URL: https://esimworld.co.uk/sim-card/south-africa/
Buy: https://esimworld.co.uk/esim-south-africa/
Source: eSIM World (esimworld.co.uk)
Author: Nadezhda Semenova, entrepreneur, co-founder of the Trippy travel service, https://esimworld.co.uk/author/
Updated: 26 October 2026
Prices: in pounds (GBP) at the rate of 31 Oct; the site shows the rate of the day.

# South Africa SIM card or eSIM from the UK: Cape Town, safaris and roaming costs

Tesco Mobile charges 1p a MB in South Africa, EE £26.50 for a 7-day pass and Vodafone £8 a day of use (checked on 24 October 2026, [Tesco roaming](https://www.tescomobile.com/roaming)). Our South Africa eSIM from the UK is £3.99 for 1 GB over 7 days, data only. You have four ways to stay connected: your UK network, a travel eSIM, a local SIM or pocket Wi-Fi.

This site is not affiliated with any of the networks mentioned here; we sell eSIMs. [How we compare](https://esimworld.co.uk/how-we-compare/)

You may not need an eSIM. On Tesco, 1,000MB costs £10 (our sum), and Sky VIP Diamond, Vodafone Global Roam and [O2](https://esimworld.co.uk/roaming/o2/) Ultimate include South Africa. An eSIM helps where your network charges by the day or sells no data without a pass.

[See the South Africa eSIM](https://esimworld.co.uk/esim-south-africa/)

## What do UK networks charge in South Africa?

Roaming in South Africa on UK networks runs from 1p a MB at Tesco to £8 a day at Vodafone and Three (checked on 24 October 2026). On EE, O2, Talkmobile, VOXI and SMARTY you get no data there until you buy a pass, bolt-on or add-on.

| Network | South Africa charge | Condition | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| [EE](https://ee.co.uk/content/dam/help/terms-and-conditions/price-plans/mobile/sim-only-price-plans/_ee-pay-monthly-standard-and-non-standard-price-guide-31st_March_2026_1.1.pdf) | £5.50 for 24 hours, £26.50 for 7 days | Rest of World Zone 1 pass, uses your UK allowance; no data without it | 24 October 2026 |
| [Vodafone](https://www.vodafone.co.uk/newscentre/smart-living/everything-you-need-to-know-about/roaming-with-vodafone-in-2022-everything-you-need-to-know/) | £8 a day of use | Zone C, pay monthly plans from 11 August 2021 (£6 on earlier plans); included on Global Roam | 24 October 2026 |
| [O2](https://www.o2.co.uk/international/data-roaming-bolt-ons) | O2 Travel £7 per 24 hours; Data Roaming Bolt Ons £9 for 1GB, £20 for 3GB, £29 for 5GB | Zone 2, Pay Monthly; included on Ultimate, not on Volt or Plus; otherwise data stops | 24 October 2026 |
| [Three](https://www.three.co.uk/content/dam/threedigital/terms-and-conditions/price-guides/latest-price-guides/threeyourwayplans-priceguide-post19apr2026-12102026.pdf) | £8 a day; Around the World Extra passes £17.50 for 3 days, £42 for 7, £84 for 14; Worldwide Data Travel Pass £26 for 18GB over 7 days, £54 for 40GB over 14 | £8 on Lite and Lite+ joined or upgraded from 18 December 2025 (older plans: price guide); included on Complete; no Extra on pay as you go | 24 October 2026 |
| [iD Mobile](https://www.idmobile.co.uk/help-and-support/roaming) | Roam Beyond: 2GB for £5 over 1 day, 10GB for £20 over 5 days, 20GB for £35 over 10 days | £45 roaming data limit by default | 24 October 2026 |
| [Lebara](https://www.lebara.co.uk/en/roaming-add-on/p/44000067.html) | 1GB for £4 over 8 days, 3GB for £12 over 15 days | Zone 5 add-on | 24 October 2026 |
| [giffgaff](https://www.giffgaff.com/roaming) | 20p per MB; travel data add-on of 1GB, 5GB or 10GB for 30 days, "From £4" | Zone A; the South Africa add-on price is in the app only | 24 October 2026 |
| [Tesco Mobile](https://www.tescomobile.com/roaming) | 1p per MB | Region 3, pay monthly and pay as you go | 24 October 2026 |
| [Sky Mobile](https://www.sky.com/shop/mobile/roaming) | £2 a day | Roaming Passport Plus; a call you make, a text you send or over 10MB starts 24 hours; free for VIP Diamond | 24 October 2026 |
| [VOXI](https://www.voxi.co.uk/help/articles/what-are-global-roaming-extras-and-how-do-they-work----2cc71973-bb4a-436f-a6cd-1497441ed34d) | 2GB for £16 over 8 days, 4GB for £26.60 over 15 days | Global Roaming Extra, with minutes and texts, from purchase | 24 October 2026 |
| [SMARTY](https://cdn.smarty.co.uk/files/SMARTY-Price-Guide.pdf) | 25p per MB | Roaming 2, paid from out-of-plan add-ons; with none loaded, no data | 24 October 2026 |
| [Talkmobile](https://talkmobile.co.uk/booster-details) | 500MB for £5 over 1 day, 5GB for £20 over 8 days, 8GB for £30 over 15 days | World Holiday Booster, Zone B | 24 October 2026 |
| [Lyca Mobile](https://www.lycamobile.co.uk/en/roaming/) | South Africa pass: 1GB for £10 over 7 days, 2.5GB for £20 over 14 days | Pay as you go, paid from top-up credit; up to 5 in 30 days | 24 October 2026 |
| [BT Mobile](https://www.bt.com/help/mobile/going-abroad/buying-mobile-data-add-ons-to-use-abroad/bt-mobile-travel-data-pass-add-on) | Travel Data Pass, 500MB for 24 hours | BT's pages give three different prices, so we print none | 24 October 2026 |
| [Asda Mobile](https://mobile.asda.com/roaming-calling-abroad) | £1 per MB | World Group 1, not Asda's 20p group | 24 October 2026 |

Tesco says it plainly: "Roaming now costs only 1p per MB of data for the USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand – for both pay monthly and pay as you go customers." At Asda's £1 a MB, 100MB costs £100 (our arithmetic).

Vodafone, Three and Sky charge per day of use, not per day away; full rates are on our [EE](https://esimworld.co.uk/roaming/ee/), [Vodafone](https://esimworld.co.uk/roaming/vodafone/) and [Three](https://esimworld.co.uk/roaming/three/) pages.

## A fortnight from Cape Town to Kruger: the sums

A fortnight of daily use in South Africa comes to £28 on Sky, £53 on EE and £112 on Vodafone (our arithmetic, checked on 24 October 2026). Our 5 GB plan covers 30 days for £8.99, data only.

Residents of Great Britain made 434,000 visits to South Africa in 2025, staying 18.3 nights on average; 54.4% were to see friends and relatives ([ONS Travel trends 2025](https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/articles/traveltrends/2025)).

| Network or plan | 14 days | 21 days | How we added it up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sky, not VIP Diamond | £28 | £42 | £2 a day of use |
| EE, Zone 1 | £53 | £79.50 | 7-day passes at £26.50 |
| Three, Worldwide Data Travel Pass (separate data allowance) | £54 for 40GB | £80 for 58GB | a 14-day pass, then a 7-day at £26 |
| Vodafone, pay monthly from 11 August 2021 | £112 | £168 | £8 a day of use |
| Lyca, pay as you go | £20 for 2.5GB | £30 for 3.5GB | a 14-day pass, then a 7-day at £10 |
| Our South Africa plan, data only | £8.99 for 5 GB | the same plan | one 30-day plan; 10 GB is £15.99 |

Prices from each network's own page, checked on 24 October 2026; the totals are our arithmetic, with daily use. Three's Extra passes come to £82.25 for 14 days and £122.50 for 21.

These are different products. EE's pass and Three's Extra passes use your UK allowance on your own number; our plan is a data-only eSIM on a second line ([keeping your UK number](https://esimworld.co.uk/help/keep-your-uk-number/)). [Roaming or eSIM](https://esimworld.co.uk/roaming-or-esim/) covers the choice for any country.

## South African SIM card or travel eSIM?

South Africa SIM card vs eSIM comes down to the number: a local SIM gives you a South African number, our eSIM gives you data from £3.99 for 1 GB over 7 days, installed at home. We have not checked local SIM prices.

You buy [a local SIM](https://esimworld.co.uk/sim-card/) in person after landing, usually with your passport; pocket Wi-Fi is one more device to charge. Read the [Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) travel advice for South Africa](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/south-africa) before you book.

To pick the best eSIM for South Africa, check GB and days plans, the network, hotspot and tethering, and the start rule.

Our listing names Vodacom and MTN (5G) and Cell C (4G), but the plan note reads "4G Data-only eSIM" and "Operates on Vodacom network in South Africa" (catalogue checked on 24 October 2026), so we promise neither one network nor 5G. We hold no data on 4G/5G coverage or on load-shedding and coverage; for Kruger, check the networks' own maps.

Days start on first connection in South Africa; you can install up to 365 days after buying. Our listing states no hotspot and tethering rule, so check the plan card.

For a safari and Cape Town trip, install before you travel, on home Wi-Fi ([how to install an eSIM](https://esimworld.co.uk/how-to-install-esim/)); dial *#06# to check for an [eSIM-compatible phone](https://esimworld.co.uk/esim-compatible-phones/). On a stopover, a regional plan covering that country starts there, so keep eSIM data off until you land.

## Frequently asked questions

### Should I get an eSIM or physical SIM in South Africa?

An eSIM, if you need data only and your phone takes one: you install it at home. A local SIM gives a South African number but is bought after landing; we have not checked its price.

### What is the best eSIM for South Africa from the UK?

There is no single answer, and we rank no seller. Pick the GB and days you need; our plan lists Vodacom, MTN and Cell C, and its note names Vodacom. On Tesco, at 1p a MB, you may not need an eSIM.

### Can I use my existing phone number with an eSIM?

Yes, on your UK SIM. A travel eSIM is data only, so calls and texts stay on your UK line. Turn data roaming off on that line.

### How much is a SIM card in South Africa?

Our South Africa eSIM starts at £3.99 for 1 GB over 7 days, data only; we have not checked local SIM prices. On a UK network, Tesco charges 1p a MB and EE £26.50 for 7 days (checked on 24 October 2026).

*Sources are linked in the text; reviewed by Nadezhda Semenova. For the terms of your own contract, check with your network.*

## Sources

- [Tesco Mobile roaming](https://www.tescomobile.com/roaming)
- [EE price guide, 31 March 2026 (PDF)](https://ee.co.uk/content/dam/help/terms-and-conditions/price-plans/mobile/sim-only-price-plans/_ee-pay-monthly-standard-and-non-standard-price-guide-31st_March_2026_1.1.pdf)
- [Vodafone roaming guide](https://www.vodafone.co.uk/newscentre/smart-living/everything-you-need-to-know-about/roaming-with-vodafone-in-2022-everything-you-need-to-know/)
- [O2 data roaming Bolt Ons](https://www.o2.co.uk/international/data-roaming-bolt-ons)
- [Three Your Way price guide, post 19 April 2026 (PDF)](https://www.three.co.uk/content/dam/threedigital/terms-and-conditions/price-guides/latest-price-guides/threeyourwayplans-priceguide-post19apr2026-12102026.pdf)
- [Three Data Travel Pass](https://www.three.co.uk/support/roaming-and-calling-abroad/roaming-abroad/data-travel-pass)
- [iD Mobile roaming](https://www.idmobile.co.uk/help-and-support/roaming)
- [Lebara roaming add-on](https://www.lebara.co.uk/en/roaming-add-on/p/44000067.html)
- [giffgaff roaming](https://www.giffgaff.com/roaming)
- [Sky Mobile roaming](https://www.sky.com/shop/mobile/roaming)
- [VOXI Global Roaming Extras](https://www.voxi.co.uk/help/articles/what-are-global-roaming-extras-and-how-do-they-work----2cc71973-bb4a-436f-a6cd-1497441ed34d)
- [SMARTY price guide (PDF)](https://cdn.smarty.co.uk/files/SMARTY-Price-Guide.pdf)
- [Talkmobile Booster details](https://talkmobile.co.uk/booster-details)
- [Lyca Mobile roaming](https://www.lycamobile.co.uk/en/roaming/)
- [BT Travel Data Pass](https://www.bt.com/help/mobile/going-abroad/buying-mobile-data-add-ons-to-use-abroad/bt-mobile-travel-data-pass-add-on)
- [Asda Mobile roaming](https://mobile.asda.com/roaming-calling-abroad)
- [ONS Travel trends 2025](https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/articles/traveltrends/2025)
- [FCDO: South Africa travel advice](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/south-africa)