Prices in pounds · O2 prices checked 6 November 2026
O2 roaming in the UAE vs a travel eSIM
In the UAE, O2 uses its O2 Travel prices. Here is what that costs for a long weekend, a week and a fortnight, next to a data-only travel eSIM for the same trip.
写真： Thomas Haas on Unsplash
O2 vs eSIM in the UAE: 3, 7 and 14 days
O2’s lowest published option in the UAE for each trip length, next to a Graba SIM UAE plan with about 0.7 GB a day.
- 3 days
- 7 days
- 14 days
O2 roamingGraba SIM eSIM
| Trip | O2 | Graba SIM eSIM | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| A long weekend3 days | £21.00£7 a day × 3 | £8.993GB, 30 days | The eSIM is £12.01 less |
| A week7 days | £49.00£7 a day × 7 | £11.495GB, 30 days | The eSIM is £37.51 less |
| A fortnight14 days | £98.00£7 a day × 14 | £81.5010GB, 30 days | The eSIM is £16.50 less |
What’s included: O2: unlimited calls, texts and data, at up to 2 Mbps. Graba SIM: data only, prepaid; your O2 SIM stays in your phone for calls and texts. Graba SIM prices are live; O2 prices checked 6 November 2026.
Sources: O2 roaming (checked 6 November 2026). Prices change; check before you buy.
Graba SIM UAE plans: data, validity and total price
The 10GB plan costs much more than the smaller sizes here. At about 0.7 GB a day, most week-long trips need around 5 GB.
Each plan is a one-off price for one eSIM. It starts when it first connects in the UAE, and hotspot use comes out of the same data.
Using your phone in the UAE
- DXB Dubai International
- DWC Dubai World Central
- AUH Abu Dhabi
- SHJ Sharjah
- Dubai
- Strong signal across the city, on the Metro and in the malls, including high up in the towers.
- Abu Dhabi
- Good in the city, on Yas Island and Saadiyat, and along the motorway from Dubai.
- Desert safaris
- Signal fades in the dunes away from the camps. Share your pick-up pin before you set off.
- Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah
- Fine in towns and resorts; the Hajar mountain roads can have gaps.
Networks our UAE plans use: EtisalatDu
- Voice and video calls over some apps, such as WhatsApp, can be restricted in the UAE, while messaging works. Keep your UK SIM on for normal calls and texts.
- Gulf plans cover the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, which suits a twin-centre trip or a stopover.
Going further with O2
- Oman (day trips from Dubai to Musandam and the Omani coast): O2 charges Standard rates.
- Qatar (stopovers in Doha): O2 charges £7 a day.
What you get for the money
O2 Travel Bolt On
- £7 a day, charged only on days you make a call, send a text or use data. Receiving calls and texts doesn’t trigger it.
- Calls to the UK and within the destination are included; calls to other countries are not.
- O2 Travel starts a 24-hour charge the first time you call, text or use data. Receiving calls and texts doesn’t start it.
Graba SIM UAE eSIM
- 4 plan sizes for the UAE, from 1GB, 7 days to 10GB, 30 days, each a one-off price.
- Runs on Etisalat, Du in the UAE, with 5G where the network offers it.
- Data only. Your O2 SIM stays on for calls and texts, so bank codes still reach you in the UAE.
O2 in the UAE: questions
How much does O2 roaming cost in the UAE?
£7 a day with the O2 Travel Bolt On: unlimited calls, texts and data, at up to 2 Mbps. For a trip, that is 3 days: £21.00 (£7 a day × 3); 7 days: £49.00 (£7 a day × 7); 14 days: £98.00 (£7 a day × 14).
Is a travel eSIM cheaper than O2 in the UAE?
It depends on the trip. Comparing O2’s lowest published option with a Graba SIM plan of about 0.7 GB a day: 3 days, the eSIM is £12.01 less; 7 days, the eSIM is £37.51 less; 14 days, the eSIM is £16.50 less. O2’s price also includes unlimited calls, texts and data, at up to 2 Mbps.
Does a Gulf eSIM work in Dubai and Abu Dhabi?
Yes. The Gulf plans include the UAE, so they work in every emirate, plus Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Check the coverage list on the plan before you buy.
Can I make WhatsApp calls in the UAE?
Messaging works, but voice and video calls over some internet apps can be restricted in the UAE, on any connection. Keep your UK SIM on so you can still take normal calls, and check which calling apps work before you rely on one.