If you are traveling to Malaysia, we recommend that you purchase a local Malaysian SIM card or an eSIM (such as those from Holafly, Sim local, or Airalo), so that you can have internet access on your smartphone at all times and enjoy the benefits of it: you can stay in touch with your friends and family, upload photos and videos to social media, search for information, make cheap local calls to accommodations and/or operators, use Google Maps and other apps, etc.
In this article, we tell you everything you need to know to buy a SIM card or eSIM in Malaysia: which companies are available, which one is best, whether a physical SIM or an eSIM is better, what data plans and prices they offer, how to top up your balance and purchase more internet, how to make local calls, etc.
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Malaysia Mobile Network Companies (local SIM card)
There are three main telephone companies in Malaysia:
- CelcomDigi: one of the leading operators in Malaysia (check CelcomDigi mobile coverage here). Approximate price: 20GB for 12 MYR ($3) for 7 days
- Hotlink (Maxis): The other major operator is Maxis, and Hotlink is the brand for prepaid SIMs that use the same network (check Maxis mobile coverage here). Approximate price: 40GB for 10 MYR ($2,5) for 7 days
- U Mobile: a smaller operator that is gaining momentum, especially in the 5G network (check U Mobile coverage here), although it can cause more problems in more remote areas. Approximate price: 25GB for 12 MYR ($3) for 7 days
Which SIM is better, CelcomDigi, Hotlink o U Mobile?
CelcomDigi and Hotlink are the two options we recommend if you want to buy a physical SIM card in Malaysia and are going to visit several areas of the country. If you are only going to visit the capital or cities, all three will work perfectly.
In our opinion, if there are two or more of you traveling, the best option is always to buy different SIM cards, so you will always have options and can share data by tethering without any problems.
If you have to choose only one and you are going to visit more remote areas, we recommend CelcomDigi, which has the best coverage in Malaysia. If you are only going to visit Kuala Lumpur or cities such as George Town or Malacca, you can choose the cheapest of the three.
Is it better to use an eSIM or a local physical SIM card?
When choosing between an eSIM or a local SIM, it is important to bear in mind that neither option is perfect and that each has its advantages and disadvantages.
In our opinion, the eSIM option is the easiest and most convenient in most cases, as you avoid wasting time buying a physical SIM card, inserting it into your phone, registering it, etc., and you arrive in Malaysia with internet already working on your phone.
If your phone does not support eSIM, you can try one of these adapters. It is a physical SIM card that you insert into your phone and allows you to install eSIMs through it.
On the other hand, the physical SIM card will give you a local number, which you can use to make calls or send text messages to local companies. It is usually cheaper (depending on how much data you need) and you can top up and purchase data packages as needed.
There is an intermediate option, which is buying eSIMs from local operators (Hotlink and U Mobile). It is now possible to purchase an eSIM from either of them, which will be cheaper (depending on the amount of data you need), although you will still have to register it online and spend time on that process. In our case, we tried to get the one from Umobile (if you download their app, there is an option for this), we went through the entire registration process (passport validation, selfie, etc.), but when it came time to pay and we tried with Revolut, we got an error, so we decided to buy physical SIM cards in addition to the eSIMs we had from Holafly and Sim local.
Where to buy the eSIM card
As we said, with an international eSIM, you avoid wasting time going out to buy a physical SIM card, registering it, topping up your balance, and purchasing data packages, etc. Plus, you’ll have internet access as soon as you land in Malaysia. If you decide to get an eSIM card, you have many options. Here are the three we know of (for which we also offer you a discount for reading our blog):
- Holafly: You can choose the exact number of days for your trip and it has unlimited data, making it the easiest option and giving you complete peace of mind. It also allows you to share the connection with other devices (1GB per day). It costs between $1,5 and $4 per day depending on the number of days (the more days, the cheaper it is).
- Sim local: It offers both limited (cheaper) data plans and unlimited data plans for predefined numbers of days (7, 15, 30 days).
- Airalo: It also has unlimited or limited data plans for predefined numbers of days.
In all three cases, they offer both eSIMs for Malaysia only and eSIMs for Asia in general that are valid for several countries, so depending on your trip, one or the other may be more suitable for you. In our case, in Malaysia we used Holafly’s Asia eSIM (5G), since in addition to Malaysia we also visited the Philippines and Thailand, and it worked well in all countries, and the Malaysia eSIM card from SIM Local
Both eSIMs we tested (Holafly Asia and Sim local Malaysia) connected to the Celcomdigi network.
You also have the option to purchase Hotlink or UMobile eSIMs directly. In principle, they will be cheaper, but you will still have to go through the registration process. You can find more information about Globe and Smart eSIMs and their sub-brands here:
- Hotlink eSIM: buy it from their app (Android or iOS)
- U Mobile eSIM
In our case, we tried to purchase the UMobile eSIM from their app, but the payment process failed with our Revolut and Wise cards, so we ultimately gave up.
In both cases, they will come with some kind of data package, and you can then top up and purchase more packages in the same way as we explain below for physical SIM cards from the same operators, using their official apps. You can try to register in your home country, although the data package will start counting down and sometimes registration does not work well outside Malaysia.
How to install eSIMs
Installing eSIMs on your phone is super easy. Once you make your purchase, you will receive the necessary information in your email.
If you have an iPhone, on most devices (all those with iOS 17.4 or later), you can install the eSIM simply by scanning the QR code that will be sent to you (remember to install it from a device with a stable internet connection, either via data or Wi-Fi).
In all other cases, you will need to perform a manual installation, which is also very easy. Just follow the instructions provided in the email you will receive.
Once you activate the eSIM, the days will start counting down, so it’s best to install it just before boarding your outbound flight.
Internet speed with Holafly and SIM Local in Malaysia
Below are several speed tests we conducted in various areas of Malaysia using our eSIMs (Holafly and Sim local):
Kuala Lumpur – Holafly
Kuala Lumpur – Sim Local
George Town (Penang) – Holafly
George Town (Penang) – Sim Local
Langkawi – Holafly
Where to buy a local SIM card in Malaysia
If possible, the cheapest option is to buy a physical SIM card once you arrive in Malaysia. You can buy one at any 7-Eleven or phone store, or ask anyone to show you where to find one, as many small street shops sell them. You will likely see advertisements for CelcomDigi, Hotlink, or Umobile in the stores that sell them.
In our case, we bought a CelcomDigi SIM card at a 7-Eleven for MYR 10 ($2,5, without a data plan or registration) and another Hotlink SIM card at a phone store for MYR 10 ($2,5, +MYR 10 for the 40GB plan for 7 days; they also registered the SIM card there and then with a photo of our passport).
Buy a local SIM card at the airport: In principle, you will find options to buy a local SIM card when you arrive at Kuala Lumpur airport. Although they may be slightly more expensive, the difference is usually not too big.
Depending on where you buy it, you will be asked for your passport (or sometimes a photo of it is sufficient) to register the SIM card, or you will have to do it yourself by following the instructions.
Once you receive the SIM card, simply insert it, enter the PIN if there is one (in our case there wasn’t), and you’ll have internet access.
Mandatory registration of physical SIM cards (or local eSIMs) in Malaysia
Since 2006, it has been mandatory in Malaysia for all SIM cards to be registered, i.e., associated with a real person and their identification details. Therefore, in order to use a local SIM card, it is mandatory to register the physical SIM card you purchase. Depending on where you buy the SIM card, it will either be registered there and then, or you will have to do it yourself online later. In our case, we had to register the one from 7-Eleven ourselves, while at the phone store they registered it for us and left us with the smartphone all set up.
If you have to register yourself, you will be asked to take a photo of your passport, a selfie, and an address (you can use your accommodation address) using the app. You will need internet/Wi-Fi to register.
If you don’t want any complications and your phone supports eSIM (and if it doesn’t support eSIM, you can try this adapter), the easiest option is to get an eSIM (such as Holafly, Sim local, or Airalo), so that when you arrive in Malaysia, you’ll have internet access as soon as you land without having to do anything.
How to top up your Malaysian SIM or eSIM
If you purchase the SIM card without any additional services, the easiest thing to do is to install the app of the company you have chosen to register/activate the SIM card, top up, etc. Here are the links for downloading:
Within the apps, you have the option to add credit (Top Up) by paying with a card (you can use Revolut or Wise to avoid paying fees for paying in foreign currency and for currency exchange).
If you are unable to top up/pay for your data package through the official apps, and you do not want to/cannot go to a phone store or convenience store, you can also top up online through services such as Xoom by PayPal or Recharge.com (in both cases, you will pay a commission and/or a less favorable currency conversion rate).
You will receive a text message confirming the top-up and/or data package purchase. You can check how much data you have left at any time in the official apps.
How to get more data packages on your Malaysian SIM or eSIM
You can purchase new data packages from the same official apps mentioned in the previous section. If you have enough credit, it will be deducted from your balance, and if not, you can top up the corresponding amount right there. The apps are easy and intuitive to use, and the data packages are affordable.
Here you can see examples for CelcomDigi and Hotlink:
Internet speed and coverage of Malaysian SIM and eSIM cards
During our trip to Malaysia, we also tested physical SIM cards from two Malaysian operators (Celcomdigi and Hotlink). Here are some screenshots of the speed tests we ran in different locations in Malaysia:
George Town (Penang) – Hotlink
George Town (Penang) – CelcomDigi
Kuala Lumpur – CelcomDigi
Kuala Lumpur – Hotlink
Malaysia country code
In case you need it, the country code for Malaysia is +60. Keep this in mind when adding local numbers (for accommodations, tour agencies, etc.) to your contacts list that you want to contact via WhatsApp or SMS.
Remember that with a local SIM card, you can use tethering from your smartphone to share the internet with other smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc. You can also do this with eSIMs, although there may be limitations (if you need tethering, check before purchasing the eSIM). If you do this, remember to bring a good power bank with you, as it consumes a lot more battery power. At Randomtrip, we travel with these two:
- This one from ANKER with 10000mAh, which is enough to charge the battery a couple of times.
- This one from Xiaomi, with 20000mAh, which allows you to charge your smartphone about 4-5 times.
If you prefer, another good option is to buy a portable router and take it with you to every country you visit to insert your SIM card, for example this one
We hope this helps, and we wish you a wonderful trip to Malaysia!
