Digicel has by far the widest 4G coverage and PGK 100 buys 76 GB for 30 days. SIM registration against your passport is compulsory, and the airport kiosk keeps erratic hours - so have a backup if you land late at night.
- Buy a physical Digicel SIM. It runs the most stable network and reaches far more of the country than anything else, including provincial towns Vodafone does not serve.
- International eSIM profiles either roam expensively or drop out entirely, so this is one of the few countries where the local card is clearly right.
- PGK 100 buys 76 GB for 30 days, or PGK 50 buys 40 GB for 7 - both ample, and having a working phone matters more here than the price of the data.
- SIM registration against your passport is compulsory, with Digicel charging about PGK 10 for the registration itself.
- The airport kiosk keeps erratic hours and is regularly shuttered on late-night arrivals - so confirm your transfer by email before you fly.
- Landing after the Digicel desk shuts? A travel eSIM bought before you fly (Saily sells Papua New Guinea from USD 6.99 for 1 GB over 7 days) keeps you reachable overnight - then buy the Digicel card in the morning. It is a bridge, not a substitute.
What to buy as soon as you land
Buy a physical Digicel PNG SIM. It runs the most stable 4G/LTE network and reaches far more of the country than anything else, provincial towns where Vodafone has no presence included. International eSIM profiles either roam expensively or drop out entirely, so this is one of the few countries where the local card is clearly the right answer.
Getting connected before you leave the terminal is not a convenience question. You need a working phone to confirm your transfer and to stay in contact while you move across Port Moresby - that matters more here than the data allowance does.
Comparison table
Digicel prepaid prices as published by the operator; Vodafone Konekt as of March 2026.
| Operator | Prepaid plan | Price | Data | Validity | Where to buy | Passport registration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digicel PNG | Bikpla Data | PGK 20 | 12 GB | 3 days | POM airport, city stores | Yes |
| Digicel PNG | Bikpla Data | PGK 30 | 20 GB | 7 days | POM airport, city stores | Yes |
| Digicel PNG | Bikpla Data | PGK 50 | 40 GB | 7 days | POM airport, city stores | Yes |
| Digicel PNG | Bikpla Data | PGK 100 | 76 GB | 30 days | POM airport, city stores | Yes |
| Digicel PNG | Bikpla Data | PGK 200 | 175 GB | 30 days | POM airport, city stores | Yes |
| Vodafone PNG | Konekt prepaid | PGK 69 | about 20 GB | 30 days | POM airport, branded stores | Yes |
Where exactly to buy
- Jacksons International Airport (POM): Digicel and Vodafone kiosks sit in the arrivals hall once you clear customs. The Digicel desk is the reliable one, but its hours track the international schedule loosely and travellers regularly find it shuttered on late-night arrivals. If you land after dark, assume you may not get a SIM until morning and make sure your transfer is already confirmed by email.
- Port Moresby: Official Digicel and Vodafone stores are in the Vision City Mega Mall at Waigani.
- Registration: SIM registration is compulsory under NICTA rules. The seller copies your passport, registers the card in your name and sets up the data profile; Digicel charges about PGK 10 for the registration itself. Manage plans afterwards through the MyDigicel app or the USSD codes *675# and *777#.
If you land after the kiosk shuts
Nothing above changes: Digicel is what you buy for the stay. But the airport desk keeps its own hours, and a late arrival can leave you with no way to reach your driver or your hotel until morning. A travel eSIM installed before you fly covers that one gap - Saily lists Papua New Guinea at USD 6.99 for 1 GB over 7 days, USD 16.99 for 3 GB and USD 26.99 for 5 GB over 30 days, read on 18 August 2026.
Buy it as a first-night bridge and nothing more. Per gigabyte a roaming profile here costs many times what the local card does - Digicel's PGK 100 plan carries 76 GB for a month, where the eSIM's largest 30-day plan carries 5 GB - and outside Port Moresby the local network is what actually reaches.
Short verdict
- More than a few days: the PGK 100 Digicel plan, 76 GB over 30 days.
- A short trip: the PGK 50 plan, 40 GB over 7 days.
- Do not optimise further. Both are ample, and having a working phone matters more here than the price of the data.
- Landing after dark: an eSIM for the first night, the Digicel card in the morning.
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