For most trips, an Airalo eSIM is the cheapest way to get mobile data abroad: in October 2026, seven days with 5 GB cost $10 in Italy or Japan, while Verizon and AT&T charge $12 a day for roaming. A local tourist SIM beats Airalo when you stay longer or use a lot of data, as in Thailand, where AIS sells 15 days of unlimited data for 699 baht. Roaming wins only on convenience.
All prices below were checked on the providers’ own websites on October 29, 2026. Dollar conversions for baht and euros use that day’s European Central Bank reference rates.
The short answer: which option fits your trip?
| Your trip | Cheapest sensible option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 days, light use | Carrier day pass or a small Airalo plan | Setup time matters more than a few dollars |
| 1 to 2 weeks, normal use | Airalo fixed-data eSIM | A week with 5 to 10 GB cost $10 to $17 in Italy and Japan |
| 2 weeks or more, heavy use | Local tourist SIM | Far more data per dollar |
| Several countries in one trip | Airalo regional eSIM | One plan, no SIM swaps at borders |
| EU phone plan, traveling inside the EU | Your own plan | “Roam like at home” means no extra charge |
| You need your own number for calls | Carrier roaming | eSIMs and local SIMs give you a different number or none |
How much does each option cost? Real prices for three countries
We picked three popular destinations with very different local markets: Italy, Japan and Thailand.
Italy: 7-day trip
| Option | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Airalo Italy eSIM | 5 GB, 7 days, on Wind Tre | $10.00 |
| Airalo Italy eSIM | 10 GB, 7 days | $17.00 |
| Airalo Italy eSIM | Unlimited, 7 days | $23.00 |
| TIM Tourist (local SIM) | 200 GB for 30 days, unlimited domestic calls, 100 international minutes | €24.99 incl. €10 SIM (about $28) |
| T-Mobile International Pass | 15 GB, 10 days, calls included | $50 |
| Verizon TravelPass | Your plan abroad, $12 per day | $84 for 7 days |
| AT&T International Day Pass | Your plan abroad, $12 per day | $84 for 7 days |
Airalo wins for a normal week, even if you need unlimited data. TIM Tourist pays off on longer stays or if you want an Italian number: for a month, it costs €24.99 against $64 for Airalo’s 30-day unlimited plan or $35 for 50 GB. TIM’s offer page points buyers to its store locator, so budget time for a shop visit after you land. Only 23 GB of the 200 GB works in other EU countries, which matters if Italy is one stop on a longer route.
Japan: 7-day trip
| Option | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Airalo Japan eSIM | 5 GB, 7 days, on SoftBank | $10.00 |
| Airalo Japan eSIM | 10 GB, 7 days | $17.00 |
| Airalo Japan eSIM | Unlimited, 7 days | $26.50 |
| IIJmio Japan Travel SIM Unlimited (local SIM) | Unlimited data for 10, 15 or 31 days on au’s network, no calls or SMS | Set by each retailer |
| T-Mobile International Pass | 15 GB, 10 days | $50 |
| Verizon TravelPass or AT&T Day Pass | $12 per day | $84 for 7 days |
Japan is the clearest Airalo win. The tourist SIM we looked at, IIJmio’s Japan Travel SIM, has no calls or SMS either, so you lose nothing by using an eSIM, and IIJmio doesn’t publish a fixed price for its unlimited version. Its service page tells buyers to check the price at the store. Its unlimited plan also caps hotspot use (9 GB on the 10-day plan) before slowing to 128 kbps.
If you’re heading to Japan, our Japan Rail Pass guide and Narita and Haneda transfer guide cover the next two things you’ll need your data for.
Thailand: 15-day trip
| Option | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Airalo Thailand eSIM | 10 GB, 15 days, on dtac | $10.50 |
| Airalo Thailand eSIM | 20 GB, 15 days | $17.50 |
| Airalo Thailand eSIM | Unlimited, 15 days | $39.00 |
| AIS Tourist SIM (local SIM or eSIM) | Unlimited data, 15 days, Thai number, 100 baht calling credit | 699 baht (about $21) |
| T-Mobile International Pass | 30 GB, 30 days | $75 |
| AT&T International Day Pass | $12 per day, capped at 10 daily fees per bill | $120 if the trip falls in one billing period |
| Verizon TravelPass | $12 per day | $180 for 15 days |
Thailand is where local SIMs shine. AIS charges 699 baht for 15 days of unlimited data at full speed, about half of Airalo’s unlimited plan. AIS also sells 5 days for 399 baht, 8 days for 499 baht and 30 days for 1,199 baht. If you only check maps and messages, Airalo’s 10 GB for $10.50 is still cheaper and works the moment you land.
Airalo eSIM: pros and cons
Airalo sells data plans you install on your phone as an eSIM, so there’s no plastic card to pick up. You buy in the app or on the website, install over Wi-Fi before you leave, and switch it on when you land.
What works well
- Price on short trips. Fixed-data plans start at $4 for 1 GB over 3 days in all three countries we checked.
- Validity starts on arrival. For most packages, the clock starts when the eSIM first connects to a supported network at your destination, not when you install it.
- Regional plans. Airalo’s regional Europe eSIM covers 41 countries; 7 days with 5 GB cost $18.50, and 15 days with 10 GB cost $28.
- Hotspot. Airalo says you can share data if your phone and the network allow it.
- Support. Airalo says its support team is available 24/7, including over WhatsApp.
What to watch
- Usually no phone number. Airalo says many of its eSIMs are data-only. The plan type (“Data Only” or “Data, Voice & Text”) is shown before you pay.
- Your phone must support eSIM and must not be SIM-locked to your carrier.
- Data is for the whole period, not per day. A 5 GB, 7-day plan is 5 GB in total.
- Refunds come as credit. Airalo’s in-app refunds for eligible orders are paid in Airmoney, its in-app currency, and expired or fully used eSIMs aren’t eligible.
Buy and install the eSIM at home while you have good Wi-Fi. Airalo recommends it, and it saves you hunting for a connection at the airport. Just check the package’s validity policy first, since a few start counting at installation.
Local tourist SIM: pros and cons
A local tourist SIM usually gives you a local number and, in the two countries below, far more data per dollar than Airalo on long stays. The two we priced:
- TIM Tourist (Italy): €14.99 for 30 days plus €10 for the SIM card, with 200 GB of 5G data, unlimited domestic calls and 100 international minutes. Activation is free. An optional extra 100 GB costs €5.
- AIS Tourist SIM (Thailand): 399 baht for 5 days, 499 for 8, 699 for 15, 1,199 for 30 and 1,599 for 60, all with unlimited data, free calls within AIS and 100 baht of credit for other calls. AIS also sells it as an eSIM. A 1-day plan costs 49 baht for 1 GB.
The catches. You usually need to find a shop, at the airport or in town, unless the carrier sells an eSIM online. Expect to register with ID: AIS asks tourists to register their SIM and, under Thai regulator rules, to reconfirm identity with a passport number to keep using it beyond 60 days. You also swap out your home SIM unless you have a dual-SIM phone, which means missing texts to your home number.
Carrier roaming: pros and cons
Roaming means paying your home carrier to use your normal plan abroad. It’s the easiest option and the most expensive for more than a couple of days.
| Carrier | Pass | Price | Data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon | TravelPass | $12 per line per day | 5 GB of high-speed data per day, then 3G speeds |
| AT&T | International Day Pass | $12 per day, $6 per extra line; never more than 10 daily fees per line per bill | Unlimited, on eligible unlimited plans |
| T-Mobile | International Pass | $10 for 1 day (2 GB), $50 for 10 days (15 GB), $75 for 30 days (30 GB) | Includes calls in 215+ countries |
| EE (UK) | Roaming packages | From £2.72 a day | Varies by destination |
Verizon only charges on days you actually use your phone abroad, and AT&T’s 10-day cap per billing period limits the damage on long trips. Still, a week in Italy on either costs $84, eight times the price of a 5 GB Airalo plan.
Roaming makes sense if you’re away for a day or two, if your employer pays, or if you must receive calls and texts on your own number all day.
Travelers with an EU phone plan
If your plan is from an EU country, you’re covered by the EU’s “roam like at home” rules: calls, texts and data in other EU countries, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Moldova and Ukraine, cost the same as at home, within fair-use limits. You only need an eSIM or local SIM when you leave that zone, for example to Japan or Thailand. The UK sits outside these rules, although some operators include it in their plans.
How to keep your home number while using an eSIM
Many recent phones support two lines at once, one physical SIM and one eSIM or two eSIMs. That lets you:
- Install the Airalo eSIM before you fly and label it something like “Travel data”.
- Set the eSIM as your mobile data line and turn data roaming on for that line only.
- Keep your home line on for calls and texts, with data roaming switched off. Airalo’s own help center recommends turning off data roaming on your primary SIM to avoid charges.
- Check your carrier’s rates for incoming texts and calls abroad, since some charge for them even without a day pass.
- Use WhatsApp, Signal or FaceTime for calls over the eSIM data.
Our verdict
For a typical one- or two-week trip, get an Airalo eSIM sized to your real usage. To pick a size, open your phone’s data usage screen, see what a normal week at home uses, and buy at least that much. Switch to a local SIM when you’re staying two weeks or more in one country with a cheap local market, like Thailand, or when you’ll stream a lot. Keep carrier roaming for short hops and for when your own number matters more than the price.
Planning where to use all that data? Browse creator-made travel maps on Guidez, and if Italy is next, read our guide to getting from Rome Fiumicino to the city centre and our cheap train tickets in Europe hacks.
