Travel eSIM Price Comparison: Cost Per GB Across 5 Regions

"Starting At" Prices Are Meaningless

Every travel eSIM provider leads with a "starting at" price that applies to the smallest data pack in the cheapest destination. Saily starts at $1.79. Airalo starts at $5. Jetpac starts at $4. These numbers tell you almost nothing about what you will actually pay for a usable amount of data in the country you are visiting.

I spent weeks compiling real pricing across 12 providers for the travel eSIMs category, and the price differences are larger than most travelers expect. A 5GB plan for the same destination can cost $8 from one provider and $35 from another. Regional plans where a single eSIM covers an entire continent can be dramatically better value than single-country plans, but only some providers offer them.

This post breaks down the actual cost per GB across five of the most popular travel corridors: Europe, USA, Southeast Asia, Japan, and global multi-region plans. If you are still deciding which provider is right for you overall, start with our complete buyer's guide. If you are specifically interested in unlimited plans, see our unlimited data deep-dive.

How We Compared Pricing

To make fair comparisons across providers with wildly different plan structures, I standardized on a 5GB / 7-day benchmark for each region. This represents a typical week of moderate travel use, maps, messaging, email, social media, and some web browsing without heavy streaming.

Where a provider does not offer an exact 5GB/7-day plan, I used the closest available option and calculated the effective per-GB cost. For providers like Holafly that price by duration rather than data amount, I calculated what their 7-day unlimited plan costs relative to a moderate 5GB usage pattern.

Pricing was verified directly from each provider's website or app in February 2026. Prices can fluctuate, so treat these as representative benchmarks rather than guaranteed quotes.

Europe: The Most Competitive Corridor

Europe is the most popular travel eSIM destination, and pricing reflects the intense competition. Most providers offer regional plans covering 30-39 European countries under a single eSIM, which eliminates the hassle of buying separate plans for multi-country trips.

Budget tier (under $2.50/GB):

• Saily leads the pack at roughly $1.60-2.20 per GB for European destinations, making a 5GB plan around $8-11. This is the best pure-value play for Europe.
• Jetpac offers competitive introductory rates around $2.00-3.20 per GB after applying their 20% bulk discount, though network performance in Europe has been inconsistent in testing.

Mid-range ($2.50-4.00/GB):

• Airalo regional Europe plans (39 countries) run approximately $3.60 per GB, with a 5GB plan around $18. Single-country plans can be cheaper at $2.80-3.60 per GB depending on the destination.
• Nomad sits in a similar range at $3.60-5.00 per GB for European plans.
• Roamless RoamlessFix plans for Europe fall around $3.20-4.80 per GB for a 5GB allocation.

Premium (above $4.00/GB):

• Ubigi charges roughly $5.00-6.70 per GB for European coverage, but delivers the fastest speeds of any provider tested, a trade-off that makes sense for business travelers on video calls.
• GigSky is the most expensive mainstream option at approximately $6.00-8.00 per GB for European destinations.
• Maya Mobile falls in the premium tier at roughly $5.00-7.30 per GB for a 3GB European plan.

The unlimited wildcard:

• Holafly charges $27.30 for 7 days of unlimited data in Europe. If you use 5GB, that is effectively $5.46 per GB, premium pricing. But if you use 15GB or more, the per-GB cost drops below $2.00, making it the best value for heavy users. The math tips in Holafly's favor once you cross roughly 8-10GB in a week.

Europe bottom line: Saily wins on pure price. Airalo wins on coverage flexibility with 39-country regional plans. Holafly wins if you will use more than 8-10GB in a week.

USA: Wide Price Spread

The USA is a straightforward single-country destination for most travelers, but pricing varies more than you might expect.

Budget tier:

• Saily again offers the best per-GB pricing for USA plans, typically $1.80-2.40 per GB.
• aloSIM is competitive for USA coverage at roughly $2.50-3.50 per GB, with the added bonus of a free phone number via their Hushed partnership.

Mid-range:

• Airalo USA plans run approximately $2.80-3.60 per GB for local plans, which is solid value given the strong carrier partnerships.
• Nomad and Roamless fall in the $3.50-5.00 per GB range for comparable USA plans.

Premium:

• GigSky and Ubigi both charge $5.00+ per GB for USA data, though Ubigi's speed advantage is particularly noticeable in the US where it partners with major carriers.

USA bottom line: Saily and Airalo are both strong choices. If you need a phone number for local calls, aloSIM's Hushed integration makes it worth the slight price premium.

Southeast Asia: Budget-Friendly Across the Board

Southeast Asia is one of the cheapest regions for eSIM data, with local telecom costs keeping prices low across most providers. Countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia are well-covered.

Budget tier:

• Saily starts under $2.00 per GB for major Southeast Asian destinations.
• Airalo offers some of its best per-GB pricing in this region, with local plans running $2.00-3.00 per GB.
• Jetpac also delivers strong value in Asia-Pacific at $2.00-3.50 per GB.

Mid-range:

• Nomad and aloSIM fall in the $3.00-4.50 per GB range for Southeast Asian coverage.
• Flexiroam, being Malaysian-founded, has strong Asia-Pacific carrier partnerships and runs $3.00-4.80 per GB with the added benefit of FlexiShare data sharing for group travelers.

Premium:

• Ubigi and GigSky maintain their premium positioning at $4.00-7.00 per GB even in this cheaper region.

Southeast Asia bottom line: Almost every provider is affordable here. Saily and Airalo lead on price, but Flexiroam's data-sharing feature makes it the better choice for couples or groups traveling together.

Japan: A Special Case

Japan is worth calling out separately because it is one of the most popular individual eSIM destinations, and pricing does not always follow regional patterns. Japan's advanced telecom infrastructure means providers can offer strong speeds, but carrier access fees keep prices higher than other Asian destinations.

Budget tier:

• Saily offers Japan plans in the $2.00-3.00 per GB range, still the cheapest option.
• Airalo Japan-specific plans run roughly $3.00-4.00 per GB.

Mid-range:

• Nomad Japan plans fall around $4.00-5.50 per GB.
• Ubigi is interesting here because Japan is one of the destinations where their speed advantage is most pronounced, and pricing runs $4.00-6.00 per GB.

Premium:

• GigSky Japan plans are among their most expensive at $6.00-9.00 per GB.
• Yesim offers unique city-specific plans for Tokyo that can be marginally cheaper than their country-wide Japan plans.

Japan bottom line: Saily and Airalo are the clear value picks. If network speed is critical, say, for navigating Tokyo's subway system with real-time maps, Ubigi's faster connection might justify the premium.

Global Plans: For Multi-Continent Trips

Global plans cover 100+ countries under a single eSIM and are designed for travelers visiting multiple continents on the same trip. Per-GB costs are higher than regional plans but eliminate the hassle of buying separate plans for each destination.

Best value global:

• Airalo global plans covering 130+ countries run approximately $4.50-6.00 per GB at the 5GB level. The Discover+ global plan adds voice and SMS for roughly $15-50 depending on data included.
• Roamless is the most convenient global option, their single permanent eSIM covers 208 countries. RoamlessFlex pay-as-you-go credits never expire, running roughly $5-20 per GB depending on the specific country you are using data in. RoamlessFix global plans are $3.20-4.80 per GB.

Premium global:

• GigSky One subscription at ~$34/month provides ongoing global coverage with rollover data, best for frequent travelers who are abroad every month.
• Ubigi monthly subscription plans at ~$20-25/month for 5GB global data suit business travelers with regular international schedules.
• Saily Ultra at ~$60/month bundles unlimited global data with NordVPN, NordPass, and airport lounge access, the most expensive option but the most feature-complete.

Global bottom line: Roamless wins for convenience with a single permanent eSIM and non-expiring credits. Airalo wins for per-GB value on fixed global plans. The subscription options from GigSky, Ubigi, and Saily make sense only if you travel internationally multiple times per month.

Hidden Costs and Gotchas

Beyond the sticker price, watch for these factors that affect real-world cost:

Data that expires too soon. Many plans activate on purchase, not on first use. A 7-day plan bought three days before departure means you are paying for data you cannot use. Providers like GigSky (12-month activation window) and Roamless (non-expiring credits) avoid this problem entirely.

Top-up pricing. Running out of data mid-trip can be expensive. Some providers charge a premium for top-ups compared to buying a larger plan upfront. Nomad and Airalo handle this well with straightforward in-app top-ups at comparable rates.

Throttling on "unlimited" plans. Holafly's fair-use policy throttles after 3-5GB daily. Nomad throttles after just 1-2GB daily. Flexiroam throttles after 3GB daily. If you hit these caps, your "unlimited" data becomes effectively unusable for streaming or video calls until the next day. We cover this in depth in our unlimited data guide.

No hotspot support. Nomad does not support hotspot or tethering at all. If you need to share your phone's connection with a laptop, this is a dealbreaker, and it is not always disclosed prominently.

Best Value by Region: Quick Reference

• Europe: Saily (budget), Airalo regional (mid-range), Holafly (heavy use)
• USA: Saily (budget), Airalo or aloSIM (mid-range with phone number)
• Southeast Asia: Saily or Airalo (budget), Flexiroam (groups)
• Japan: Saily (budget), Ubigi (speed priority)
• Global: Roamless (convenience), Airalo (fixed plan value)

For the complete picture on each provider, including coverage scoring, app experience, and support quality beyond just pricing, see our full travel eSIM rankings and buyer's guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the same provider cheaper in some countries than others?

eSIM providers pay wholesale rates to local carriers, and those rates vary dramatically by country. Countries with competitive telecom markets (Thailand, much of Europe) have lower wholesale costs, which translates to cheaper plans. Countries with less competition or more expensive infrastructure (Japan, Australia, some island nations) cost more. The provider is not gouging you, they are passing through their own cost differences.

Is it cheaper to buy a regional plan or separate country plans?

For multi-country trips within the same continent, regional plans are almost always cheaper. Airalo's 39-country Europe regional plan costs less than buying three separate country plans for France, Italy, and Spain. The exception is if you are spending your entire trip in one country, a local plan is typically 15-30% cheaper than the regional equivalent for the same data amount.

Do eSIM prices change based on when you buy?

Unlike flights, eSIM prices are generally stable and do not fluctuate based on demand or timing. However, providers do run occasional promotions, Jetpac offers 20% bulk discounts, and several providers offer first-purchase credits or referral bonuses. The best time to buy is when you have decided on your provider, not when you are scrambling at the airport.