Turkey
🇹🇷
eSIM for Istanbul
Istanbul spans two continents and a very large area, so your phone does a lot: the ride from a distant airport, ferries across the Bosphorus and the way through the bazaar. Turkey is outside EU roaming, so a local data plan matters.
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3 GB
30 days
$2.99 $0.99/GB
5 GB
30 days −10%
$4.49 $0.89/GB
10 GB
Popular30 days −40%
$5.99 $0.59/GB
20 GB
Best value30 days −45%
$10.99 $0.59/GB
Istanbul: what to know before you go
- From the airports
- Istanbul Airport (IST) is about 40 km from the old city and Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) is on the Asian side. Transfers are long, so a working map and ride app from arrival matter.
- Outside EU roaming
- Turkey is not in the EU, so EU roaming rules do not apply. Visitors with a European SIM can pay far more than at home, which is where the eSIM saves money.
- Foreign phones
- Foreign phones can be used for a limited period without registering. For stays beyond that, check the current rules on IMEI registration on the official site.
- Ferries and the Istanbulkart
- Ferries across the Bosphorus are a good way to see the city, and transit runs on the Istanbulkart. Live maps help with the connections.
- The bazaar
- The Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market are covered, but the narrow covered alleys can confuse GPS. A shop name or address saved offline helps.
How much data you need
Four days of maps, rides, translation and photos takes about 3 to 4 GB.
Written . Opening rules, fees and prices at attractions change, so check the official site before you rely on them.
Turkey eSIM 2026: prices, network and coverage
8 plans, from $2.99 (3 GB, 30 days) to $10.99 (20 GB, 30 days). Network: Vodafone 5G.
| Data | Validity | Price | Per GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 GB | 30 days | $2.99 | $1.00 |
| 5 GB | 30 days | $4.49 | $0.90 |
| 10 GB | 30 days | $5.99 | $0.60 |
| 20 GB | 30 days | $10.99 | $0.55 |
| Unlimited | 3 days | $8.97 | $2.99 per day |
| Unlimited | 7 days | $20.93 | $2.99 per day |
| Unlimited | 15 days | $44.85 | $2.99 per day |
| Unlimited | 30 days | $89.70 | $2.99 per day |
- Network
- Vodafone 5G
- Top-up
- Yes, from the eSIM page, on the same eSIM
- Validity starts
- At the first connection at your destination
- Install by
- Shown on your order. An eSIM that is never installed expires
- Your number
- Stays active, plans are data only
- Hotspot
- Uses the same plan data, no separate charge
- After the daily allowance
- Day passes slow down to 512 Kbps
Questions about Istanbul
- Does my European roaming work in Istanbul?
- No. Turkey is outside the EU roaming area, and your operator sets the price, often per day or per megabyte. Check it before you go. An eSIM is prepaid, so you know the cost in advance.
- Do I need to register my phone in Turkey?
- For a short visit with a foreign phone you generally do not need to. The rules on longer stays change, so check the official source if you will stay for months.
- How much does an eSIM for Istanbul cost?
- Istanbul uses the Turkey plans, because an eSIM belongs to a country and not to a city. Plans start at $2.99 for 3 GB, valid for 30 days. There are 8 plans, from 3 GB to 20 GB, plus unlimited day passes.
- Do I need a local SIM card in Istanbul?
- No. The eSIM is a SIM card in digital form: you install it from a QR code before you leave, and there is nothing to buy at the airport or swap in your phone.
- How is it different from roaming in Istanbul?
- With roaming, your own carrier bills the data you use abroad, usually by the day or by the megabyte, at the prices of your plan. The eSIM is prepaid: you know the cost before you leave and nothing is added later. Keep data roaming off on your usual line, so it cannot charge you.
- Which networks does the Istanbul eSIM use?
- Yapsim connects to Vodafone, with 5G where it is available. Each plan lists the operators it uses.
- Can I add more data?
- Yes. You top up the same eSIM from its page, without installing a new one.
- Do I keep my phone number?
- Yes. Plans are data only, so your usual line stays active for calls and texts, and WhatsApp keeps working as always.
- When do the validity days start?
- Not when you buy and not when you install: the days start counting when the eSIM connects to a network at your destination for the first time. A 30 day plan gives you 30 days from that first connection.
- How long do I have to install the eSIM?
- An eSIM that is never installed expires. The "Install by" date is shown on your order and on the site, so you can buy ahead of your trip. Install it before that date, on Wi-Fi.
- Can I use the eSIM as a hotspot?
- Data used through a personal hotspot comes out of the same plan, and Yapsim does not charge it separately. A laptop uses far more data than a phone, so for work a day pass or a bigger plan is safer.
- What happens when the data runs out?
- Plans are prepaid, so there are no extra charges: when the data is used up, the connection stops until you add more from the eSIM page. Day passes give a daily allowance at full speed, then continue at reduced speed (512 Kbps) until the next day.
- When should I install the eSIM?
- Before you leave, on Wi-Fi. When you land, set the Yapsim line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it.