand, Chunghwa Telecom in Taiwan, and SK Telecom in South Korea all operate dedicated tourist counters at major international airports.
Best Value Countries in Asia
Ranked by average tourist plan cost. Plans under $10 represent exceptional value.
Highest SIM Score in Asia
SIM Score rates ease of purchase, value, coverage, and convenience out of 100.
Registration Requirements in Asia
Every country listed below requires passport or ID at the point of SIM purchase unless marked No.
| Country | Passport Required | Registration Required | Best Buy Location |
|---|---|---|---|
 Japan | No | No | |
 Thailand | Yes | Yes | |
 South Korea | Yes | Yes | |
 Vietnam | Yes | Yes | |
 India | Yes | Yes | |
 Taiwan | Yes | Yes | |
 Indonesia | Yes | Yes | |
 Malaysia | Yes | Yes | |
 Philippines | No | Yes | |
 Singapore | Yes | Yes | |
 Cambodia | Yes | Yes | |
 China | Yes | Yes | |
 Nepal | Yes | Yes | |
 Sri Lanka | Yes | Yes | |
 Myanmar | Yes | Yes | |
 Laos | Yes | Yes | |
 Bangladesh | Yes | Yes | |
 Hong Kong | No | No | |
 Macao | No | No | |
 Mongolia | Yes | Yes | |
 Uzbekistan | Yes | Yes | |
 Kazakhstan | Yes | Yes | |
 Jordan | Yes | Yes | |
 Israel | Yes | Yes | |
 United Arab Emirates | Yes | Yes | |
 Saudi Arabia | Yes | Yes | |
 Qatar | Yes | Yes | |
 Oman | Yes | Yes | |
 Kuwait | Yes | Yes | |
 Bahrain | Yes | Yes | |
 Lebanon | Yes | Yes | |
 Iraq | Yes | Yes | |
 Yemen | Yes | Yes | |
 Palestine | Yes | Yes | |
 Syria | Yes | Yes | |
 Maldives | No | No | |
 Bhutan | Yes | Yes | |
 Tajikistan | Yes | Yes | |
 Kyrgyzstan | Yes | Yes | |
 Turkmenistan | Yes | Yes | |
 Afghanistan | Yes | Yes | |
 Timor-Leste | Yes | No | |
 Brunei | No | No |
Top eSIM Plans for Asia
Activate before you land. No airport queue, no physical card required.
HelloRoam
3 GB / 7 days
Airalo
1 GB / 7 days
Holafly
Unlimited / 5 days
See all eSIM providers in our full comparison.
All Asia SIM Card Guides
Each guide covers local carriers, plan prices, where to buy, and registration rules.
Japanfrom $1.4Thailandfrom $1.4South Koreafrom $1.4Vietnamfrom $1.7Indiafrom $3.86Taiwanfrom $8Indonesiafrom $1.4Malaysiafrom $1.4Philippinesfrom $2.14Singaporefrom $1.1Cambodiafrom $2.58Chinafrom $1.4Nepalfrom $3.88Sri Lankafrom $2.1Myanmarfrom $8Laosfrom $2.64Bangladeshfrom $1.78Hong Kongfrom $1.4Macaofrom $1.4Mongoliafrom $6.4Uzbekistanfrom $1.4Kazakhstanfrom $1.54Jordanfrom $3.72Israelfrom $2.4United Arab Emiratesfrom $3.5Saudi Arabiafrom $3.24Qatarfrom $3.26Omanfrom $3.2Kuwaitfrom $16Bahrainfrom $3.12Lebanonfrom $12Iraqfrom $4.6Yemenfrom $5Palestinefrom $10Syriafrom $5Maldivesfrom $13.2Bhutanfrom $4.98Tajikistanfrom $4.04Kyrgyzstanfrom $1.5Turkmenistanfrom $12Afghanistanfrom $9Timor-Lestefrom $8Bruneifrom $9.2Frequently Asked Questions: SIM Cards in Asia
What is the cheapest country to buy a SIM card in Asia?
Vietnam has the cheapest tourist SIM cards in Asia. Viettel and Vinaphone sell plans starting at $3 to $4 for 10 GB over 7 days. Cambodia and Indonesia are close behind with plans under $5 for basic data.
Do I need a passport to buy a SIM card in Asia?
Requirements vary by country. Japan does not require ID for most tourist SIMs. Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, and India all require passport registration at the point of sale. In Thailand, carrier staff handle the passport scan for you in under 5 minutes.
Can I use a single SIM card across multiple Asian countries?
No single local SIM covers all of Asia. For multi-country travel, an eSIM from HelloRoam or Airalo is the practical choice, covering 185+ countries on local carrier networks. Alternatively, buy a new local SIM in each country you visit.
Which Asian country has the best mobile internet speeds?
South Korea consistently ranks first globally for mobile internet speed, with SK Telecom and KT delivering median 5G download speeds above 400 Mbps in Seoul. Japan and Singapore follow closely. Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Indonesia offer solid 4G speeds in cities but slower connections in rural areas.
Where is the best place to buy a SIM card at Asian airports?
Most major Asian airports have carrier counters directly in the arrivals hall. Bangkok Suvarnabhumi has AIS, DTAC, and TrueMove H counters. Incheon (Seoul) has SK Telecom, KT, and LG U+ kiosks. Narita and Haneda (Tokyo) have IIJmio and Sakura Mobile. Changi (Singapore) has Singtel and StarHub. Buy at the airport to get online immediately.