Price per GB
$3.64
Median mid-tier catalogue price.
Compare regionally.
Prices, network indicators, operators and trip-planning tools for Laos. Use the full calculator with the destination already selected.
Calculate the GB required for Laos with the full Drift calculator.
Check whether your exact phone model supports eSIM.
Open prices, history, field tests and reusable datasets.
Compare composite value across every destination.
Compare the current cost of mobile data across the region.
Compare median mobile download performance.
See the local mobile networks used by our eSIM offers.
Download citable figures, charts, CSV data and studies.
Mountainous terrain limits coverage; download offline maps.
Laos has four operators (Unitel, Lao Telecom, ETL, Beeline) all running nationwide 4G, with 5G only just appearing in parts of Vientiane via Lao Telecom. Coverage is reliable in Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, Pakse, Savannakhet and the Mekong corridor towns. Once you head off the beaten track the picture changes fast: northern trekking areas (Phongsali, Luang Namtha), the Plain of Jars and remote mountain and border zones have limited or no signal. The 4,000 Islands (Don Det, Don Khon) have basic 4G on the main island clusters.
Typical local SIM: $5 to 12. Usually sold at Airport kiosks at Vientiane and Luang Prabang, and operator shops in town. A Unitel prepaid pack is the safest local choice for getting around the country. A travel eSIM saves the kiosk stop and connects on arrival, which matters when you land at a small airport.
Widely regarded as the strongest network for broad national reach, the best choice once you leave the main tourist hubs or stay a while.
Covers all provinces and has begun 5G in parts of Vientiane. A strong, practical choice for cities and standard tourist routes.
Nationwide footprint but mentioned less often as a top travel pick. Some eSIM providers route through it.
you stick to the cities and main tourist towns and want to land connected without finding a kiosk at a small airport.
you head deep into the rural north for a long stretch, where a Unitel pack on the strongest network is the safer bet.
No first-hand measurement has been published for Laos yet. This page will update automatically when a validated field test is added to the shared dataset.
Use this page to compare the current price per GB, network indicator, transparency signal and local-operator reference for Laos. It also links to a destination calculator and plan page.
It is the median price per GB of mid-tier plans in the live Laos catalogue. Small 1 GB teasers and 50 GB or larger bulk plans are excluded so the figure reflects a typical traveller choice.
The page shows the current mobile speed indicator, a transparency score and the main local operator. These are destination-level signals, not a guarantee for every street or device.
The decision section compares the practical trade-offs. A travel eSIM is usually simpler for a short visit; a local SIM can make sense when you need a local number, longer service or local pricing. Check the current conditions before deciding.
Price per GB is the median of mid-tier plans from the live Laos catalogue. Network and transparency indicators come from the shared Drift dataset and are refreshed monthly.
Field measurements are published only after validation. Open dataset: data-asia.json.
Figures updated September 2026. Dataset license: CC BY 4.0.