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Buying A SIM Card In

Greece – Best
Options For 2023
Last Updated: February 12, 2023
by RealGreekExperiences

Everything you need to know

about the best prepaid SIM card
you can buy in Greece. Includes
information on local operators
in Greece, where to buy a
Greece SIM card, what
documents you need, available
data packages and more.

How to buy a SIM Card

for Greece
Where can I get a Greece SIM
card? Tourists and expats
traveling to Greece ask this
question all the time, as they want
to get a Greece SIM card for
mobile broadband as soon as they
arrive.

It’s hardly surprising! These days,

it’s super important to stay
connected with friends and
relatives around the world. Not to
mention posting all the amazing
Greece photos from your holiday

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This guide to the prepaid SIM

cards you can get for Greece is
here to help. It includes
information on:

the main providers in

Greece
the various SIM plans and
packages each provider
offers
what documents you need
to get a new SIM
where to get your Greek
SIM card – stores, street
vendors, the Athens airport
activating your SIM card
and buying bundles
coverage, 4G and 5G in
Greece
eSIM and tourist SIM
information
why contract phones are
not worth it, even if you are
living in Greece.

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Greece prepaid SIM card

providers
There are three local providers in
Greece: Cosmote, Vodafone
Greece and Nova, formerly known
as Wind. Each of these companies
offer several types of prepaid SIM
cards.

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If you are only here for a few days

or weeks, any Pay As You Go
Greek SIM card you buy will be
fine. Whichever operator you
choose, your SIM will usually work
well at popular destinations such
as Athens, Santorini or Mykonos.

Generally speaking though,

Cosmote has the best network
coverage around Greece. So if you
are planning to do lots of traveling
in Greece, the best SIM card to get
is probably Cosmote.

My top suggestion for the best

Greek prepaid card to buy
would be Cosmote Frog – if you
can find it. This is the best SIM
deal for Greece. Alternatively,
go for either Cosmote WhatsUp,
or Vodafone CU.

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I have included more info on all

these SIM cards later on in the
article.

Greece SIM vs EU SIM

If you already have an SIM card

from any EU country, there are no
roaming charges. So, there is no
real reason to get a Greek SIM if
you are only here for a short time,
unless you need a local phone
number.

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To be honest, most SIM cards

from the EU (and often the UK)
are better value than the Greek
ones. Just make sure you are
familiar with your provider’s fair
usage policy. Plus, note that your
EU SIM might not work perfectly
everywhere!

Greece SIM vs overseas

SIM

In my opinion, if you are visiting

from outside the EU, you should
definitely get a local SIM. Your
provider (e.g. Verizon or T Mobile
in the USA) will likely have
overseas data plans. However,
these will always be a lot more
expensive, and may even end up
in unexpected costs.

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Also, while WiFi is very common in

Greece, there will always be a time
that you desperately need the
Internet and it won’t be available.

A good example is when you are

driving around Greece, or if you
get lost walking around Ancient
Athens. Even with downloading
the offline Google Maps, it’s
always best to actually have an
internet connection.

Finally, a Greek SIM card can also

come in handy if you want to book
ferry tickets, train tickets, or just
confirm your reservation with your
hotel. As you will get a local
number, you can easily use it for
apps like Viber, WhatsApp etc.

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What do I need to buy a

prepaid Greece SIM
card?
To buy a prepaid SIM card for
Greece, you will need to show a
valid ID document, such as a
passport. Wherever you go to get
your new card, the seller will either
photocopy or take a photo of your
passport – this is normal!

According to Greek legislation,

you can only purchase a SIM
card if you are over 18 years old.
If your teenage children want their
own SIM cards, you can buy two
or more cards using the same
passport.

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Where to buy a SIM card

in Greece
The best places to get your SIM
card in Greece are either
designated stores, or street
vendors in the bigger cities. It’s
possible to buy a SIM card at the
Athens Airport, but it’s a lot more
expensive.

To use your new card, you will

need to have an unlocked phone.
Some mobile phones come with a
dual SIM option, so you can also
use your original SIM if you prefer.

Buying a Greece SIM

card in a store
All three providers have hundreds
of shops across the country where
you can easily get a new Greece
SIM card. Cosmote SIM cards are
also sold at a store chain called
Germanos.

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Here are some of the stores where

you can get a SIM card for Greece
around Syntagma Square and
Plaka, close to the main shopping
areas in central Athens:

Cosmote Syntagma Square

– Mitropoleos 1
Cosmote Monastiraki –
Athinas 45
Germanos Syntagma
Square – Stadiou 10
Vodafone Syntagma
Square – Stadiou 9
Vodafone Acropolis –
Veikou 72
Nova Kolonaki –
Patriarchou Ioakim 7
Nova Acropolis – Veikou 1

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If you are starting your trip at

Thessaloniki or one of the Greek
islands, you can use Google Maps
to find the nearest shop that sells
SIMs.

Expect to pay about 10-15 euro to

get your new SIM card, including
some credit that will enable you to
buy data packages, minutes or
text bundles. More on this, later.

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