Moldova SIM Cards: Everything You Need To Know

Visiting Moldova soon? Make sure to know what to expect when it comes to purchasing a Moldova SIM card.

Fortunately, Europe is one of the places where you can buy a SIM card easily.

You should be able to find an affordable SIM card pretty much anywhere in Moldova. In fact, most data packages are relatively cheap, which makes the whole thing easier!

In this guide, we’ll explain where to buy a SIM card for Moldova in person and online. We’ll also discuss prepaid travel SIM cards and eSIMs if your mobile supports them.

Before you read this guide, you may wonder if you actually need a SIM card in Moldova.

If you don’t mind not having Internet, you’ll likely find free Wifi in restaurants, shopping malls, and hotels.

That said, if you need data to get around, call a cab, or translate Romanian – you may want to get a SIM card for your travels in Europe.

Best Moldova SIM Cards

If you’re traveling in Moldova, we recommend using a SIM card from Orange, Moldcell, Moldtelecom, or Airalo. (I’ll get back to Airalo later on, so keep reading to learn more!)

That said, if you’re planning on visiting other countries during your trip to Europe, you might want to make sure to pick an option that offers coverage in other European countries.

How To Buy A SIM Card In Moldova

You can either buy a Moldova prepaid SIM card in person in some international airports, mobile provider stores, convenience stores, or online.

Usually, you can expect higher costs and low data offers at the airport, so we don’t recommend buying a SIM card at the airport.

That said, you won’t necessarily find SIM card shops in every airport, so it’s essential to keep this in mind. And, when you see a shop, you might also have limited options.

For this reason, I’d recommend buying a SIM card directly from the mobile provider store. Note that you may need your passport to buy one.

Although, this means you won’t get data right upon your arrival. So, if you prefer to be connected at all times, you could use an eSIM or purchase a Moldovan prepaid SIM card online.

Now, let’s take a look at the data plans offered by Orange, Moldcell, and Moldtelecom.

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Orange SIM Cards

Orange offers three different types of tourist plans:

• 2 GB, valid for 1 day for MDL 25 ($1.39)
• 5 GB, valid for 15 days for MDL 30 ($1.67)
• 15 GB, valid for 15 days for MDL 50 ($2.78)

Moldcell SIM Cards

Moldcell has four different prepaid plans available:

• 20 GB, valid for 30 days for MDL 125 ($6.94)
• 30 GB, valid for 30 days for MDL 170 ($9.44)
• 50 GB, valid for 30 days for MDL 200 ($11.10)
• 100 GB, valid for 30 days for MDL 270 ($14.99)

Moldtelecom SIM Cards

Moldtelecom offers three main SIM-only plans for tourists:

• 15 GB, valid for 30 days for MDL 60 ($3.33)
• 40 GB, valid for 30 days for MDL 100 ($5.55)
• 100 GB, valid for 30 days for MDL 170 ($9.44)

Overall, we think Moldcell is the best option if you plan to buy your SIM card in person.

That said, any would do if you can’t find their store!

How To Buy A Moldova Prepaid SIM Card Online

If you wish to have your SIM card ready for your arrival, you could purchase it online or on websites like Amazon.

You’ll find different SIM cards for Moldova on Amazon. For example, the OneSimCard works in more than 200+ countries and gives you data for $0.01 per MB. Moldova is included.

But there are many other options worth considering, so have a look and make sure the countries you plan on visiting are listed.

Browse your options on Amazon

Another option is to purchase a prepaid tourist SIM card on SimOptions. 

They currently offer one package that covers Moldova:

• 50MG, valid for 14 days for $49.90

 

Browse your options on SimOptions

Finally, the last option is to buy a Moldova eSIM card or, if you’re traveling to multiple countries, a global eSIM plan.

How To Buy A Moldova ESIM Card

eSIM is a new concept allowing you to have a virtual SIM card inside your phone.

If your mobile phone supports eSIM cards – it’s definitely one of the best options to get data in Moldova.

Curious? Learn more about eSIMs for travelers on eSIM Roamers.

I started using eSIM as soon as my mobile phone supported it. To buy eSIMs, I usually use Airalo, a reliable eSIM provider.

Keep reading to learn more about the best eSIMs for Moldova.

Airalo Moldova

If you want a Moldova eSIM, you could purchase one on Airalo.

This website offers many eSIM cards worldwide and special plans for Moldova.

I’ve been using Airalo for several months, and it works fine. Learn more by reading our Airalo review.

Here are the options available:

• 1 GB, valid for 7 days for $4.50
• 2 GB, valid for 15 days for $6.50
• 3 GB, valid for 30 days for $8.50
• 5 GB, valid for 30 days for $11.50
• 10 GB, valid for 30 days for $18
• 20 GB, valid for 30 days for $27

Alternatively, if you’re traveling in other countries, Discover Global offers coverage in 124 countries, including Moldova.

Here’s an overview of the options available on Discover Global:

• 1 GB, valid for 7 days for $9
• 2 GB, valid for 15 days for $17
• 3 GB, valid for 15 days for $24
• 5 GB, valid for 30 days for $35
• 10 GB, valid for 180 days for $59
• 20 GB, valid for 365 days for $69

Now, one important thing to note about Airalo is that you’ll need to keep an eye out for the provider in each country.

Suppose you ever have trouble connecting to the Internet during your trip.

In that case, it might be because you’re connecting automatically to networks and need to select a network manually instead.

When you purchase the eSIM, you’ll get access to the list of networks supported in each country.

Go to Airalo

Holafly Moldova

Alternatively, you could look at your options on Holafly.

You can read our Holafly review to learn more about this eSIM store.

Here’s an overview of the plans for Moldova:

• Unlimited data, valid for 5 days for $19
• Unlimited data, valid for 7 days for $27
• Unlimited data, valid for 10 days for $34
• Unlimited data, valid for 15 days for $47
• Unlimited data, valid for 20 days for $54

Go to Holafly

Final Thoughts On SIM Cards In Moldova

As you can see, getting a prepaid SIM card in Moldova or even an eSIM for your travels in Moldova is pretty straightforward.

You’ll even be able to stay connected wherever you go in Europe without changing your SIM card, especially if you purchase a global plan.

I believe the eSIM card is the most convenient way to get data in Moldova if you wish to have data upon your arrival.

This way, you won’t need to go to a store to buy a SIM card.

However, you need to make sure your mobile phone supports eSIM first.

Traveling to Moldova soon? Read one of the following blog posts:

• Romania SIM card
• Ukraine SIM card
• Russia SIM card