Prices in pounds · O2 prices checked 6 November 2026
O2 roaming in Egypt vs a travel eSIM
In Egypt, 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.
Photo: Hasmik Ghazaryan Olson on Unsplash
O2 vs eSIM in Egypt: 3, 7 and 14 days
O2’s lowest published option in Egypt for each trip length, next to a Graba SIM Egypt 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 | £7.495GB, 30 days | The eSIM is £13.51 less |
| A week7 days | £49.00£7 a day × 7 | £7.495GB, 30 days | The eSIM is £41.51 less |
| A fortnight14 days | £98.00£7 a day × 14 | £15.9910GB, 30 days | The eSIM is £82.01 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 Egypt plans: data, validity and total price
The 20GB 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 Egypt, and hotspot use comes out of the same data.
Using your phone in Egypt
- HRG Hurghada
- SSH Sharm El Sheikh
- RMF Marsa Alam
- CAI Cairo
- SPX Sphinx, Giza
- Red Sea resorts
- Hurghada, El Gouna, Sharm and Marsa Alam are well covered in town and at hotels; diving and boat trips offshore lose signal.
- Cairo and Giza
- Strong signal in the city and at the pyramids.
- Luxor and Aswan
- Good in town and at the main temples.
- Nile cruises
- Coverage comes and goes between towns along the river.
- Desert trips
- Safaris into the Sahara and the Sinai interior often have no signal.
Networks our Egypt plans use: Orange
- Egypt is not in the EU, so Europe roaming deals on UK plans don’t apply. Check your network’s Egypt rate before you go.
- Uber and Careem both work in Cairo and need mobile data to book and track rides.
Going further with O2
- Jordan (trips to Petra and Aqaba from Sharm El Sheikh and Taba): O2 charges Standard rates.
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 Egypt eSIM
- 4 plan sizes for Egypt, from 1GB, 7 days to 20GB, 30 days, each a one-off price.
- Runs on Orange in Egypt, 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 Egypt.
O2 in Egypt: questions
How much does O2 roaming cost in Egypt?
£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 Egypt?
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 £13.51 less; 7 days, the eSIM is £41.51 less; 14 days, the eSIM is £82.01 less. O2’s price also includes unlimited calls, texts and data, at up to 2 Mbps.
Does an Egypt eSIM work on a Nile cruise?
Mostly, near towns and temples along the river. Between towns, signal comes and goes, so download anything you need before you sail.
Will I get an Egyptian phone number?
No. The plan is data-only. Your UK SIM stays in your phone for calls and texts, and WhatsApp works over the eSIM’s data.