📶 Internet & eSIM

Airalo, Holafly, local SIMs… How to stay connected everywhere without breaking the bank.

Staying connected is non-negotiable on the nomad road: remote work, navigation, bookings, calls back home. Here’s how we handle it.

📱 eSIM vs physical SIM vs local SIM

International eSIM (Airalo, Holafly…) - The simplest option: you buy and activate your data plan before you even land, straight from your phone. Ideal for short stays or to have signal the moment you step off the plane, before finding a local SIM.

Local physical SIM - Usually cheaper per gigabyte for extended use (several weeks/months), but requires finding a shop on site and sometimes showing a passport.

Our approach: an eSIM for the first 24-48 hours (time to settle in), then a local SIM if the stay goes beyond 2-3 weeks.

🔍 How to compare plans

The price per GB varies a lot by country and provider. The easiest way is to use a comparator that covers eSIM/SIM plans from several providers (Airalo, Holafly, Nomad, Saily…) country by country, rather than comparing site by site manually.

👉 Compare eSIM/SIM plans by destination

💡 Our tips

• Check whether the plan includes calls (many eSIM plans are data-only)
• Prefer plans with hotspot/tethering enabled, not guaranteed on every plan
• Download your offline maps (Google Maps) before you run out of signal

💰 Average cost

€10-20/month for reasonable nomad use (browsing, social media, a few video calls), combining a transition eSIM + a local SIM.

This guide contains an affiliate link to our partner comparator. It doesn’t change the price for you, and it helps us fund the blog.

A destination not covered yet? Tell us which one: romain.steph@ourlifeabroad.com