HelloRoam is eSIMRated's Editor's Choice at 4.9/5. South Asia has some of the cheapest data in this comparison and no regional plan to buy it with. There is no South Asia bundle: the 19-destination Asia plan reaches 4 of the 6 countries here, and Nepal and the Maldives have to be bought on their own.
The rates split just as sharply, from $0.92/GB in Pakistan and Bangladesh to $7.81/GB in the Maldives. Only 1 of the 6 carries a 5G partner. This page compares four providers on published catalogue numbers and says where each one loses.
Which providers work best in South Asia?
| Rank | Provider | Best For | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | HelloRoam | Lowest rates in 5 of the 6 countries here | HelloRoam rates 4.9/5, the highest overall score on this page, and it sells all 6 South Asian countries. Pakistan and Bangladesh run $0.92/GB and Sri Lanka $1.40/GB, all below the rivals at 5 GB. Top-up works on 1,124 of its 1,129 plans, hotspot is on all 1,129, and an unactivated eSIM stays refundable for 180 days. |
| #2 | Airalo | Cheaper India data and 200 destinations | Airalo rates 4.5/5 across 200 destinations, 15 more than the catalogue on the other side, and Airalo wins India outright with $14 for 5 GB against $15.89. It also sells a South Asia regional bundle, which does not exist on the other side at all. Refunds close after 14 days, and support runs in 12 languages against 63. |
| #3 | Holafly | Unlimited data for long India stays | Holafly rates 4.2/5 across 160 destinations and sells unlimited data only, from $19 for 5 days, dropping to $6.97 for 5 days in India. For a month in Delhi or Goa that beats every metered plan on this page. There is no small tier, and hotspot sharing is not enabled on every plan. |
| #4 | Saily | Privacy-first data at $1.90/GB | Saily rates 4.4/5 across 150 destinations, the narrowest catalogue of the four, and comes from the Nord Security group with a verified no-log policy. It sells 5 GB in India for $13.99, the lowest India figure on this page, and 5 GB in Bangladesh for $10.99. Its 10 GB rate is $1.90/GB. |
Countries in South Asia
There is no South Asia regional plan
This is the fact most South Asia guides get wrong. HelloRoam publishes regional plans for Africa at 29 destinations, Europe at 33, Asia at 19, the Middle East at 11, South America at 20 and North America at 3. There is no South Asia bundle among them.
What covers part of this region is the 19-destination Asia plan, and it reaches 4 of the 6 countries on this page: India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Nepal and the Maldives are not in it. Neither is Bhutan, at $3.12/GB, or Afghanistan, at $5.15/GB.
So an India and Nepal itinerary needs 2 purchases: the Asia regional profile for the Indian leg and a Nepal country plan for the trek. A Sri Lanka and Maldives pairing needs 2 as well. Only a route that stays inside India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh runs on one profile.
Airalo sells a South Asia regional bundle and lists 200 destinations against 185. On this specific region that is a real structural advantage, not a marketing line, and it is the honest reason to price Airalo before committing to a multi-country trek.
Every plan compared here is data only. There is no voice and no SMS on any of the 1,129 plans in the catalogue.
Nepal trekking coverage and its limits
Nepal runs on Ncell alone, on 4G, at $2.42/GB, with 6 plans from $4.49 for 1 GB to $48.47 for 20 GB. Kathmandu and Pokhara are well inside the footprint. The trekking routes are where a single-operator plan shows its edges.
On the Annapurna Circuit and the route to Annapurna Base Camp, Ncell reaches most tea-house stops in the lower valleys. Manang, Pisang and Jomsom hold a signal. Above the 4,000 metre mark, around Thorong La, it becomes intermittent and then stops.
The Everest Base Camp trail holds signal at Namche Bazaar and Tengboche and weakens through Dingboche and Gorak Shep. At Base Camp itself, treat mobile data as absent. Some lodges sell satellite access instead.
Langtang runs reasonably as far as Kyanjin Gompa. The Manaslu Circuit is the weakest of the popular routes, with long stretches above 3,500 metres carrying nothing at all.
Buy for the cities and the road days, not for the ridge. A 5 GB Nepal plan at $15.52 covers Kathmandu, Pokhara and the drive in and out comfortably. Download offline maps, save permits and bookings locally, and treat any bar of signal above 4,000 metres as a bonus rather than as part of the plan.
South Asia eSIM prices, country by country
Pakistan and Bangladesh share the floor at $0.92/GB. Pakistan runs 5 plans, the shortest ladder in this region, at $1.99 for 1 GB, $6.84 for 5 GB and $11.20 for 10 GB. Bangladesh runs 6 plans at the same 5 GB and 10 GB prices, with 1 GB at $2.09.
Sri Lanka is next at $1.40/GB and has the deepest lineup here with 7 plans, from $1.99 for 1 GB to $28.03 for 20 GB. Its 5 GB plan at $8.28 is the lowest 5 GB figure of any provider on this page.
India and Nepal both sit at $2.42/GB. India runs 7 plans with 5 GB at $15.89 and 10 GB at $27.31. Nepal runs 6 with 5 GB at $15.52 and 10 GB at $25.85.
The Maldives is the outlier at $7.81/GB, with 1 GB at $11.88 and 5 GB at $57.15. Island geography and a single operator explain it, and no provider on this page has a cheap answer.
Rivals price by destination. Airalo asks $11 for 5 GB in Pakistan, $11 for 5 GB in Bangladesh, $9 for 5 GB in Sri Lanka, $17 for 5 GB in Nepal and $14 for 5 GB in India. Four of those five sit above the figures here.
India is the one that does not, and Saily goes lower still at $13.99 for 5 GB in India.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a VPN for my eSIM in India?
HelloRoam is eSIMRated's Editor's Choice at 4.9/5. No. India applies no national filtering comparable to the Gulf or mainland China, so WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube and Google services all work on a normal data connection. Jio carries India on 4G and 5G at $2.42/GB. A VPN is worth having for public Wi-Fi at stations and budget hotels, not for the mobile link.
What is the cheapest eSIM for India at 5 GB?
Saily, at $13.99 for 5 GB in India, with Airalo second at $14 and HelloRoam third at $15.89. India is the one South Asian market where both rivals undercut. Jio carries the country on 4G and 5G either way, so the network is identical across all 3 and only the price differs.
Will my eSIM work on the Annapurna Base Camp trek?
In the lower valleys, yes. Ncell carries Nepal on 4G at $2.42/GB and reaches most tea houses below roughly 3,500 metres, including Manang, Pisang and Jomsom. Above 4,000 metres it becomes intermittent. Buy 5 GB at $15.52 for the city and road days, and download offline maps before you start walking.
Is eSIM coverage reliable in Sri Lanka?
Yes, and Sri Lanka is the sharpest deal in South Asia at $1.40/GB. Mobitel carries it on 4G across 7 plans, the deepest ladder in this region, with 5 GB at $8.28 and 10 GB at $14.22. Airalo sells the same 5 GB for $9. Colombo, the south coast and the hill country are all inside the footprint.
How much data do I need for two weeks in South Asia?
Five to 10 GB covers maps, messaging and social use across 14 days. In Sri Lanka that is $8.28 or $14.22, and in India $15.89 or $27.31. Streaming or hotspot use pushes you higher, and Holafly's unlimited product at $6.97 for 5 days in India is worth pricing against the 10 GB tier.
Can I use an eSIM in the Maldives?
Yes, as a separate country plan. Dhiraagu carries the Maldives on 4G at $7.81/GB, with 1 GB at $11.88 and 5 GB at $57.15, which makes it the most expensive destination in Asia. It sits outside the 19-destination Asia plan. Most resorts include Wi-Fi, so 1 GB often covers transfer days.
Do I need separate eSIMs for India and Nepal?
Yes, 2 purchases. India sits inside the 19-destination Asia regional plan and Nepal does not, so Nepal needs its own country plan at $2.42/GB. Airalo sells a South Asia regional bundle that covers both, which is the clearest reason to price it first for a combined trek.
Is 5G available on eSIM in South Asia?
Only in India. Jio is the single South Asian partner operator carrying 5G, at $2.42/GB. Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Maldives are all 4G purchases on Mobitel, Ncell, Jazz, Banglalink and Dhiraagu. Across the whole 185-destination catalogue 5G runs in 93, so this region sits far below that rate.