Are you planning your trip to Oman and wondering what is the best sim card to stay connected so to avoid high roaming charges? This is a complete guide with everything you need to know before buying a prepaid sim card in Oman in 2024.
Find out where to buy a sim card, a comparison of the tourist sim cards, up to date prices as per November 2024, my recommendation, a vlog about my experiences and more about eSIMs for Oman.
On my journey to visit every country in the world Oman was listed as country no. 121. Traveling in Oman is amazing. I recommend you to rent a car. This will make it much easier to get to the best places to visit in Oman.
For road trips you need data on your phone and I am here to help you find the best sim card for your trip to Oman.
In the past I always used to buy a prepaid sim card in every country I visited, nowadays I mostly use eSIMs to stay connected when traveling abroad.
Table of Contents
- Why buying a sim card in Oman
- My recommendation
- Where to buy a sim card for Oman
- Mobile internet providers in Oman
- Registration process
- Prices prepaid sim cards in Oman
- Best 4G/5G network in Oman in 2024
- Best sim card for Oman in 2024
- Best eSIMs for Oman
- Order a prepaid sim card for Oman online
- Vlog about buying a prepaid sim card in Oman
Some links in this article about the best prepaid sim cards for traveling to Oman are affiliate links. If you buy any of the products after using an affiliate link I earn a small commission. This is at absolutely no extra cost to you.
Why buying a sim card in Oman
When looking for ways to stay connected in Oman I am sure you thought of buying a local prepaid sim card. It is often the cheapest way to get data on your phone. But getting an eSIM for Oman is much easier and done faster. Up to you what you choose.
Just make sure you don't get stuck with high roaming charges or slow overseas data plans. Did you know that overseas data roaming plans limit the data speed? With a local Oman sim card you are guaranteed the best network connection and fastest data speed and there is 5G in Oman. eSIMs for Oman mostly only support 4G/LTE.
Being connected makes traveling to Oman much more convenient. Oman seems a small country but distances between the beautiful places to visit are far. Road tripping in Oman is popular but without a data connection on your phone it would be pretty challenging. Simply think about finding nearby places to eat, stay or get a coffee or getting directions from a navigation app and so on.
Also don't rely on public WiFi. Most hotels in Oman offer free reliable and fast public WiFi. However, surfing the internet on public WiFi is through an UNSECURED connection. The use of a VPN is strongly recommended to protect your data.
I like to document all my travel tips and therefore on Traveltomtom you can already find more than 200 sim card guides from all over the world: Asia, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Jordan, Pakistan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Panama, USA, Canada, Moscow, Paris, Germany, Greece, Europe, Brazil and many more.
Are you flying to Muscat Airport and would like to buy a local prepaid sim card on arrival then check out my guide for buying a sim card at Muscat International Airport.
So when planning your next adventure abroad come check out Traveltomtom for the latest prepaid and eSIM advice for your holiday destination. Bookmark me and let me help you save money when traveling.
My recommendation
Traveltomtom recommends an Omantel sim card for traveling in Oman. They have the most extensive mobile data network and for around $13 USD you can get 8 GB data for 1 week.
eSIMs are more expensive than buying a prepaid sim card in Oman, but with an eSIM you are online as soon as the plane lands and you don't need to find a phone store in Oman to buy a tourist sim card.
The best value eSIM for Oman is from Sim Local and it gives you 10 GB data for $25 USD. Airalo has the same eSIM deal for $26 USD.
Another great alternative to stay connected when traveling to Oman is a global travel sim card with data. These sim cards are slightly more expensive but are valid in up to 141 countries. Check out Traveltomtom's complete review of the best international sim card with data in 2024 and pick the one that suits your trip to the Middle East.
Make sure your phone is unlocked otherwise a prepaid sim card from Oman or an eSIM doesn't work in your phone.
Where to buy a sim card for Oman
Muscat International Airport
The easiest, fastest and most convenient place to buy a prepaid sim card in Oman is on arrival at Muscat International Airport. When walking into the Arrival Hall you will walk straight into 4 mobile phone shops: Vodafone, Renna Mobile, Ooredoo and Omantel.
For a complete guide for buying a sim card at Muscat Airport click on the link. You will also find a vlog about my arrival at Muscat airport in the link.
Shopping Malls in Muscat
In case you missed the opportunity to buy a prepaid sim card for tourists at Muscat Airport we recommend you to go to one of the bigger shopping malls. Here you will find the official mobile phone stores from the mobile internet operators on Oman and they obviously also sell prepaid sim cards for tourists.
Online
The easiest place to buy a sim card for traveling to Oman is of course on the internet. I already mentioned that you can order an eSIMs for Oman online and that you are online as soon as the plane lands.
Don't waste precious holiday time in Oman and get connected with an eSIM. Sim Local and Airalo have the best eSIM deals for Oman.
There are also international prepaid sim cards for Oman. These physical sim cards will be shipped to your home address before your trip and are pre-activated. On arrival in Oman it is plug and play.
Mobile internet providers in Oman
At first there were only 2 mobile internet providers in Oman: Omantel and Ooredoo. In 2022 Vodafone officially entered the mobile internet market as it got its license approved.
On top of these 3 mobile internet operators there are two MVNO's in Oman: Friendi Mobile and Renna Mobile.
All the above mobile internet providers and MVNO's sell prepaid sim cards for tourists.
Registration process
When buying a prepaid sim card in Oman you will need to provide your passport. A copy will be taken in the store and the new Oman sim card will be registered under your name and passport number.
Registering a sim card in Oman only takes a couple minutes and works based on plug and play. Meaning you put the new sim card in your phone and you are instantly online. No need to wait for activation.
As of 2025 you can now choose for an eSIM or physical prepaid sim card when buying a sim card in a phone store in Oman.
If you want to avoid the registration process or for some reason you don't want to give your passport for registration then look into buying a sim card for Oman on the internet. If you buy an international prepaid sim card or an eSIM for Oman then you don't need to register with your passport, you just need an email address.
Prices prepaid sim cards in Oman
All info and prices are updated in November 2024. Prices are in Omani Rial and $1 USD = 0.38 OMR and 1 OMR = $2.6 USD. Yes, that is correct. The Omani Rial is much stronger than the USD.
Omantel
Omantel is the biggest mobile internet provider in Oman and they offer the following prepaid sim card packages:
- 5.00 OMR = 7 GB data + 1 GB social media + 50 minutes valid for 1 week - $13
All the following sim card deals are valid for 4 weeks:
- 4 OMR = 2 GB data + 500 MB social media + 50 flex minutes - $10.4
- 6 OMR = 3 GB data + 1.5 GB social media + 100 flex minutes - $15.6
- 8 OMR = 8 GB data + 2 GB social media + 250 flex minutes - $20.8
- 12 OMR = 15 GB data + 300 flex minutes - $31.2
- 18 OMR = 30 GB data + 600 flex minutes - $46.8
Omantel charges 2.1 OMR ($5.5) extra if you want an eSIM instead of a physical sim card. Check the Omantel website for more info about their prepaid packages.
Ooredoo Oman
Ooredoo is the second biggest mobile internet operator in Oman after Omantel. They offer a wide range of prepaid sim card deals at their stores:
- 2.00 OMR = 1 GB data + 500 MB social media + 50 minutes valid for 1 week - $5.2
- 5.25 OMR = 4 GB data + 50 minutes + 50 sms valid for 10 days - $13.7
- 10.5 OMR = 10 GB data + 50 minutes + 50 sms valid for 15 days - $27.3
- 5.00 OMR = 7 GB data + 1 GB social media + 50 minutes valid for 1 week - $13
- 9.00 OMR = 8 GB data + 2 GB social media + 250 minutes valid for 4 weeks - $23.4
- 18.0 OMR = 30 GB data + 600 local minutes valid for 4 weeks - $46.8
Some Ooredoo Oman prepaid packages include international minutes however, these are only applicable to India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. If you want an Ooredoo eSIMs you will be charged an extra fee of 1 OMR ($2.6). Check out the Ooredoo Oman website for more info.
Vodafone Oman
Vodafone only started operating in Oman in 2022. Does Traveltomtom recommend a Vodafone sim card for traveling in Oman at the moment? NOPE! More about it later in my conclusion and my comparison of the Oman mobile internet network.
- 25 GB data + 500 minutes for 4 weeks = 12 OMR - $31 USD
- 35 GB data + unlimited minutes + 60 international minutes for 4 weeks = 16 OMR - $42 USD
- 80 GB data + unlimited minutes + 200 international minutes for 4 weeks = 24 OMR - $62 USD
Check out the Vodafone Oman website for more info.
Renna Mobile
Renna Mobile operates on the network of Omantel and offer the following Oman prepaid sim card deals which are valid for 30 days, see the above photo.
- 1 GB data + 25 minutes = 2 OMR - $5.2 USD
- 3 GB data = 3 OMR - $7.8 USD
- 8 GB data + 25 minutes = 9 OMR - $23.4 USD
- 22 GB data + 350 minutes = 16 OMR - $41.6 USD
As you can see the Renna Mobile prepaid sim card deals are ok, nothing really special either. You will find Renna Mobile stores randomly around Muscat, but there are only a few. Renna Mobile does NOT offer an Oman eSIM, only physical sim cards. If you want more info check out the Renna Mobile website.
Friendi Mobile
Friendi Mobile operates on the network of Ooredoo and offer the above prepaid sim card packages.
- 2 GB data = 3 OMR - $7.8 USD
- 5 GB data = 5 OMR - $13 USD
As you can see the Friendi Mobile sim card deals are not really interesting either. For more info check out the Friendi Mobile website. You can find Friendi sim card shops in supermarkets or shopping malls.
Best 4G/5G network in Oman in 2024
You don't want to lose phone signal as soon as you drive out of Muscat right? Therefore looking at the mobile internet coverage for Oman is just as important to find out what is the best prepaid sim card for Oman.
Is there 5G in Oman?
Yes, there is 5G in Oman, but it is not that wide spread yet as you may have hoped. See the network coverage maps below. Omantel was the first to roll out 5G in the country and has the largest 5G network in Oman as of 2024.
At the time of updating the article in November 2024 Vodafone Oman network coverage maps are still not available. Vodafone only starting operating in 2022 and there is still no information available about the Vodafone Oman mobile network coverage.
Therefore Traveltomtom also does NOT recommend a Vodafone sim card for traveling in Oman.
Let's have a look at the Oman network coverage maps.
Omantel 4G/5G network coverage map
Ooredoo Oman 4G/5G network coverage map
Although the above mobile data network coverage maps for Oman are updated for 2024 they are definitely not 100% accurate. However, they are a great reference to compare the 4G/5G networks of the mobile internet providers in Oman.
From the above network coverage maps we can see that Omantel has a more advanced mobile internet network and the best 4G/5G network in Oman in 2024.
However, on the road down south towards the beautiful Salalah, one of the best places to visit in Oman, Ooredoo has better network coverage.
All in all it seems that if you are traveling to South Oman a Ooredoo sim card would preform better.
Best sim card for Oman in 2024
Traveltomtom comes up with a couple conclusions after comparing the Oman prepaid sim cards
First off, Vodafone is a fairly new mobile internet operator in Oman. Despite having some good prepaid sim card plans I do NOT recommend a Vodafone sim card for tourists. There is still no proper information available about the 4G/5G network coverage. So far there is only a Vodafone signal in the greater Muscat area.
eSIMs are slightly more expensive than buying a prepaid sim card in Oman. Sim Local and Airalo have the best value eSIMs Oman. Sim Local gives you 10 GB data for $25 USD and Airalo gives you 20 GB data for $40 USD. Other eSIM providers are more expensive.
There are already eSIMs for Oman that start from just $4.5 USD.
Renna Mobile and Friendi Mobile don't have any special sim card deals to lure costumers. In fact for the bigger data packages you get better value at Ooredoo and Omantel.
Friendi Mobile and Renna Mobile stores are not easy to find in Oman and therefore I would also not recommend Friendi and Renna as sim cards for tourists in Oman.
When it comes to comparing Ooredoo and Omantel and choosing the best prepaid sim card for Oman in 2024 we can clearly see the difference in 4G/5G network coverage of Omantel and Ooredoo.
Especially around Muscat and the Northern areas Omantel has a much better 4G/5G network and since prices for prepaid sim cards for tourists are the same Traveltomtom rates Omantel as the best sim card for Oman in 2024.
That said if you are traveling to Salalah then Ooredoo is the best sim card.
Both Ooredoo and Omantel have a tourist sim card with 8 GB data for $13 USD valid for 7 days.
Best eSIMs for Oman
If your phone supports the use of an eSIM then an eSIM is the easiest and fastest way to get connected when traveling to Oman in 2024. No more visiting a sim card shop and swapping a physical sim card.
You order an eSIM for Oman on the internet, you receive a QR code, scan it, follow the simple steps and within less than 2 minutes you have an Oman eSIM installed on your phone.
Upon arrival in Oman it automatically connects you to an available network and you enjoy data on your phone pretty much when the plane lands.
Sim Local
Sim Local has the best value eSIM plans for Oman.
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $4.5 USD
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $10 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $14.5 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $24 USD
Click here for more info or to order an eSIM for Oman from Sim Local.
The Sim Local eSIMs for Oman operate on the Omantel 4G/LTE network and are not 5G ready.
Airalo
Traveltomtom has used Airalo uncountable times for staying connected abroad and never an issue. Here are the Airalo eSIM plans for Oman in 2024:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $4.5 USD
- 2 GB data for 15 days = $8 USD
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $10.5 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $15 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $25 USD
- 20 GB data for 30 days = $40 USD
Click here for more info or to order an eSIMs for Oman from Airalo.
The Omancom eSIMs for Oman are data-only. Incoming and outgoing calls and sms are not supported. Data is only valid in Oman and Omancom operates on the Omantel 4G/LTE network.
Make sure your phone is eSIM compatible before ordering an eSIM for Oman.
There are many more eSIM providers that offer eSIMs for Oman: Jetpac, GigSky, SimOptions, etc. but more expensive than Sim Local and Airalo.
Order a prepaid sim card for Oman online
If your phone is not eSIM compatible then you can order an international prepaid sim card. It is rather expensive though and there is not much choice. A pre-activated physical prepaid sim card will be send to your home address.
SimOptions is the only sim card provider that sells physical prepaid sim cards for traveling in Oman:
- 5 GB for 14 days = $49.90 USD
Click here for more info or to order an international physical prepaid sim card for Oman via SimOptions
Last reminder that if your phone is eSIM compatible then simply go for an eSIM. Arrange everything directly online and don't bother anymore about buying a tourist sim card in Oman.
Vlog about buying a prepaid sim card in Oman
If you want to watch a quick video about buying a sim card in Oman then check out my YouTube video above.
I am sure some of the above tips for buying a prepaid sim card in Oman were helpful. Let me know if you have any questions, leave me a comment below and I will try to help you out.
For some Oman travel inspiration check out my YouTube channel or Instagram page @traveltomtom. As per August 2024 I have visited more than 155 countries around the world, so many more to go.
Enjoy your trip to Oman!