eSIM and SIM cards in Saudi Arabia

The local SIM

• STC, Mobily and Zain cover the country, and the mobile network is genuinely excellent - fast 5G in every city and along the main highways.
• Tourist SIMs are sold at every airport and are cheap for the data you get.
• Registration is strict: passport and visa, biometrically linked. The SIM is tied to your visa's validity, which means it stops working when the visa does.
• Buy it at the airport rather than in town. The tourist packages are only sold to visitors and the airport counters know the process.

An eSIM instead

• Works well and saves the counter, and Saudi Arabia's networks are well supported by the main providers.
• A local SIM is still worth having if you will use ride-hailing and delivery apps a lot, some of which want a local number to verify.

What to know about using it

• VoIP calling is available - WhatsApp calls work, which was not always true here.
• Criticism of the King, the government or Islam is illegal, and the FCDO notes social media posts may be monitored and that such criticism can be defined by the authorities as a threat to national security. That is a serious charge, not a fine.
• This applies to what you post while you are there, and to what is already on your account. Think about it before you land rather than after.

Wi-fi

• Hotels, malls and cafes all have it and it is fast.
• Public wi-fi often wants a local number to send a verification code, which is an argument for the local SIM.