Where to buy a SIM card in Dubai and which carrier to choose?
Based on 1 discussion with 4 participants · Last activity: 6 days ago
TL;DR
SIM cards are free and can be picked up at the airport or in shopping malls with your passport (you register, top up, and activate a data package). The two main carriers are du and Etisalat, both of which burn through data fairly fast; an annual resident plan with unlimited calls and mobile data costs around AED 1359 (EUR 317).
What the community said
You can get a SIM card right at the airport on arrival or later at any shopping mall — just bring your passport. The SIM itself is free; the process is simple: get it, register it, top up the balance, activate a data package, and you're set.
7 days ago Dubai Airport / malls, passport required
One traveler asked which carrier is better in Dubai, noting that both du and Etisalat burn through data allowances quickly, even when connecting to Wi-Fi often.
10 days ago du and Etisalat
For a longer stay, it can be worth getting an annual resident plan from du with unlimited calls and mobile data — it also works abroad for calls and bank SMS notifications. The cost is around AED 1359 (about EUR 317) per year.
10 days ago du annual plan, AED 1359