Unitel’s Tour SIM plans start at 25,000 MNT (about US$7) for 15GB of data over 10 days, and you can buy one as an eSIM directly from Unitel’s website. If you’re planning a trip to Mongolia and wondering whether a Unitel SIM card or eSIM is the right pick, this guide covers the current Tour Unitel SIM plans, how much it costs, where to buy a SIM at Chinggis Khaan International Airport, how far Unitel’s signal really reaches, and when a travel eSIM makes more sense.
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Unitel is one of Mongolia’s two largest mobile networks, and it’s a popular choice for most tourists. The other large network is Mobicom, and the country also has two smaller operators, Skytel and G-Mobile. Unitel sells a dedicated visitor package called the Tour SIM, which is the plan most travelers will want.
Unitel’s Tour SIM offers 15GB for 10 days at 25,000 MNT, 25GB for 20 days at 40,000 MNT, and 50GB for 30 days at 70,000 MNT, according to Unitel’s official Tour SIM page (checked October 2026). Unitel’s help center also lists a separate SIM card price of 5,000 MNT alongside each plan.
| Data Allowance | Validity | Package Price | SIM Card Price (help center) | Estimated Physical SIM Total | Approx. Estimate in USD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15GB | 10 days | 25,000 MNT | 5,000 MNT | 30,000 MNT | about $8.30 |
| 25GB | 20 days | 40,000 MNT | 5,000 MNT | 45,000 MNT | about $12.50 |
| 50GB | 30 days | 70,000 MNT | 5,000 MNT | 75,000 MNT | about $21 |
The estimated totals assume the 5,000 MNT SIM card price is added when you buy a physical SIM. The online Tour SIM page shows the package prices separately, and Unitel’s website doesn’t make clear whether the SIM card price also applies when you buy an eSIM, so check the final amount at checkout or at the counter before you pay. The USD figures use the exchange rate on October 7, 2026 (about 3,600 MNT per US dollar), so treat them as a rough guide.
Neither the Tour SIM page nor Unitel’s help center says whether local calls or texts are included, so ask Unitel directly if you need them. If you’ve seen older guides quoting a “Tour SIM 5” or “Tour SIM 10” with units of call credit, those packages are no longer on Unitel’s site.
Yes, you can buy the Unitel Tour SIM as an eSIM on Unitel’s website before you travel. Your phone needs to support eSIM, and Unitel’s help center describes the process on the Tour SIM page like this:
Unitel’s guide covers entering your details and confirming your email, but it doesn’t say whether you need to upload a passport or other ID for an online eSIM order.
You can buy a physical Unitel SIM at Chinggis Khaan International Airport or at a Unitel branch in Ulaanbaatar.
At Chinggis Khaan International Airport (UBN): Unitel’s counter is on the first floor in the public area of the terminal, open 08:00 to 19:00. Tour SIM is one of the services it sells. If your flight lands in the evening or overnight, the counter will likely be closed, so it’s worth buying an eSIM before you fly or picking up a SIM in the city the next day.
In Ulaanbaatar: Unitel’s head office is at Central Tower on Sukhbaatar Square, right in the city center. To find the nearest branch or ask a question before you go, call Unitel’s customer line on 7777-8888.
Bring your passport when you buy a SIM at a counter. Travel guides such as PhoneTravelWiz report that SIM registration in Mongolia uses your passport details, but Unitel’s own Tour SIM pages don’t spell out the ID requirement, so confirm what’s needed with the counter staff or on Unitel’s customer line.
Unitel is a practical choice for travelers exploring Mongolia, with coverage in Ulaanbaatar, provincial towns, and along major roads. However, signal can be weaker or unavailable in remote areas, especially on long countryside and Gobi Desert trips. With about 3 million people spread across 1.5 million square kilometers, Mongolia has long distances between settlements.
Here’s what to expect at each stage of a typical trip:
Unitel and Mobicom are Mongolia’s two largest networks and the usual picks for countryside trips. If you already have a Unitel SIM, there’s no need to switch before heading out of the city.
Unitel’s fastest speeds are in central Ulaanbaatar, where it runs 5G alongside 4G. Mongolia officially launched 5G in 2025, and Unitel has been building toward it since it opened its first 5G pilot site in Ulaanbaatar in 2022, according to Inside Mongolia.
Your speed on the road follows the type of network you’re connected to:
You can top up a Tour SIM in the Unitel app: open the “Нэгж” (Units) menu, choose a top-up type and pay with one of the payment methods offered, according to Unitel’s help center. To check your remaining balance and expiry date, dial *311# from your Tour SIM, or log in to the Unitel app with your Tour SIM number.
The Unitel Tour SIM gives you more data for the money, while a Gigago Mongolia eSIM is the simpler option if you’d rather skip ID checks, selpay in different methods and have 24/7 support. Here’s how they compare:
| Unitel Tour SIM | Gigago Mongolia eSIM | |
|---|---|---|
| Network | Unitel | Skytel |
| Plans | 15GB to 50GB, 10 to 30 days | 1GB to 10GB, 7 to 30 days |
| Price | 25,000 to 70,000 MNT per plan (Unitel’s help center also lists a 5,000 MNT SIM card price) | $9.90 to $47.50 |
| Mongolian phone number | Yes | No (data only) |
| How you get it | Airport counter or Unitel branch (bring your passport), or Unitel’s online eSIM, | Online, installed before you fly, no ID needed |
| If you run out of data | Top up in the Unitel app | Buy another plan online and install it in minutes |
| Payment and support | Payment options shown at Unitel’s checkout; customer line 7777-8888 | Card or PayPal in US dollars; 24/7 chat and email support in several languages |
Choose the Unitel Tour SIM if you’re staying a week or longer, you’ll use a lot of data, you want a Mongolian phone number, or you specifically want Unitel’s network for your route.
Choose a Gigago Mongolia eSIM if you want the simplest setup. Unitel also sells its Tour SIM as an eSIM online, so these are the differences that matter:
Just keep in mind that Gigago’s Mongolia eSIM runs on Skytel’s network, not Unitel’s, so your coverage will follow Skytel.
No, Unitel and Mobicom are separate, competing companies. Unitel is Mongolian-owned, while Mobicom is majority-owned by Japan’s KDDI.
No, they’re unrelated operators in different countries that happen to share a name. If you’re heading to Laos instead, see our Unitel Laos SIM card guide.
Set your Unitel SIM or Gigago eSIM as the line for mobile data, and turn off data roaming on your home SIM. If you’re using a Gigago eSIM, turn on data roaming for the eSIM line itself; Gigago’s Mongolia eSIM page notes this doesn’t add any extra fees.
Yes. WhatsApp stays linked to your registered number and works over your Unitel or Gigago data, with calls and messages using your data allowance.
A Unitel Tour SIM is good value for most Mongolia trips, with 15GB for 10 days at 25,000 MNT (plus the 5,000 MNT SIM card price that Unitel lists, if it applies to your purchase) and a network present in Mongolia’s provincial centers. Buy it at the airport counter if you land between 08:00 and 19:00, at a Unitel branch in Ulaanbaatar (bring your passport), or as an eSIM on Unitel’s website. If you’d rather skip the counter entirely, skip ID checks, pay in different methods, and set things up before you fly, a Gigago’s Mongolia eSIM gets you online the moment you land.
Tourists planning a trip to Mongolia should not ignore this blog, as it will explore data roaming in Mongolia and compare the costs and features of roaming versus the best alternatives to get Internet for tourists. By learning about available alternatives and how to enable or disable roaming, travelers can choose the most cost-effective solution to stay connected while exploring Mongolia.
With limited cell service and few Internet cafes, a pocket Wifi in Mongolia can be a lifesaver for tourists who need to navigate tourist spots as well as unfamiliar terrain.
Getting MobiCom SIM cards or eSIMs is an easy way to stay connected while exploring the vast grasslands and cultural gems of this beautiful country.
There are several cellular internet providers and Skytel is one of the major ones. Tourists may buy affordable Skytel SIM cards and eSIMs for easy Internet access during their trips to Mongolia.
Getting a SIM card is a great way to stay connected with your family and friends back home and use navigation, transport, delivery, and social media apps for a wonderful trip in Ulaanbaatar.
There is a wide range of options to stay connected and you may choose the most suitable one for a smooth and intriguing trip in Mongolia.
