How to Buy a SIM Card in Mongolia in 2026
The quickest place to get a SIM card in Mongolia is the arrivals hall at Chinggis Khaan International Airport, where Unitel and Mobicom have kiosks and activate the SIM on the spot. You need your passport and an unlocked phone. If you would rather land already connected, our pay-as-you-go eSIM works on two of Mongolia's networks, Mobicom and Skytel, and is the option we recommend for most trips. This guide covers both routes, what local tourist SIMs cost, and how far the signal reaches once you leave Ulaanbaatar. Our plans for the country are on the Mongolia eSIM page.
At the airport
A SIM counter in the arrival area sells cards from the main carriers, and one guide gives its hours as 6am to 10pm, with prices of $5 to $15. Mobicom has its own store in the arrival hall, open 6am to 8pm, and Unitel has a booth there too. Kiosks activate the SIM straight away. A 2026 blog lists Unitel's tourist SIM, the TourSIM, as available at the airport. If you land late, the counters may be shut, which is one reason to arrive with an eSIM already installed.
The four networks
Mongolia has four mobile operators: Unitel, Mobicom, Skytel and G-Mobile. Most guides recommend Unitel or Mobicom for travellers, and one advises against Skytel. Their claims about coverage conflict. One guide says Unitel has the widest coverage in Ulaanbaatar and between cities; another gives Mobicom the best coverage and fastest speeds. For the south Gobi around Dalanzadgad, one guide names Mobicom the top pick.
What a local tourist SIM costs
The most detailed price list dates from 2024, so prices may have moved:
- Unitel Tour SIM 5: MNT 15,000 for 3GB over 5 days.
- Unitel Tour SIM 10: MNT 25,000 for 5GB over 10 days.
- Unitel Tour SIM 30: MNT 40,000 for 20GB over 30 days.
- Skytel: MNT 30,000 for 5GB over 10 days, or MNT 75,000 for 20GB over 30 days.
Mobicom's 2024 bundles were smaller for the money, from MNT 20,000 for 600MB. A February 2026 blog quotes 15GB for 10 days at about MNT 25,000, roughly $7. Most shops accept only tugrik, so change some money first.
In Ulaanbaatar, Mobicom has a store on Peace Ave and Unitel has shops on Baga Toiruu and Chinggis Ave, all in Sukhbaatar district. SIMs are also sold at Petrovis and Altan Ude petrol stations, at the State Department store and in Centerra Mall. Bring your passport: the SIM is registered to it.
Our recommendation: PAYG on Mobicom or Skytel
We do not sell a fixed data bundle for Mongolia without a daily fee. What we do sell is the Global PAYG Data eSIM: $20, including €17.50 of data credit, installed at home and working when you land. There is no passport check and no airport queue, and you top up in MyeSIM if you need more. Unused credit stays on the eSIM for your next trip.
In Mongolia it works on Mobicom and Skytel, and the credit goes a fair way on both. It does not work on Unitel or G-Mobile. If your phone does not connect by itself, open the mobile network settings, turn off automatic selection and choose Mobicom or Skytel.
Our Vodafone Travel VIP plan also covers Mongolia, but it charges $7.50 for every day you use it there on top of the $32 plan, so it only makes sense for a very short stop.
The Gobi and the countryside
Outside the cities, coverage follows the towns and tourist camps. The open desert has no signal on Unitel or Mobicom, so expect long stretches offline between camps. One guide says Unitel is the most reliable in the deep countryside; another prefers Mobicom around Dalanzadgad, Yolyn Am and Bayanzag. Download offline maps before you leave Ulaanbaatar.
Your options side by side
| Option | Price | Data | How you get it |
|---|
| Global PAYG Data eSIM | $20 | Pay as you go from €17.50 of credit, on Mobicom or Skytel | Online before you fly, no ID check |
| Unitel Tour SIM 10 (2024 price) | MNT 25,000 | 5GB for 10 days | Airport booth or shop, passport |
| Unitel Tour SIM 30 (2024 price) | MNT 40,000 | 20GB for 30 days | Airport booth or shop, passport |
| Vodafone Travel VIP | $32 plus $7.50 a day in Mongolia | From the plan's allowance | Online, UK number |
| O2 SMS Only eSIM | $8 a month | None, texts in only | Online, UK number |
Which should you choose?
For a city stay or a tour of a week or two, install the Global PAYG Data eSIM before you fly and make sure it is on Mobicom or Skytel. For a long overland trip with heavy data use, a Unitel Tour SIM from the airport is cheaper, as long as you have your passport and some tugrik. To keep bank codes arriving on a UK number, add the O2 SMS Only eSIM at $8 a month. Set-up steps are in our eSIM installation guide, and the plans for the country are on the Mongolia eSIM page.
