TL;DR

✅ Airalo Cambodia — cheapest eSIM plans in SEA, adequate for most traveller needs
✅ $4.50 for 1GB / $9 for 3GB — remarkably affordable for the coverage you get
⚠️ Cambodia has weaker mobile infrastructure than Thailand or Vietnam — set realistic speed expectations

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Cambodia: The Budget-Friendly eSIM Market

I’ve spent time in both Siem Reap and Kampot, with a day trip through Phnom Penh in between. Cambodia is genuinely one of the most affordable countries in Southeast Asia for travellers, and the eSIM situation reflects that — Airalo’s Cambodia plans are among the cheapest in their entire Asia catalogue.

The trade-off: speeds and infrastructure are behind Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia. But for most traveller needs — getting around, booking accommodations, messaging, basic browsing — it works fine.

Speed Tests

Siem Reap (tourist centre): Airalo — 22 Mbps down / 7 Mbps up
Perfectly adequate for navigation, Google Maps to find temples, and messaging. Video calls were workable.

Phnom Penh (BKK1 area): 28 Mbps down / 9 Mbps up — slightly better than Siem Reap, comparable to smaller Indonesian cities.

Kampot: 16 Mbps down / 5 Mbps up — usable. Good enough for a slow travel town.

Between cities (bus journey): Variable, ranging from 5-15 Mbps. Patchy in rural stretches. Download your podcast before boarding.

Airalo Cambodia Plans

• 1GB / 7 days: $4.50
• 3GB / 30 days: $9
• 5GB / 30 days: $12

For a 1-2 week Cambodia trip, the 1GB plan at $4.50 is sufficient if you have hotel WiFi. For a longer stay or heavier use, 3GB at $9 is excellent value.

Cambodia eSIM Tips

Tourist areas are well covered. Angkor Wat complex and Siem Reap generally have good signal, which is what most travellers care about.

Phnom Penh has the best speeds. As the capital, it has the strongest infrastructure.

Kampot and southern Cambodia: Signal is adequate in town, drops off in the rural areas outside. Fine for the typical slow travel experience there.

Koh Rong and islands: Limited coverage. Treat it as off-grid and enjoy the disconnect.

No major competitor to Airalo for Cambodia. Holafly does not have a Cambodia-specific plan as of 2025. Airalo is your default option and it works fine for the market.

Cambodia vs Neighbouring Countries

If you are doing a loop through Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, Airalo’s regional Asia plan covers all three. You don’t need a Cambodia-specific eSIM unless you want to optimise the per-GB cost for an extended Cambodia stay.

For most visitors, the regional plan’s 10GB at $22 covering all three countries in one purchase is the most convenient and cost-effective approach.

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[IMAGE: cambodia-angkor-esim — View of Angkor Wat temple complex reflection in moat, phone on stone wall showing map app open, no people, early morning golden light, mist over water]