SIM Card vs eSIM vs Roaming: A Cost Breakdown

The same week of travel can cost $5 or $80 depending on how you connect. Here is the real math.

• Roaming: $10 per day typical, $70 for a week
• Travel eSIM: $5 to $20 for a week of data
• Local SIM: $3 to $10 for a month of data
• Local SIM wins for stays over two weeks

Turn off roaming and grab a local SIM or eSIM the moment you land, and you save the difference every time.

The savings grow with every day of the trip, so even a weekend trip justifies the five-minute setup.