Cheapest eSIM for Tanzania

Cheapest eSIM for Tanzania: the numbers

As of 31 August 2026, 15:21 GMT, the cheapest eSIM for Tanzania is Saily with 20 GB for 30 Days at $34.49. That is $1.72 per GB, the best rate of the 110 plans we compare from 9 providers. 34 plans include 5G. 37 support top ups. That timestamp is the exact moment of our latest price check, and the table above always shows the live order.

Which mobile networks does Tanzania have?

TCRA regulator data for the end of 2025 puts 4G population coverage at 94.2 percent and average mobile download speed at about 30 Mbps, with total mobile subscriptions at 106.9 million.

• Vodacom Tanzania: The market leader with a 31.2 percent share of mobile subscriptions at the end of 2025, and the operator behind M-Pesa which dominates mobile money with over 41 percent of that market.
• Yas (formerly Tigo): Second with 28.9 percent, Yas grew out of the Tigo and Zantel merger, which folded the historic Zanzibar network into its coverage on both the mainland and the islands.
• Airtel Tanzania: Third with 21.8 percent of subscriptions, part of the pan African Airtel group with wide 4G coverage across the mainland.
• Halotel: The Viettel owned fourth operator known for aggressive rural buildout and cheap data, and it has better 4G coverage on parts of Zanzibar than the legacy Zantel network had.

The eSIM plans we compare on this page connect to:

Is 5G available in Tanzania?

5G is growing but still limited, reaching 30.1 percent of the population by December 2025 per TCRA. It is concentrated in Dar es Salaam and other major urban centres, so expect 4G in most of the country.

How much data do you need in Tanzania?

Light use is about 500 MB a day. That covers maps, messages, and some browsing. Normal use with photos, social apps, and short videos runs 1 to 1.5 GB a day. Streaming and hotspot use can eat 2 to 3 GB a day. Here is what each size costs in Tanzania right now:

Are unlimited eSIMs for Tanzania really unlimited?

eSIM or a local SIM at the airport in Tanzania?

An eSIM is ready before you land. No queue, no shop, no handing over your passport at a counter. Data for Tanzania starts at $34.49 on this page, which is hard for airport kiosks to beat. A local SIM still makes sense if you need a local phone number or plan to stay for months. For a normal trip, the eSIM wins on price and effort.

Setting up your Tanzania eSIM

Good to know before you land in Tanzania

SIM cards are sold almost everywhere in Tanzania, including operator counters at the main airports and Zantel heritage outlets at Zanzibar airport. The catch is registration, which takes a passport plus fingerprints, so allow a few extra minutes at the counter.

On Zanzibar, Yas inherited the old Zantel island network and Halotel has strong 4G in places, so those two are safest off the beach strips. On safari, coverage drops away from lodges and towns, so download offline maps first. Mobile money is everywhere and often easier than card.

Travelling further? Compare nearby destinations

South AfricaFrom
$1.42/GB DR CongoFrom
$1.80/GB EgyptFrom
$1.27/GB NigeriaFrom
$2.00/GB BotswanaFrom
$3.40/GB ChadFrom
$3.01/GB

Or see every country on the cheapest eSIM index and track weekly movement on the eSIM Price Index.

How we rank

Prices last checked on 31 August 2026, 15:21 GMT across 110 plans. Every plan is ranked by the true cost per gigabyte, not marketing claims. We do not take money for rankings, and providers cannot pay for a higher position. Read the full method on our how we rank page.

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