Kuwait is a small oil-rich country in the Middle East. It is one of those countries where the ex-pat population is larger than the native population. People from all around the world come here to earn their livelihood. Slowly, it’s also developing itself as an international tourist destination. Note that it is certainly not an affordable country, so it is always a good idea to save some money. One such way to lower your expenses is to buy local SIM cards in Kuwait if you are a tourist or a short-term visitor. People who are there for a long duration have to buy a local one as the international roaming rate is exorbitant.
There are three SIM card providers in the country Zain, Ooredoo, and STC (formerly known as Viva). You will learn about them one by one in the coming sections. SIM cards are also available at Kuwait International Airport. Also, all the operators provide their eSIMs (embedded SIM cards) too, but they are only functional in a few select eSIM-enabled devices. Some examples are iPhone XR/XS/XS Max and later, Apple Watch Series 3/4/5, Samsung Galaxy S10/S20+/S20 Ultra, and so on.
Data prices are unbelievably cheap in Kuwait. The average cost of 1 GB of data in Kuwait is just 0.81 USD. That is way lower than the average price of middle-east (3.94 USD) and the world average (4.07 USD). For more details, let’s go over these carriers in-depth.
1. Zain
Zain is the largest and the second-fastest mobile operator in Kuwait. As a company, it is also active in other countries of the Middle East and Africa (Sudan and South Sudan). In Kuwait, it operates on 2G, 3G, 4G/LTE, and 5G NR frequencies. However, its 5G NR service is not available to its prepaid customers. Zain boasts of the best coverage in Kuwait with its 4G/LTE reception almost everywhere in the country. Their prepaid SIM card is known as eeZee Prepaid, and it is available in every Zain store with a starting price of 6 KWD (Kuwaiti Dinar). It also offers data-only SIM cards called Prepaid Data Internet which costs 7 KWD.
To buy an eeZee Prepaid top-up voucher you can visit the official Zain stores or Smart Branches. The top-up vouchers are also available in local grocery stores, kiosks, gas stations, departmental stores, etc. You can also reload your prepaid through POS (point of sale) systems where you go to a retailer dealing with recharges and ask him to reload your SIM card mobile phone number. You can recharge it yourself using your international debit/credit card or via the Zain KW app (available on Play Store and App Store). Zain provides you with bundles that are either data-only, combos, or add-ons.
2. Ooredoo Kuwait
Ooredoo is the second-largest carrier in Kuwait. Also, it is the fastest operator in the country. The carrier is also active in other countries in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and North Africa. In Kuwait, It operates on 2G, 3G, 4G/LTE, and 5G NR frequencies. 5G NR is not available to its prepaid customers yet. The company provides extensive coverage across the country with a wide 4G/LTE reception. Ooredoo prepaid SIM cards are called Xpress or Xpress Internet. They are easily available in any of their stores or kiosks. The SIM card price varies from 5 KWD to 85 KWD having different credit, data, and validity.
You can easily buy the Ooredoo top-up vouchers also. They are available in local grocery stores, gas stations, kiosks, and of course the official stores. My Ooredoo Kuwait app is the official mobile application through which you can recharge your prepaid number besides doing a myriad of other things. Ooredoo offers various combo plans and data add-ons at affordable rates. In fact, it provides you with plans where you can customize it as per your data and calling minutes needs. It is overall a popular and preferred choice for the customers because of its reliable network and pocket-friendly recharge options.
3. STC Kuwait
STC Kuwait was formerly known as Viva (until 2019). It was taken over by STC (Saudi Telecom Company) that year. It is the smallest and the newest provider of SIM cards in the telecom market of Kuwait. Although its market share is lower, that will possibly change as it has the best 5G NR network not only in the country but the entire world. However, STC doesn’t provide 5G NR services to its prepaid users in Kuwait. It operates on 2G, 3G, 4G/LTE, and 5G NR frequencies. The company has extensive coverage across the country with its vast 4G/LTE network.
An STC prepaid SIM card is called Allo in Kuwait. You can buy its SIM card for 5 KWD in which you get 5 KWD worth of credit by default with a validity of 30 days. Its data-only SIM card is known as Prepaid Internet SIM which is sold for just 7 KWD in which you get 30 GB of data for 30 days. Like other mobile operators, its top-up vouchers are also sold at various kiosks, grocery stores, gas stations, departmental stores, and official establishments. Also, you can reload and check balances using its official mobile app called MySTC KW app. It is available on both Google Play Store and Apple App Store for free.