How to Buy a SIM Card in Kiribati in 2026

We do not sell a data eSIM that works in Kiribati. None of our data plans lists the country, and our Global PAYG eSIM has no rate there, so the honest advice is to buy a local SIM from one of Kiribati's two networks, Vodafone Kiribati or OceanLink, once you arrive. This guide explains which network covers which islands, where to buy and top up, what it costs, and the one eSIM of ours that is still worth installing: O2 SMS Only, to keep your UK number receiving texts.

Two networks, different islands

Vodafone Kiribati is run by ATHKL, part of Fiji's Amalgamated Telecom Holdings. OceanLink runs the OceanCell mobile network, with 2G, 3G and 4G. Some websites describe ATHKL as the only operator or mix the two up, but both sell SIM cards and data.

Which one you need depends on where you are going. Inspections by the regulator, the CCK, found Vodafone reaching 92% of people in South Tarawa and OceanLink 80% (2024), with the two almost level on Kiritimati at 83% and 84% (2023). Those are the only two places with both networks. Abaiang, Abemama and several other outer islands have Vodafone only; Butaritari and a few others have OceanLink only. If your trip goes beyond South Tarawa or Kiritimati, check which network covers your island before you choose.

Where to buy a SIM

One site says small kiosks near arrivals at Bonriki airport sell Vodafone and OceanLink SIMs; others warn not to count on the airport and to buy in town instead. Treat any airport stand as a bonus. Your phone must be unlocked, and you should carry your passport: sources disagree on whether it is needed to register a SIM, and it is better to have it than to make a second trip.

What a SIM and data cost

Kiribati uses the Australian dollar. Third-party guides, which may be dated, quote a Vodafone pack of 1.5 GB for 7 days at AUD 7 and 5.5 GB for 30 days at AUD 30, and an ATHKL SIM on its own for AUD 5 with no extras. Ask in store for the current packs before you pay.

Topping up

Many readers ask how to recharge a Kiribati SIM. Vodafone Kiribati offers top-ups through its own website, and third-party websites also sell Vodafone Kiribati recharges online, which is handy if a friend at home wants to add credit for you. We found no published way to top up an OceanLink number from abroad, so ask in the OceanLink shop when you buy, and buy enough credit for your stay up front.

Keeping your UK number: O2 SMS Only

A local SIM replaces your own while it is in the phone, so texts to your UK number, including bank and login codes, stop arriving. The O2 SMS Only eSIM fixes that for $8 a month: it gives you a private UK +44 number that receives texts, alongside the Kiribati SIM that handles your data. We could not confirm that it receives texts on Vodafone Kiribati or OceanLink, so install it at home and test it as soon as you land before you rely on it.

Before you fly

Check that your phone is unlocked and has a spare slot or eSIM support, download offline maps of Tarawa while you still have Wi-Fi, and note your hotel's address. Install the SMS Only eSIM at home, while you have Wi-Fi you can rely on.

Kiribati options compared

Our recommendation

Buy a Vodafone Kiribati SIM in South Tarawa if you are staying there or heading to a Vodafone-only island, and an OceanLink SIM for Butaritari or another OceanLink island; on Kiritimati either will do. Add the O2 SMS Only eSIM to keep your UK number for texts. Our eSIM installation guide explains the set-up, and the Kiribati eSIM page shows what we offer there today.