Saudi Arabia SIM Card for Tourists: Plans, Prices & Where to Buy

Saudi Arabia’s local visitor SIMs suit trips that need a Saudi phone number, ordinary calls or a large data allowance. STC and Mobily offer clearly priced visitor packages, while Zain is another option at official sales outlets. Roafly provides a data-only alternative on STC for travelers who want to arrange their internet before departure.

Saudi Arabia tourist SIM plans compared

Start with the length of your stay and whether you need a local number. The options below cover different needs, so a larger local bundle and a smaller travel eSIM should not be treated as identical products.

Operator offers and Roafly standard prices checked on 15 October 2026. Local prices include VAT and cover the advertised package; any separate SIM or activation charge must be confirmed at purchase. International minutes apply to eligible destinations. Prices and terms can change.

Local visitor packages can offer more data and included calls for less money. Roafly’s appeal is the ability to prepare before travel, retain your existing SIM and use a 30-day data plan without visiting a local shop.

Watch the validity as closely as the allowance. Four weeks means 28 days, while a 30-day plan covers two additional days; that distinction matters on a longer itinerary.

Can tourists buy a SIM without an Iqama?

Yes. Visitor SIM packages are designed for people entering Saudi Arabia temporarily, including tourists, business visitors and pilgrims. You do not need to select a resident postpaid contract simply to get mobile service during a visit.

Ask specifically for a visitor prepaid SIM. Resident offers, number-transfer promotions and contract prices can have different eligibility conditions from the visitor packages in the table.

Prepare the following for an in-person purchase:

• Your original passport.

• Your visa or entry details.

• Your border entry number, if requested for registration.

• The unlocked phone you intend to use.

SIM registration is linked to your identity. Your border number identifies your entry in the Saudi immigration system; it is different from a mobile phone number. The official border-number enquiry service can help you retrieve it.

Biometric verification may form part of the activation process. Follow the operator’s instructions for your visitor status and chosen purchase channel.

Does a local eSIM avoid registration?

Local operator eSIMs still require the applicable identity checks. Changing the SIM’s format does not turn it into an anonymous travel product.

Digital activation routes also exist for specific visitor groups. In May 2025, CST introduced an app-based eSIM route for international pilgrims using biometric verification through Absher. That announcement should not be treated as proof that every tourist can activate every local plan remotely.

STC’s current visitor offer requires a branch visit after arrival to activate a reserved number. If remote activation matters to you, establish your eligibility for the exact local offer before relying on it.

STC, Mobily or Zain: which visitor SIM fits your trip?

STC: a practical starting point for a short visit

STC’s Sawa Visitor packages combine data with local and eligible international calling. The two options in the table cover the same two-week period, making the choice mainly about how much data and call time you need.

The larger allowance makes sense if you expect to share data, upload frequently or spend substantial time away from accommodation Wi-Fi. Buying it will not extend the two-week expiry date.

STC lists the current offers as ending on 27 December 2026. Their package names are tariff labels, so use the displayed VAT-inclusive price when budgeting.

Mobily: compare the short-stay and full-month options

Mobily’s smaller visitor plan suits modest data use over two weeks. Its Visitors 90 package provides a much larger allowance over 30 days, making it relevant to longer stays and heavier use.

The plan name “Visitor 30” does not mean 30 days of service: that option lasts 14 days. Keep the tariff name, allowance and expiry separate when asking for a package at the counter.

Flex minutes combine eligible local and international calling. The useful question is whether your intended destination and number are included, especially if calling home is the main reason you want a local SIM.

Zain: request the current visitor offer at purchase

Zain sells visitor packages through its sales channels, with flex minutes for local and eligible international calls. Its SIMs are also available through the airport outlets discussed below.

Zain is not assigned a price in the comparison table because a consistent current allowance, validity and price could not be established from its public visitor page. Ask for those three details together with the final amount payable before choosing a package.

Where to buy a Saudi tourist SIM

Official operator outlets are the most straightforward place to match a visitor package to your documents and get help with activation. Airport counters offer arrival convenience; city branches let you make the purchase later in your itinerary.

Riyadh and Madinah airports

These are useful, verified buying locations:

• Riyadh King Khalid International Airport: Mobily is listed at the T1–T2 Metro Link and Terminal 5 arrivals. These locations are listed as operating around the clock.

• Madinah Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport: STC, Mobily and Zain kiosks are listed opposite the international arrivals gate and next to Gate 3.

Your arrival terminal determines which counter is convenient. Do not assume an outlet in another terminal is immediately accessible from your route through the airport.

SIM shopping comes after the arrival formalities. Review the Saudi Arabia customs rules beforehand, particularly if you are carrying medication or items that may need additional checks.

City branches and payment

Official branches are useful if you want staff assistance choosing or activating the plan. Ask for the visitor range rather than accepting a resident package solely because its headline price looks attractive.

City shops are not automatically cheaper than airport counters. Compare the exact package and the complete payment rather than assuming the location creates a saving.

The Riyadh airport Mobily listings show cash and major card payment options. Payment acceptance elsewhere depends on the outlet, so have a backup method available.

What to check before paying and leaving the shop

The advertised bundle price is only one part of the purchase. Ask the seller to separate:

1. The package charge, including VAT.

2. Any physical SIM or starter-card charge.

3. Any activation, service or mandatory first-recharge charge.

4. The final amount payable today.

Keep the receipt and the name of the plan you selected. Any additional charge should be explained before you pay.

Before leaving, turn off Wi-Fi and load a webpage using mobile data. Save the assigned Saudi number and ask the employee to show you the remaining allowance, expiry date and available top-up method. If ordinary calling is important, test that function too.

Check renewal terms at the same time. A prepaid line can still have optional or automatic bundle renewal, and buying a top-up does not necessarily extend the existing package in the way you expect.

When a Roafly eSIM makes more sense

Roafly’s Saudi Arabia eSIM uses STC, with 4G or 5G depending on local availability and device compatibility. You can install it before travel, and validity begins when it first connects to a supported network in Saudi Arabia.

Both Roafly options in the comparison have 30-day validity. Hotspot uses your purchased allowance without a separate tethering quota, and top-ups are available if you need more data.

Roafly is particularly useful when your priorities are:

• Preparing mobile internet before departure.

• Avoiding a local SIM purchase and registration visit.

• Keeping your existing SIM available for your usual number.

• Using maps, bookings and messaging apps without needing a Saudi phone number.

You need an unlocked, eSIM-compatible device. Roafly’s Saudi plans are data-only and do not supply a local number, ordinary cellular calls or SMS; they cannot receive a verification code sent to a Saudi number.

If you want to compare travel-eSIM providers and their plan details, our guide to the best eSIM options for Saudi Arabia covers that decision separately.

During Umrah or a multi-city trip, decide how your group will communicate before buying. Ordinary phone calls favor a local visitor SIM; app-based coordination needs mobile data and working accounts on the apps you intend to use.

Saudi Arabia tourist SIM FAQs

Do “countries covered” in a visitor package mean roaming destinations?

Not necessarily. STC’s visitor offer uses country lists to describe eligible international calling destinations. Those lists should not be read as permission to use the included data while traveling in those countries.

Can I use the same package in Bahrain or the UAE?

Do not assume a Saudi domestic allowance includes either destination. An onward trip needs a plan or roaming option that explicitly covers the next country.

Should I buy a physical SIM if my phone does not support eSIM?

Yes, provided your phone is unlocked and compatible with the local network. Ask the operator to activate a physical visitor SIM and test it in your device before leaving.

Buy a local visitor SIM when the Saudi number, calling allowance or larger data bundle justifies the registration step. Roafly suits trips where arranging mobile internet in advance and covering the journey with a 30-day plan are the priorities.

Roafly publishes this guide and provides the travel-eSIM option discussed above.