Turkey SIM Card for Tourists: Where to Buy, What It Costs, How to Top Up
The price on a Turkish carrier's website is often not the price you pay in the shop. Türk Telekom's 320 lira pack sounds like about $6, but its 2026 fee page adds 1,023.81 lira (about $20.50) when a new prepaid line starts. Then a shop may set its own SIM fee on top.
A tourist SIM card in Turkey is sold at Turkcell, Vodafone, and Türk Telekom stores and dealers. Bring your passport and your hotel address. Tourist packs ran from 320 lira to 1,800 lira on 2026-10-30, so ask for the full total before you hand over your passport. If your phone has no SIM tray or you land late, a data eSIM set up at home is the simpler choice. If you stay for weeks and use a lot of data, a Turkish line is usually cheaper.
Dollar amounts use about 49.9 lira to $1, the rate on 2026-10-30. We sell eSIMs, so keep that in mind as you read.
In short:
- Buy from a store on the carrier's own locator. Turkcell and Vodafone call their prices recommended, and Vodafone says the SIM fee varies by shop.
- Turkey's regulator allows a tourist one line per carrier.
- Turkcell shows your lira balance with *123#. Türk Telekom answers a text of KALAN TL to 5555.
- Vodafone switches off a tourist line after 60 days. Turkcell and Türk Telekom keep a line alive for about six months after each top-up.
Turkey eSIM from $3.50Install at home, connect when you land.See plans
Turkey SIM card prices
| Carrier and pack | Data | Valid for | Listed price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Türk Telekom Welcome 10GB | 10 GB | 7 days | 320 lira (about $6.40) |
| Türk Telekom Welcome 25GB | 25 GB | 28 days | 420 lira (about $8.40) |
| Türk Telekom Welcome 50GB | 50 GB | 28 days | 550 lira (about $11) |
| Türk Telekom Welcome 75GB | 75 GB | 15 days | 550 lira (about $11) |
| Turkcell Tourist Welcome Pack | 20 GB, 200 local minutes | 28 days | 1,800 lira (about $36) |
| Vodafone Welcome to Turkey Pack | 20 GB, 750 minutes | 28 days | Free with a new line, shop sets the SIM fee |
Turkcell lists its pack through December 31, 2026. Türk Telekom says its packs are one time only and do not renew.
The line itself costs extra. Türk Telekom's 2026 page lists 700 lira of tax and 323.81 lira for the radio license, taken from a new prepaid line right away. Add that to its packs and you get these totals:
| Türk Telekom pack | Pack plus line fees |
|---|---|
| Welcome 10GB | 1,343.81 lira (about $27) |
| Welcome 25GB | 1,443.81 lira (about $29) |
| Welcome 50GB or 75GB | 1,573.81 lira (about $31.50) |
There is also a monthly radio-use fee, taken from your balance. Türk Telekom lists 27.03 lira for the first month and 26.98 lira after that. Other carriers do not publish a tourist total this clearly, which is why you should ask in the shop.
Running out early? On Vodafone and Türk Telekom, data outside a pack costs 2 kuruş per 100 KB. By our math that is about 200 lira ($4) per GB, so buy a new pack instead. On Türk Telekom, text one of these to 5555: WEL 10GB, WCOME 25GB, WCOME 50GB, or WCOME 75GB.
Where to buy a SIM card in Turkey
Each carrier has a store locator, and it is the safest place to start. Even a shop with a big Vodafone sign may be a dealer. Vodafone's list shows the company names behind its shops. Vodafone also warns against street sellers, because a SIM from them can bring activation and service problems.
Vodafone has three kinds of retail point: Cep Merkezi (full store), Hizmet Noktası (service point), and Ödeme Noktası (payment point). It says new lines can be opened at all three, but a full store is the easiest place to go. Here is what its locator showed on 2026-10-10 at three resorts:
| Resort | Vodafone points | Full stores | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alanya | 29 | 3 | Keykubat Bulvarı 219, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. |
| Bodrum | 20 | 3 | Cevat Şakir Caddesi 44/A, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Kemer | 6 | 1 | Atatürk Caddesi 18/C, hours not listed |
Hours can change on holidays. For Antalya, see our Antalya SIM card guide. For Istanbul's airports, see the Istanbul Airport SIM card guide.
Airports are the easy spot in the daytime and the problem at night. Antalya Airport's Vodafone and Türk Telekom stores list 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Turkcell is not on its store list. Istanbul Airport lists all three carriers around the clock.
What you need to buy one
Bring a valid passport. Turkcell says it accepts only a passport, and not other ID cards. You also give a local address, and Vodafone says your hotel works.
Turkey's regulator, BTK, caps a tourist at one line per carrier, Vodafone's help pages say. A line left over from an earlier trip can use up that slot.
In a Vodafone shop, staff activate the line after checking your passport. Vodafone and Türk Telekom both promise activation in seconds. Turkcell's pack arrives soon after the line opens, and a text confirms it.
Your phone must be unlocked. Many newer iPhones sold in the US have no SIM tray at all, so a plastic SIM will not fit. Check your phone before you go to a shop.
Turkcell also takes orders ahead of time, up to 90 days before you arrive. You enter your name, birth date, nationality, passport number, and arrival date, and pay in lira with a card that works for international online payments. You can pick up the SIM free at any Turkcell store. If you want a Turkish eSIM instead, you can activate it in the Turkcell app after passport control. Turkcell says that can take up to 30 minutes.
How to check your balance and top up
| Carrier | Lira balance | Pack data left | Where to top up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkcell | *123#, or the Turkcell app under Hesabım | Text KALAN to 2200 or 2222 | Turkcell site or app |
| Vodafone | Vodafone Yanımda app or online account | Kalan Kullanımların in the app | App, site, Vodafone stores, Cep Lira cards |
| Türk Telekom | Text KALAN TL to 5555, or call 9333 | Text to 5555, such as KALAN WCOME 25GB | App, site, ATMs, BİM, A101, Şok, PTT post offices |
Turkcell's tourist pack page gave 2200 for the KALAN text, and its general prepaid help now shows 2222. If one number does not answer, try the other.
Vodafone has a floor and a ceiling on top-ups. Since July 1, 2026, you can add at least 200 lira and at most 1,200 lira at a time. Stores take cash or card. To use a Cep Lira scratch card, dial *111#control number#password#.
Türk Telekom's online top-up uses a card with 3D Secure. If your US card fails, pay at a store or at one of the chains in the table. Bring cash for that.
How long a Turkish tourist line lasts
Packs last 28 days at most, but the line lasts longer. For most visitors this will not matter. It matters if you plan to come back and want the same number.
- Vodafone shuts off a tourist line after 60 days. To keep it, change your tariff first: text CHANGE to 7000 or call 542. After that, each top-up of 200 lira or more gives 180 days, and the line then sits half active for 90 days before it closes.
- Turkcell keeps a new line for 65 days. A top-up of 10 lira or more gives 185 days from that date. Skip it and the line goes half active: people can call you, but you cannot call, text, or use data, even with money on the account. After 90 or 180 days of that, the number is canceled. Dial *166*5# to see your dates.
- Türk Telekom keeps a line for 184 days from your last top-up. It then takes incoming calls only for 92 days and closes. You can get the same number back within 12 months with a new contract at a store.
Keeping a number costs money, since the monthly radio-use fee keeps coming out. Turkcell suggests checking *100# before you top up.
Keeping your US number on a Turkey trip
A plastic SIM takes the place of your US SIM. If that is your only line, bank texts to your US number stop until you swap back. See how to keep your US number abroad before you choose.
There are two ways around that. Take the Turkish line as an eSIM at a Vodafone or Turkcell store, or through the Turkcell app. Or install a data-only travel eSIM at home.
Our Turkey plan lists the Vodafone and Avea/Türk Telekom networks. We do not promise 5G on it. Prices on 2026-10-30:
| Data | Valid for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 7 days | $3.50 |
| 3 GB | 30 days | $7 |
| 5 GB | 30 days | $9.50 |
| 10 GB | 30 days | $16 |
| 20 GB | 30 days | $31.50 |
Days count from your first connection in Turkey, and your US number stays on as a second line. You can add data to the same eSIM. It gives you no Turkish number, so if you need one for local bookings, take a Turkish line. For sizing, 1 GB is about 5 hours of maps and taxi apps, or about 1.5 hours of video calls.
Before you buy anything, check your US plan. If Turkey is already included at a price you accept, you may not need a SIM or an eSIM. Verizon TravelPass lists $12 a day for most countries, so short trips can work. See our Turkey page for plans, or the wider internet in Turkey guide.
Questions
How much is a SIM card in Turkey for tourists?
Packs ran from 320 to 1,800 lira on 2026-10-30, about $6.40 to $36. Line fees come on top. Türk Telekom lists 1,023.81 lira for tax and the radio license.
Can I buy a Turkish SIM before my trip?
Yes, with Turkcell. It takes orders up to 90 days before you arrive, and you pick up the SIM at a Turkcell store or activate an eSIM in its app.
How do I check my balance on Turkcell?
Dial *123# for your lira balance. Text KALAN to 2200 or 2222 for pack data. The app shows it under Hesabım, in TL Durumum.
How many SIM cards can a tourist buy?
One per carrier, under BTK's rules, according to Vodafone.
What happens to my Turkish number after the trip?
Vodafone shuts a tourist line after 60 days unless you change the tariff. Turkcell keeps a line alive with a top-up in the first 65 days, then every 185 days. Türk Telekom needs one every 184 days.
Sources
- Turkcell: Tourist Welcome Pack, checked 2026-10-30, Tourist Prepaid SIM Card, balance help, checked 2026-10-10
- Turkcell prepaid line guide, checked 2026-10-30, line dates 2026-10-10
- Vodafone Turkey, Tourist Prepaid SIM Card, checked 2026-10-30
- Vodafone Turkey: line limit, prepaid line periods, top-ups, store locator, checked 2026-10-10
- Türk Telekom, Prepaid Tourist SIM, checked 2026-10-30
- Türk Telekom: balance and top-ups, 2026 taxes and fees, prepaid line periods, checked 2026-10-10
- Antalya Airport, Vodafone store, checked 2026-10-09
- Istanbul Airport stores, checked 2026-10-09
- Verizon, TravelPass FAQs, checked 2026-10-30
- ExchangeRate-API USD rates, checked 2026-10-30