How Much Is an SIM Card in Athens? €10–20 at Local Spots
A sim card in Athens costs EUR 10–20 at local places. If you paid significantly more than EUR 20, you were likely charged tourist prices.
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Is sim card in Athens worth it?
Athens is mid-priced for sim card among the 40 cities we track. The gap between the local and tourist price matters more here than the city average.
What locals pay
€10–20
What tourist spots charge
€25–40+117%
Buying sim card at tourist prices once a day costs about $147 extra over a week in Athens — the difference between a paid museum day and a free one.
Cheaper for sim card
More expensive
Price Ranges
Local Price
EUR 10 – 20
What residents and savvy travelers pay in neighborhood spots
Tourist Area Price
EUR 25 – 40
Typical pricing near major attractions and tourist zones~117% higher than local prices
Cosmote, Vodafone, and Wind tourist SIM packages are sold at Athens Airport and in shops around Syntagma and Monastiraki. Airport prices are higher. Downtown shops near Monastiraki offer better deals.
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Tips for SIM Card in Athens
- 1Buy from a Cosmote or Vodafone shop near Monastiraki — much cheaper than the airport
- 2Greek SIMs include free EU roaming
- 3Registration requires a passport
- 4Wind (now Nova) often has the best budget tourist packages
Local Pricing Context
Greece's mobile market is served by three main carriers — Cosmote (owned by Deutsche Telekom), Vodafone Greece, and Wind Hellas — all offering prepaid SIM cards suitable for tourists. As an EU member, Greek SIMs include EU-wide roaming, making them useful for island-hopping trips that might include a ferry to Turkey (though Turkey is outside EU roaming).
Cosmote is the largest carrier with the best coverage, particularly important for the Greek islands. Their prepaid "What's Up" SIM costs €5 for the chip plus credit for data packages. The most useful tourist option is the "What's Up Student/Tourist" combo at €10–15 including 5–10 GB of data for 30 days. Vodafone Greece offers similar packages through their "CU" prepaid brand at €8–12 for 5 GB / 30 days. Wind's "F2G" brand is slightly cheaper but has weaker coverage on smaller islands.
Purchase locations are abundant. Official carrier stores line Ermou Street (Athens' main shopping street), with additional locations near Syntagma Square and in malls like The Mall Athens and Golden Hall. Periptera (kiosks) throughout Athens sell prepaid SIMs and top-up cards, though activation help may be limited. Athens International Airport has Cosmote and Vodafone booths in the arrivals hall, priced 10–20% above city rates.
The key consideration for Greece-bound travelers is island coverage. If you're visiting popular islands (Santorini, Mykonos, Crete, Rhodes), all three carriers perform well. For remote islands or mountainous areas on the mainland, Cosmote's network is noticeably superior.
eSIMs are well-supported. Airalo's Greece plans start at $4.50 USD for 1 GB / 7 days, while EU-wide eSIM plans offer better value for multi-country Mediterranean trips. Given Greece's excellent free WiFi infrastructure in tourist areas, light data users may find an eSIM sufficient.
Free WiFi is available at most Athens cafés, restaurants, and the ubiquitous frappé spots. The Athens WiFi municipal network covers Syntagma Square, Monastiraki, and Plaka. Ferry terminals and most accommodation on popular islands also offer WiFi.
How to Avoid Overpaying
- 1Buy a Cosmote 'What's Up' SIM on Ermou Street for €10–15 instead of paying €15–20 at the airport
- 2Choose Cosmote if island-hopping — their coverage on remote Greek islands is significantly better
- 3Greek SIMs work across the EU — useful if you're combining Athens with other European cities
- 4Periptera kiosks sell top-up credit but may not help with activation — visit an official carrier store for setup
- 5Free WiFi at Athens cafés is reliable — order a €2 frappé and work from any Plaka café
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