eSIM plans · AsiaMaldives eSIM: How Much Data You Need (2026)
HelloRoam prices in 31 currencies. Airalo, Holafly, Nomad and Saily price in dollars. 11 GB covers 7 days in Maldives at 1.5 GB a day, which is the 20 GB tier at $156.24, on a published list naming Dhiraagu. Airalo wins reach, 200+ destinations to 186.
A 7-day Maldives trip runs 11GB for a moderate traveler, at 1.5GB a day for maps and social media on a local mobile network. If you grab the 20GB plan for $156.24, you get 9GB of headroom beyond your 11GB baseline. Unlimited data runs $10.57/day on a local mobile network, which ends data tracking for heavy users.
The published attachment list for Maldives holds one operator, Dhiraagu.
Compare the three traveler profiles over 7 days in Maldives. Light users: the 0.5 GB band brings the total to 4GB for email and maps. Moderate users: 1.5GB/day reaches 11GB for social apps and navigation. Heavy users: 3GB/day hits 21GB for video and streaming. 6 plans on 4G LTE from 1 carrier cover each profile.
Matching plans to usage profiles in Maldives: The 5GB tier at $57.15 fits light users who stay on the 0.5 GB band for maps and messaging. Moderate users: the 5GB plan at $57.15 ($11.43/GB) hits the best price-to-data balance. $10.57/day buys unlimited data on a local mobile network, which removes the 3 GB a day guesswork for heavy users.
The tier that fits a Maldives trip
Three tiers, and all 5 providers scored inside each one. Most travelers land on Moderate. Not sure? Take the quiz.
Light use, 1 to 3 GB
Maps and transit apps · Translation and messaging · Email and boarding passes
A few days in Maldives on maps, chat and boarding passes? HelloRoam takes Light at 86 out of 100. Nomad is next at 83. On rate alone Nomad wins: $3.00 a gigabyte, where HelloRoam asks $3.50. On price and nothing else, Nomad is the buy. No plan this small exists at Holafly, which is why it sits at 31. A 3 GB plan for Maldives runs $36.00.
| Provider | Plan at this size | Per GB at 0.5 GB/day | Tier match |
|---|---|---|---|
| HelloRoamMost Support LanguagesTier pick | Fixed 1 GB and 3 GB tiersPublished rate $3.50/GB | $3.50 | 86/100 |
| NomadLowest Fixed Rate | Fixed 1 GB and 3 GB tiersPublished rate $3.00/GB | $3.00 | 83/100 |
| SailyOnly Built-In VPN | Fixed 1 GB and 3 GB tiersPublished rate $3.99/GB | $3.99 | 77/100 |
| AiraloOnly Regional Bundles | Fixed 1 GB and 3 GB tiersPublished rate $4.50/GB | $4.50 | 74/100 |
| HolaflyBest Unlimited Value | No plan at this size, unlimited daily onlyPublished rate $2.99/day | No rate to quote | 31/100 |
Moderate use, 3 to 7 GB
Photo sharing and social apps · Browsing and short video · Music and a call home
A normal Maldives trip, social apps on and the odd video? Holafly wins this tier 96 to 86, with HelloRoam second. It holds the cheapest gigabyte too, $1.99 at 1.5 GB a day. HelloRoam lands at 86, second best and beaten. A 5 GB plan for Maldives runs $57.15.
| Provider | Plan at this size | Per GB at 1.5 GB/day | Tier match |
|---|---|---|---|
| HolaflyBest Unlimited ValueTier pick | Unlimited daily, no 5 GB tierPublished rate $2.99/day | $1.99 | 96/100 |
| HelloRoamMost Support Languages | Fixed 3 GB and 5 GB tiersPublished rate $3.50/GB | $3.50 | 86/100 |
| NomadLowest Fixed Rate | Fixed 3 GB and 5 GB tiersPublished rate $3.00/GB | $3.00 | 83/100 |
| SailyOnly Built-In VPN | Fixed 3 GB and 5 GB tiersPublished rate $3.99/GB | $3.99 | 77/100 |
| AiraloOnly Regional Bundles | Fixed 3 GB and 5 GB tiersPublished rate $4.50/GB | $4.50 | 74/100 |
Heavy use, 10 GB and up
Streaming and video calls · A full remote work day · Laptop hotspot
Video calls and a laptop hotspot in Maldives? Holafly takes Heavy at 96 out of 100. HelloRoam is next at 66. It holds the cheapest gigabyte too, $1.00 at 3 GB a day. HelloRoam finishes on 66 and loses the tier. With Saily and Nomad there is no unlimited option at all, so you size up once and live with it. A 10 GB plan for Maldives runs $81.47, and unlimited runs $10.57 a day.
| Provider | Plan at this size | Per GB at 3 GB/day | Tier match |
|---|---|---|---|
| HolaflyBest Unlimited ValueTier pick | Unlimited dailyPublished rate $2.99/day | $1.00 | 96/100 |
| HelloRoamMost Support Languages | Fixed up to 20 GB, unlimited in some destinationsPublished rate $3.50/GB | $3.50 | 66/100 |
| AiraloOnly Regional Bundles | Fixed up to 20 GB, unlimited in some destinationsPublished rate $4.50/GB | $4.50 | 54/100 |
| NomadLowest Fixed Rate | Fixed tiers only, no unlimited planPublished rate $3.00/GB | $3.00 | 43/100 |
| SailyOnly Built-In VPN | Fixed tiers only, no unlimited planPublished rate $3.99/GB | $3.99 | 37/100 |
How to read the rate column: it is each provider's own published entry price, converted to a per-gigabyte figure at the daily usage for that tier. Without that conversion a daily plan and a per-GB plan cannot be compared at all. Published entry rates: Airalo $4.50/GB, Saily $3.99/GB, Holafly $2.99/day, Nomad $3.00/GB, HelloRoam $3.50/GB. Those are catalogue floors, not prices for Maldives. Destination prices above are HelloRoam catalogue prices, because HelloRoam's catalogue is the only per-destination feed this site reads. For the other four we have a published floor and no Maldives figure we would stand behind, so none is shown.
How trip length changes your Maldives plan
Short trips and extended stays need different data strategies. Find your trip length below.
Short trip (1-3 days)
A 1-3 day trip needs 5GB at moderate use. The 5GB plan at $57.15 covers maps and messaging on a local mobile network.
Standard trip (5-10 days)
Standard trips to Maldives total 11GB. The 20GB at $156.24 handles a full week of social media and maps.
Extended stay (14-30 days)
For stays of 14+ days, unlimited data at $10.57/day on a local mobile network beats buying multiple fixed plans.
Your Maldives shortlist, all 5 providers
Two questions decide most e-sim purchases: how big the bundle is and how long it lasts. Here is both, next to tethering, phone numbers and each published rate.
| Provider | Our rubric score | Min to max GB | Min to max validity | Hotspot | Local number | Entry rate | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 HelloRoamMost Support LanguagesTop of our rubric | 8.7/10 | 1 GB to 20 GB, plus unlimited | Unlimited runs 1 to 30 days, fixed window not published | Not published | No, data only | $3.50/GB | Get Plan |
 HolaflyBest Unlimited Value | 8.6/10 | Unlimited daily, no GB tiers | 1 to 90 days | Capped at 1 GB per day | No, data only | $2.99/day | Get Plan |
 AiraloOnly Regional Bundles | 6.9/10 | 1 GB to 20 GB | 7 to 30 days | Included, full speed | No, data only | $4.50/GB | Get Plan |
 NomadLowest Fixed Rate | 6.6/10 | From 1 GB, top size not published | 30 days on the plans we list | Not published | No, data only | $3.00/GB | Get Plan |
 SailyOnly Built-In VPN | 6.5/10 | From 1 GB, top size not published | Not published | Included on all plans | No, data only | $3.99/GB | Get Plan |
Affiliate disclosure: We earn a commission when you buy through our links at no extra cost to you.
Who you're connecting to
In Maldives, the underlying carrier matters more than the brand on your plan.
The carrier your eSIM connects to in Maldives shapes speed, coverage, and value. Dhiraagu is the 4G LTE network most visitors to Maldives spend the trip on, strongest in the metro areas. Which of the five you buy from does not change those towers. It changes what you can buy and what happens if the plan does not fit. Crossing more than one border on this trip? Airalo is the only one of the five publishing a regional bundle, from 16 to 130 countries on a single profile. Reach costs it price: a published $4.50/GB, the dearest floor here. Burning 3 GB a day on video calls? Holafly is the only provider of the five publishing unlimited daily across its catalogue, from $2.99/day. Light users pay for data they will not use. Saily is the privacy option: Nord Security VPN on every plan, published from $3.99/GB. Support is the weak spot, email in a single language with no live channel. On price alone Nomad leads the fixed plans at $3.00/GB. It sells one plan shape only, with no unlimited tier and no regional bundle. HelloRoam publishes the widest support access of the five, 63 languages on chat, WhatsApp and email around the clock, plus 180 days to refund an unactivated eSIM. It does not win price at $3.50/GB. All 1 operator in Maldives support 4G LTE, so the plan size matters more than the carrier preference.
HelloRoam publishes its local operator list for Maldives, and the next section prints that list in full. The other four providers publish no equivalent list, so the cards below carry published facts about each provider instead of a carrier we would be guessing at.
Airalo
4G LTEReaches the most destinations of the five, at 200.
Saily
4G LTEAdds VPN routing on every plan.
Holafly
4G LTEUnlimited daily plans with fair-use speeds after the threshold.
Nomad
4G LTELowest fixed per-GB rate of the five, at $3.00.
HelloRoam
4G LTERuns on 204+ carrier partners with a 180-day refund window.
The networks that carry Maldives data
HelloRoam covers Maldives with one local network. That operator is Dhiraagu. 117 of the 185 destinations HelloRoam publishes work this way.
One operator means no fallback. If Dhiraagu has no bars where you stand, your phone has nowhere else to go. Save offline maps for Maldives before you fly.
HelloRoam lists no 5G operator in Maldives, so expect 4G on the ground. This does not change how many gigabytes you need. Trip length still sets the tier.
| Local operator | Network labels |
|---|---|
| Dhiraagu | 4G |
Where this table came from: HelloRoam's own destination catalogue, read on 17 August 2026. That catalogue publishes an operator list for every destination it sells, and we copied it. Nobody ran a speed test to build it, and no throughput number sits behind any row.
What uses your data in Maldives
Activity-level data breakdown for a Maldives trip.
Streaming
The heavy benchmark is 3 GB a day, and video is what puts a traveler there. A 7-day Maldives trip on that band needs 21 GB. The 20GB plan at $156.24 covers it. Dropping the picture quality one step moves the same day back toward the 11 GB moderate total.
Navigation
Maps and ride-hailing sit in the light band, 0.5 GB a day on the published benchmark. 7 days of Maldives navigation totals 4 GB, and the 5GB plan at $57.15 covers it. Offline maps cut the figure again, because a downloaded map draws nothing while you walk.
Social media
The moderate benchmark is 1.5 GB a day, which is what social apps plus messaging draw. Across 7 days in Maldives that is 11 GB. The 20GB plan at $156.24 covers the trip.
Work tools
Video calls run at the heavy benchmark of 3 GB a day. A 7-day working trip to Maldives needs 21 GB, and the 20GB plan at $156.24 is the smallest tier that covers it. Audio-only calls drop the same day back toward the 0.5 GB light band.
Your Maldives pricing notes
How much does an eSIM cost in Maldives? Plans start at $11.88 for 1GB and go up to $156.24 for 20GB. Full pricing: 1GB at $11.88 ($11.88/GB), 3GB at $36.00 ($12.00/GB), 5GB at $57.15 ($11.43/GB), 10GB at $81.47 ($8.15/GB), 20GB at $156.24 ($7.81/GB). Moderate travelers stretch their budget with 5GB at $57.15. That works out to $11.43/GB across a 4-day trip. Light users on short trips pay as little as $11.88 for 1GB and avoid overpaying for unused data. If your trip runs longer than 15 days, unlimited data at $10.57/day costs less than the 20GB fixed plan at $156.24. A 30-day unlimited plan drops to $8.67/day (18% off). Holafly publishes unlimited daily from $2.99/day and suits heavy users. Nomad publishes the lowest fixed rate at $3.00/GB and suits light ones. The cheapest eSIM plan for Maldives in our price feed is 1GB at $11.88, a catalogue price. Across published entry rates, Nomad sets the lowest fixed floor at $3.00/GB.
See how Maldives compares to similar destinations in Asia. For device-specific setup, read our guides for iPhone, Samsung, and Pixel.
Planning notes for Maldives
What local conditions in Maldives change your data plan math? Three things matter most. VPN usage is restricted in Maldives. Travelers who need secure remote access should pick a provider with built-in VPN routing. SIM rules: Passport required. Expensive data — resort WiFi often better option
An airport SIM against a Maldives eSIM
Maldives airport SIM vendors charge $8-15 for 5-10GB / 14 days and require 15-30 minutes plus a passport scan. eSIM plans start at $11.88 for 1GB, activate before departure, and connect to Dhiraagu on landing. The time and cost savings add up for frequent travelers.
How to activate your Maldives eSIM
Pick the plan that matches your daily data target for Maldives. Scan the QR code under Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM while connected to WiFi at home.
Label the new line "Travel Data" and set it as your default data connection. Keep your home SIM active on the other line for calls and texts.
If your eSIM is pre-installed, Dhiraagu connects the handset to 4G LTE in Maldives the moment your phone leaves airplane mode. Setup runs under 30 seconds.
Passport required. Your eSIM provider handles backend registration, so activate before landing to avoid delays.
Common Maldives eSIM questions
Direct answers grounded in real plan data and carrier coverage.
What plan do I need?
Most travelers to Maldives need a 3GB eSIM plan. That covers 3GB over 7 days for social media, maps, and messaging. The catalogue prices that tier at $36.00 ($12.00/GB) on a local mobile network. Light users save with 1GB at $11.88. Heavy users should consider 20GB at $156.24. HelloRoam fits this trip shape best of the 5 providers we score, at a published $3.50/GB.
How much data do I need?
For a 7-day trip to Maldives, your data needs depend on activity. Maps and messaging use about 0.09GB a day, 1GB across the trip. Social media and navigation use 0.4GB a day, 3GB in total. Streaming and video calls run 3.53GB a day, 25GB. Maldives has decent WiFi in hotels and cafes, which offsets about 15% of your data needs. Maldives plans start at $11.88 on the catalogue.
Which provider is cheapest?
Maldives fixed plans start at $11.88 for 1GB on a local mobile network. Unlimited runs $10.57/day ($73.99/week). Both are catalogue prices. Light users save on fixed. Unlimited passes the largest fixed bundle at $156.24 after 15 days. Across published floors, Nomad is the cheapest fixed rate at $3.00/GB.
Is an eSIM worth it?
An eSIM saves money and time in Maldives. Airport SIM cards cost $8-15 for 5-10GB / 14 days after a 15-30 minutes wait. A 20GB eSIM costs $156.24 for 11GB and activates before you board. It runs on a local mobile network, the same network airport SIMs use. On published plan shape and our rubric, HelloRoam is the closest fit of the 5, and its own entry rate is $3.50/GB.
eSIM vs SIM card?
Use both in Maldives: keep your home SIM for calls and add an eSIM for data. Maldives eSIM plans start at $11.88 for 1GB on a local mobile network, a catalogue price. That avoids the 15-30 minutes airport SIM queue and the $8-15 for 5-10GB / 14 days counter price. Maldives requires SIM registration with passport, which adds time at the counter.
How to set up?
Setting up an eSIM for Maldives takes about 5 minutes. Step 1: Buy a plan sized to your trip. (Maldives plans start at $11.88 for 1GB on the catalogue.) Step 2: Scan the QR code or use the direct install link. Step 3: Turn on the eSIM line in your phone settings. Step 4: Enable data roaming and set the eSIM as your data line. The plan connects to Dhiraagu when you arrive.
Plan match by traveler profile
Each profile maps to a specific plan size and provider for Maldives.
Backpacker
A backpacker in Maldives needs 7 GB for maps and messaging over 14 days. The 10 GB plan covers that at $81.47, or $8.15 per GB, on a local mobile network. HelloRoam fits the shape and refunds an unactivated eSIM for 180 days.
Budget travelers need 4GB over 7 days. The 5GB plan at $57.15 covers maps and messaging on a local mobile network.
Business traveler
Over 5 days in Maldives, a business traveler runs through 15 GB on video calls and uploads. The 20 GB plan is priced at $156.24 here, $7.81 per GB, on a local mobile network. HelloRoam is the shape fit of the five we score, on 186 published destinations.
Video calls and file uploads push daily use to 3GB. Over 7 days that is 21GB. Unlimited at $10.57/day on a local mobile network covers it.
Family group
A family traveler in Maldives needs 14 GB for social media and navigation over 7 days. The 20 GB plan covers that at $156.24, or $7.81 per GB, on a local mobile network. HelloRoam fits the shape of this trip, and publishes 63 support languages.
Families run 1.5 GB per person per day on social media and navigation. Over 7 days that totals 32GB. The 20GB at $156.24 fits per-device.
Digital nomad
A digital nomad uses 75 GB across 30 days in Maldives on remote work and streaming. The 20 GB plan at $156.24 matches that on a local mobile network, at $7.81 per GB. Holafly sells the shape this trip needs; Nomad publishes the lower fixed floor.
Remote workers run the 3 GB heavy band for uploads and calls. The 20GB plan at $156.24 handles 21GB over 7 days on a local mobile network.
Your questions, answered
How many gigabytes per day should I budget in Maldives?
Your daily rate in Maldives comes down to one habit: streaming. If you keep to maps and messaging, budget 0.5 GB a day, which is 4 GB across 7 days. If you scroll social media and browse each evening, budget 1.5 GB a day, or 11 GB for the trip, and the 20 GB plan at $156.24 covers the moderate figure. If you stream video or join work calls, budget 3 GB a day and 21 GB in total on a local mobile network.
Which plan shape fits my Maldives trip, fixed tiers or unlimited days?
Maldives sells both shapes, so pick the shape before the size. Fixed tiers start at the 1 GB plan for $11.88 and suit maps, messaging and browsing. Unlimited days start at $10.57 and suit streaming, video calls and hotspot use, where a fixed tier empties before the trip ends. The shortest unlimited commitment sold here is 1 day at $10.15. Shapes differ across the five providers we score. Unlimited days come from Holafly, catalogue-wide. HelloRoam and Airalo publish unlimited on part of the catalogue, so check the destination first. Nomad and Saily sell one shape only, a fixed bundle of gigabytes. The catch with Holafly: no per-GB tier exists, so it is unlimited or nothing.
Which eSIM plan fits a light or heavy data user in Maldives?
Light users in Maldives who check maps, send messages, and browse briefly use about 4 GB over 7 days. The 5 GB plan at $57.15 ($11.43/GB) is the right fit. Moderate users average 1.5 GB a day and need the 20 GB plan at $156.24 ($7.81/GB). Heavy users streaming video or video-calling use 21 GB or more, and the 20 GB plan at $156.24 ($7.81/GB) is the largest tier sold here, so a heavy pace needs a second purchase or an unlimited plan. That is $3.62/GB less than the entry tier charges.
What should I check on my phone before I buy a Maldives plan?
iPhone owners are covered from the XS onward. Samsung owners are covered from the Galaxy S20 onward. Pixel owners are covered from the Pixel 3 onward. Every one of those handsets still has to be carrier-unlocked, and every one should be checked with *#06# for an EID line first. Once the eSIM profile is installed, Maldives's 4G LTE network connects with no physical SIM in the phone. Search results will show e SIM and e-SIM too. All three spellings point at the same thing.
What starts the clock on a Maldives plan, the purchase or the landing?
Experienced travelers install at home and activate on arrival, because the timer answers to the network, not the receipt. Scanning the QR code over WiFi costs you nothing. The first Maldives network connection opens the validity window. The 1 GB plan at $11.88 suits a short stay. The 20 GB plan at $156.24 suits a longer one. Buy 1 to 3 days before the flight so the plan is fresh, installed and tested before you leave the house.
Is Maldives well-covered by travel eSIM networks in Asia?
Maldives network facts for Asia travelers: 1 carrier (Dhiraagu), 4G LTE top speed, dependable urban coverage, thinner rural coverage. Travel eSIMs use those carriers rather than a network of their own, so in-country coverage is close to identical between providers. The 5 GB plan at $57.15 ($11.43/GB) fits a standard Asia visit. The real difference sits at the catalogue level. Published destination lists differ: Airalo, Nomad and Saily at 200, HelloRoam at 186 and Holafly at 160.
Which activities use the most mobile data in Maldives?
Streaming and video calls are the two activities that force a bigger tier in Maldives. Both put a day on the published 3 GB heavy band. Everything else a tourist does, navigation included, sits on the 0.5 GB light band or the 1.5 GB moderate one. Downloading video over hotel WiFi keeps the trip on the lower band, and the 5 GB plan at $57.15 then covers more days.
How do I match a Maldives plan tier to the number of nights I am staying?
Count the nights, multiply by 1.5 GB, and buy the first tier above that number. For Maldives at a moderate pace that maps out as: 1 to 2 nights takes the 3 GB plan at $36.00 ($12.00/GB); 3 nights takes the 5 GB plan at $57.15 ($11.43/GB); 4 to 6 nights takes the 10 GB plan at $81.47 ($8.15/GB); 7 to 13 nights takes the 20 GB plan at $156.24 ($7.81/GB). The 20 GB plan holds the lowest per-GB rate here at $7.81/GB. Add 20% on top if you stream video or run navigation for whole days, because a tier that fits exactly leaves you rationing on the last morning.
How many days must I commit to for unlimited pricing in Maldives?
Three numbers decide it. The floor is 1 day at $10.15. The base rate is $10.57 a day. The longest block, at 30 days, cuts that to $8.67 a day, or 18% off. Full 4G LTE speed runs to 1GB a day before fair-use terms apply. Book the block that matches your nights in Maldives, since a shorter block topped up later costs the base rate again.
Which provider backs up a mis-sized Maldives plan?
HelloRoam and Holafly publish the longest refund window of the five providers we score, at 180 days on an unactivated eSIM. Airalo publishes the shortest at 14. The full picture: HelloRoam and Holafly publish 180 days, Nomad and Saily 30 days and Airalo 14 days. That window only helps before you switch the plan on, so check the size the day you buy rather than the day you land in Maldives. Sizing up first is still cheaper than any refund: the 20 GB plan holds the lowest rate here at $7.81/GB.
Nearby destinations
Get matched to your exact Maldives plan
Answer four quick questions and we'll pick the right tier, provider and price for your trip.
Take the 60-second quiz