Best Maldives Sim Card For Tourist Compared And How To Buy A Sim Card in Maldives (Updated 2023)

Last updated on April 24th, 2023 at 01:07 am

Best Maldives Sim Card For Tourist Compared – Ooredoo and Dhiraagu Maldives sim card is our favorite for coverage and data packages and we will tell you how to buy a sim card in Maldives. Click here to get a discount booking activities in Maldives with Klook!

What’s the Cheapest Sim Card in Maldives?

You can buy the cheapest sim card in Maldives with Ooredoo and Dhiraagu Maldives prepaid sim card for $35 USD and 17 GB and for $50 USD with 100 GB data both of them valid for 30 days. Read here and best Maldives eSim, floating breakfast in Maldives best Maldives eSim

The cheapest Maldives eSim with Airalo Maldives eSim for $30 USD with 17 GB data valid for 30 days. And for $50 USD with 30 GB data with Airalo eSim Maldives valid for 30 days even cheaper if you use our discount CODE GAMINTRAVELER 10%.

Prices for a sim card in Maldives aren’t so affordable like other countries in Southeast Asia and Europe. And the connection was working very intermittent in local islands and luxury resorts too. Most resorts, guesthouses and hotels around Maldives offers free wifi for its guests.

Some resort islands might not have coverage and on inhabited islands. We had a few problems with internet connection in Maldives during our stay in most of the hotels and guesthouses.

That’s why we recommend you to buy a Maldives tourist sim card if you need to be online while traveling in Maldives. We will tell you more details about the best sim card in Maldives, keep reading below!

Read here all the things to do in Dhiffushi Island, Maafushi, Gulhi Island, Male, Hulhumale, Omadhoo Island and Thulusdhoo Island.

Read 40 things to know before visiting Maldives and what to wear in Maldives. And our review of Park Hyatt Hadahaa, the beautiful Kuramathi Island Resort and our Maldives itinerary

WHERE TO STAY IN MALDIVES

We stayed in a few places luxury resorts and local islands in Maldives. You can read here our thoughts: luxury resorts Vs local islands in Maldives.

There are cheap hotels in Maldives starting from $30-50 USD depending on the season to luxury resorts starting from $200-300 USD. Click here to book your accommodation with Booking

You also need to check how to get there since it can be extra cost for the speed boat or seaplane.Click here to find the best hotel deals in Maldives with Agoda.

BOOK YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE

You can read Heymondo Vs Safetwing cheapest travel Insurance. You can get for $135 USD your Heymondo Travel Insurance with Heymondo discount code valid for 90 days. Read our full Heymondo Travel Insurance Review

You can get Safetywing Travel Insurance for Digital Nomads valid for 28 days Safetywing for $50 USD per month with kids until 10 years old included

MALDIVES SIM CARD FOR TOURIST COMPARED AND PREPAID SIM CARD IN MALDIVES BACKGROUND

First thing we have to say about internet and data connection in Maldives is working weak and intermittent in a few places. You will find in most of the local islands and luxury resorts 4G but only in a few places and not cover the whole island.

The best thing you can do to connect online is buying a prepaid sim card in Maldives to connect anytime. We recommend you to get in Maldives airport since there is no big difference with prices and packages. But if you are staying in Male or Hulhumale you can check phone shops around.

It’s so useful buying a prepaid sim card in Maldives. It can get so complicated to get a Maldives sim card for tourists in local islands or resorts. You will have to show your passport if you buy your Maldives sim card in the airport or even if you book online or in a local shop in the city.

BUYING PREPAID MALDIVES SIM CARD AIRPORT (SIM CARD MALE AIRPORT)

Can you purchase a Maldives sim card in Male airport? Yes you can get a Maldives sim card for tourist right in Velana International Airport.

If you are planning to stay 14 days in Maldives there are SIM cards for $30 USD and 17 GB. We bought our Maldives sim card in Male airport when we arrived and we didn’t use so much since wifi worked good in Maldives just when moving around the islands.

And later we bought a local sim card for $2 USD and we were uploading load when we needed. 1 GB costs $5 USD but since wifi was working good enough we had with 1 GB for a week.

If you are planning to stay for 30 days in Maldives I would recommend you two things. Buying a package with so much data for 14 days and a prepaid Maldives sim card and top up for the other days. Or just buy two of them and turn on one by one 14 days each as you think that you will need internet.

Thulusdhoo, Gulhi, Dhiffushi and Maafushi had decent internet for us. But Omadhoo Island internet was terrible since it was raining most of the time.

Click here to get a discount booking activities in Maldives with Klook!

WHERE TO BUY MALDIVES SIM CARD FOR TOURIST

Apart from buying your Maldives sim card at Male airport you can buy your Maldives sim card in the official shops in Male or Hulhumale near the airport just a few kilometers. You will find many of them everywhere. Just bring your passport they will explain their packages to get your prepaid Maldives sim card.

Obviously in luxury resorts everything is possible and staff can maybe purchase for you if you really need. There are usually daily speed boats or seaplanes going from Male every day.

BEST MALDIVES SIM CARD COMPARISON

Maldives has two cell companies, Dhiraagu and Ooredoo are the two main phone operators in Maldives. And we bought both of them a package with Dhiraagu $30 USD valid for 14 days and 17 GB data and Ooredoo for $2 USD a Maldives prepaid sim card to top up $5 USD for 1 GB.

Dhiraagu Maldives Sim Card

Dhiraagu sim card Maldives apart from the Maldives tourist sim card $35 USD and 17 GB valid for 30 days and for $50 USD with 100 GB data valid for 30 days.

You can also purchase a sim for $2 USD ($1 USD credit already) and top up. These are the prices of the packages and data connection in Maldives with Dhiraagu. Check here prices and packages!

If you visit local islands like Maafushi or Thulusdhoo for sure you can top up in a phone shop. If you stay in a resort ask for help to the staff and they will do for you.

MORE PREPAID SIM CARD IN MALDIVES

Ooredoo Maldives Sim Card

We didn’t buy Ooredoo prepaid sim card Maldives package but prices are really similar. We decided to buy a sim card for $2 USD and top up when we didn’t have proper internet connection. Check here prices and packages!

The data packages for sim card Maldives for tourists with Ooredo prepaid sim card Maldives are starting for $35 USD and 17 GB and for $50 USD with 100 GB data both of them valid for 30 days.

If you visit local islands like Maafushi or Thulusdhoo for sure you can top up in a phone shop. If you stay in a resort ask for help to the staff and they will do for you.

AIRALO MALDIVES ESIM DISCOUNT CODE

Airalo Maldives eSim for $30 USD with 17 GB data valid for 30 days. And for $50 USD with 30 GB data with Airalo eSim Maldives valid for 30 days even cheaper if you use our discount CODE GAMINTRAVELER 10%.

BEST SIM CARD IN MALDIVES CONCLUSION (CHEAPEST SIM CARD MALDIVES)

If you ask me for a Sim Card Maldives Conclusion. I would go for the cheapest sim card in Maldives with Ooredoo prepaid Maldives sim card and Dhiraagu prepaid sim for $35 USD and 17 GB and for $50 USD with 100 GB data both of them valid for 30 days.

Both of them have similar packages and prices. About coverage also it was quite similar and we didn’t find so much difference.

My best recommendation buy two different sim cards if you really need to work and top up if you don’t have proper wifi connection. I have to say since 2021 the connection is much better in Maldives than years before.

The cheapest Maldives eSim with Airalo Maldives eSim for $30 USD with 17 GB data valid for 30 days. And for $50 USD with 30 GB data with Airalo eSim Maldives valid for 30 days even cheaper if you use our discount CODE GAMINTRAVELER 10%.

BEST TIME TO VISIT MALDIVES

The best time to visit the Maldives is May to November. You’ll experience some rain during at this time, you’ll have the least company and the prices of the resorts are a little cheaper. 

December to April is the high season, which encounters the drier northeast monsoon and when most resorts rates rises. Click here to know when is the best time to visit Maldives!

Click here to know more about the weather in Maldives!

CASH AND ATMS IN MALDIVES

After you arrive at the airport in the Maldives, there are ATM machines that you can use, but it is not advisable. It will give you Maldivian rufiyaa which is the currency in Maldives $1 USD is 15 MVR. But US dollars is a more famous and better way of paying especially if you’re a foreigner or a tourist.

Most resorts and other stores prefer US dollars for payment, but be sure to bring smaller bills like $1, $5 or $10. Use it to local transportation and small shops too.

Click here to know the exact exchange rate before you visit.

FOOD BUDGET TRAVEL IN MALDIVES

Prices of Maldives food were on a budget and very affordable in local places but not in luxury resorts. You can get snacks for 2-3 MVR ($1=15.4 MVR). It´s very common for locals have tea with these snacks. You can have rice with fish curry for 25 MVR where they will give you a kind of chips for free, perfect for sharing the food.

Most of the dishes have fish and curry but you can also find chicken here A bottle of water costs 10 MVR while cookies and small snacks go for 5-10 MVR. Ice cream can be bought when the summer gets too hot at 20-25 MVR each. Foreigners’ meals cost $7-10 USD in local islands. It’s mostly just pizza and pasta, though. There is also Chinese food for around $5-6 USD per dish.

But a meal in a luxury resort can cost $50 USD and a bottle of beer $8-10 USD. So when visiting the Maldives and book your package make sure what it’s included with food and transportation.

ACCOMMODATION BUDGET TRAVEL IN MALDIVES

We stayed in a few places luxury resorts and local islands in Maldives. You can read here our thoughts: luxury resorts Vs local islands in Maldives. There are cheap hotels in Maldives starting from $30-50 USD depending on the season to luxury resorts starting from $200-300 USD. You also need to check how to get there since it can be extra cost for the speed boat or seaplane.

Click here to find the best hotel deals in Maldives with Agoda.

Click here to book your accommodation with Booking.

LOCAL TRANSPORTATION IN MALDIVES

Aside from inland vehicles such as buses, Maldives is composed of other smaller islands which means a boat or any water vehicle should be a must. There are ferries and speed boat prices that can go from $3 USD a local ferry to $30 USD a speed boat.

You can go to Hulhumale via bus from the airport for 10-15 minutes. The ride only costs $1 USD or the ride a speedboat to Thulusdhoo costs $30 USD and lasts 30 minutes.

Read here Speed boat Vs Slow boat in Maldives!

TOURS/ ENTRANCE FEES IN MALDIVES

There are many different tours in Maldives and the activities start from $15-50 USD depending on the duration. For $15, USD you can have a half-day trip with snorkeling and visiting a sandbar. 

For $30-50 USD, you can enjoy diving, watching sharks, dolphins, and manta rays, and spending the day island hopping with lunch included.

Feel free to use our links for discounts. Using our links will help us to continue with the maintenance of the website and it will not cost you anything. Thanks for the love guys 

Happy Travels!