The Cayman Islands – known for its amazing beaches, its crystal clear water & for being a tax haven.
Well, the latter may not indicate what the country has to offer, but that is one of the first things people think about when they hear the Cayman Islands 🤑.
So what can you do in the Cayman Islands? A lot.
Of course, you can enjoy cocktails at the numerous beaches around the Cayman Islands.
But snorkeling at Seven Mile Beach is also fun.
Perhaps you do not want to be in the water yourself and want to see turtles – you can when you go to the Cayman Turtle Center.
Or you can visit the 18th-century home and history exhibits in Pedro St. James.
In short, there is no reason to be bored when in the Cayman Islands.
But you better save up a lot of money before you head there – it is not a cheap travel destination.
One way to save a lot of money while in the Cayman Islands is by using a local SIM card.
That way, you can enjoy local rates instead of paying international roaming rates, which can be expensive.
So, how expensive are SIM cards in the Cayman Islands?
You can get a Cayman SIM card for 10 KYD (11.90 USD) from Digicel and 11 KYD (13.10 USD) from Flow in their stores. They are also sold at George Town-Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM – Digicel only).
Could things be cheaper? For sure, even for Caribbean standards.
But as I said, the Cayman Islands is an expensive place to be.
So far, we have not even scratched the surface – there is a lot more to know about Cayman SIM cards.
In this guide, I will go over everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in the Cayman Islands. Let's go.
Original publication: 11th of March 2020. Last updated: 30th of May 2023.
Table of Contents
Can You Buy a SIM Card in the Cayman Islands?
You can buy a Cayman SIM card from Digicel or Flow as a tourist. There is nothing preventing travelers from buying a SIM card in the Cayman Islands.
Your phone has to support the frequencies used in the Cayman Islands.
Furthermore, your phone needs to be unlocked (SIM-lock-free) to use a Cayman SIM card.
Where Can You Buy a SIM Card in the Cayman Islands?
You can get a Cayman SIM card in the official stores of Digicel and Flow and from resellers. They are also at any airport (George Town-Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM – Digicel only).
You can expect to pay the following for Cayman SIM cards:
- Digicel Cayman: 10 KYD
- Flow Cayman: 11 KYD
Currently, none of the Cayman mobile operators have SIM targeting tourists (also known as tourist or visitor SIM cards or plans).
- Find out how much SIM cards cost in every country, including data-only SIM cards and tourist SIM cards, offered by each mobile operator + information about starter benefits (lookup tool)
Can You Use Your Phone in the Cayman Islands?
The Cayman Islands uses GSM for their cellular communications, meaning that you need a GSM-capable phone to use your phone in the country. Fortunately, there is about a 99% chance your phone supports GSM.
Besides that, you need to be aware of the ITU Regions to determine whether your phone will work in other parts of the world.
Although there are three ITU Regions, you only need to know these two terms: American- and European frequencies.
Africa, Asia (including the Middle East), Europe & Oceania (ITU Regions 1 and 3) typically use European frequencies, meaning phones bought in those regions can be used in countries using European frequencies without issues.
The Americas (North-, Central– & South America + the Caribbean – ITU Region 2) use American frequencies, which differ from European frequencies.
The Cayman Islands uses a mix of American frequencies and European frequencies for 2G and 3G, depending on the mobile operator. 4G/LTE is exclusively on American frequencies.
Suppose you bought your phone in the Americas (ITU Region 2) and have a low/medium-end device (without tri-band or quad-band support).
In that case, you want to go with Flow Cayman. It supports traditional American frequencies on 2G, 3G & 4G/LTE, meaning that you can take full advantage of its network.
If you purchased your phone in Africa, Asia, Europe, or Oceania (ITU Regions 1 & 3) instead and have a low/medium-end device (without tri-band or quad-band support), you want to go with Digicel Cayman.
It supports traditional European frequencies on 2G and 3G, but you will not be able to use its 4G/LTE network.
Suppose you have a medium/high-end device with tri-band or quad-band support.
In that case, you can go with any Cayman mobile operator. Your phone will support American- and European frequencies, even on 4G/LTE (+5G NR soon… hopefully).
Mobile Operators, Networks & Frequencies in the Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands has two mobile operators offering prepaid services easily accessible to tourists:
- Digicel Cayman
- Flow Cayman
The following frequencies are used in the Cayman Islands:
- 2G: 850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz & 1900 MHz
- 3G: 850 MHz & 2100
- 4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 13 & Band 17) & 1800 MHz (Band 3) & 1900 MHz (Band 2)
- 5G NR: N/A – rollout not announced yet
You can learn more about frequencies in the video below.
To check whether your phone will work in the Cayman Islands, check out this page by Kimovil or this one by Will My Phone Work (outdated, unfortunately, but extremely user-friendly – useful for phones launched in or before 2019. It does not check for 5G NR compatibility).
Again, make sure your phone is unlocked. Otherwise, you will not be able to use any SIM card except the one from your home operator (meaning you have to roam internationally (expensive!) or buy another unlocked phone that does support the frequencies listed above).
If you want to learn how international roaming works, this guide explains it in depth. If you wonder why it is often so expensive to roam, this article explains why.
VoLTE & VoWiFi in the Cayman Islands
Both VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G) – also known as HD Voice) and VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi – also known as WiFi calling) are not offered by the mobile operators in the Cayman Islands (yet).
This means that when you make a call, your phone will downgrade to 3G (or 2G when 3G is not available) instead of staying connected to 4G/LTE.
This is also why you often cannot use mobile while calling if not connected to WiFi.
VoWiFi is, as the name implies, calling on a WiFi connection as opposed to on a cellular network.
5G NR in the Cayman Islands
5G NR is not available in Cayman as of 2023, and the Cayman government has not indicated when it will auction 5G NR-compatible licenses.
Best SIM Card in the Cayman Islands
If you want to buy the best SIM card in the Cayman Islands, I recommend going with Digicel or Flow. Both mobile operators are equal in speeds and coverage. Digicel can be a good option if you use any of the Digicel apps. Flow offers more data for the same prices as Digicel without app restrictions.
Best eSIM in the Cayman Islands
Unfortunately, none of the mobile operators offer eSIM to prepaid customers in the Cayman Islands yet.
Note that the Caymanian mobile operators require your identification (passport) for (future) eSIMs and physical SIM cards.
However, you can also get a travel eSIM from various eSIM providers.
The list below is not exhaustive – many more providers have eSIMs for Cayman Islands.
But these are the ones I have tried and had pleasant experiences with.
Moreover, they are reasonably priced, which I find very important (you will not see me recommending an eSIM I would not buy myself).
So here are the four best eSIMs for Cayman Islands:
- Airalo Cayman Islands Atlantis Telecom eSIM with one 1 GB option (cheapest <7 GB)
- Holafly Cayman Islands eSIM with three choices between 3 GB and 15 GB (cheapest 7 GB >)
- Holafly Caribbean eSIM (covers 16 Caribbean countries with a generous allowance)
- Airalo Island Hopper eSIM with one 1 GB option (covers 24 Caribbean countries at higher prices and just 1 GB of data)
Because this is the SIM card buying guide for Cayman Islands, I will not spend too much time about travel eSIMs here and throughout this guide (but I will still do here and there).
If you want to learn more about the best eSIMs for Cayman Islands, you better check out my Cayman Islands eSIM buying guide.
It is as helpful and comprehensive as this guide but about eSIMs instead 😜.
SIM Card Registration in the Cayman Islands
SIM card registration, with the use of your personal information (such as your passport), is not required when buying a SIM card in the Cayman Islands.
Cayman Islands Mobile Internet Prices & Insights
The Cayman Islands are not known for being a cheap travel destination.
Sure, the Caribbean is in general not cheap, but the Cayman Islands are on another level.
The same can be said for mobile data rates in the country. They stand out.
The average price for 1 GB of data in the Cayman Islands is 11.94 USD, far above the Caribbean average of 4.44 USD. The world average is 4.07 USD.
This makes the Cayman Islands the most expensive country for mobile data in the Caribbean.
However, what is nice is that the average cost of data has gone down drastically over the year.
Sure, it is still expensive, but the average prices have gone down by 55.3%.
While there is not much information about mobile data speeds in the country because not many people do speed tests there, I can mention something about speeds.
In the Caribbean, you can expect your speeds to range between 10 Mbps and 25 Mbps.
However, you can expect faster speeds in the Cayman Islands due to the countries fiber infrastructure.
But you certainly will not blazing fast speeds as in Norway, South Korea & the United Arab Emirates, which have a median mobile download speed above 100 Mbps.
With reasonably priced SIM cards, close to excellent nationwide coverage, decent mobile download speeds, and low mobile data rates, you should have a smooth network experience in the Cayman Islands.
Currency in the Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands use the Cayman Island Dollar with the symbol KYD (which will be used in this guide).
However, prices may sometimes be listed as just $, KY, or CI$, KY.
KYD is pegged 1:1.20 to the US Dollar (USD), meaning that 1 KYD = 1.20 USD, 10 KYD = 12 USD & 100 KYD = 120 USD.
The other way around would mean 1 USD = 0.85 KYD, 10 USD = 8.40 KYD & 100 USD = 84 KYD.
For up-to-date KYD:your currency (let's say Euro) exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
If your credit/debit card charges you foreign exchange fees, get yourself a Wise Borderless Account and Debit Card.
Their fees are MUCH lower than banks and credit card companies charge you (and Wise is transparent about their fees, unlike banks).
I have saved literal THOUSANDS of Australian Dollars and Euros, my main currencies, when using Wise abroad when traveling compared to my debit and credit cards.
Cayman Prepaid SIM Cards
Below, I will guide you through Digicel Cayman & Flow Cayman, and go through:
- Background information
- Mobile coverage
- SIM card types, prices & availability
- Recharge/top-up information
- Combo plans, data plans & special packs (such as social media packs)
With that being said, let’s see what the Cayman Islands have to offer to us.
Digicel Cayman
Digicel Cayman, just Digicel, is one of the two mobile operators in the Cayman Islands.
Digicel, as a company, is active in many other Caribbean nations, Central America & Oceania.
Digicel uses the following frequencies:
- 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
- 3G: 850 MHz & 2100 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 13 & Band 17) & 1800 MHz (Band 3)
This is what you will learn about Digicel:
* Coverage
* How to Get a Digicel SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings
Coverage – Digicel Cayman
Digicel has extensive coverage throughout the Cayman Islands.
4G/LTE is available almost anywhere.
Below are Digicel's coverage maps produced by Speedtest:
SIM Card Price – Digicel Cayman
You can get a Digicel SIM card for 10 KYD in Digicel stores. They are not sold at any airport in the Cayman Islands, including George Town-Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM).
You may have to dial *122# to activate your Digicel SIM card if your SIM card does not work upon purchase.
Dial *129# to see your Digicel phone number.
Dial *135# to access the Digicel menu.
- Find out how much SIM cards cost in every country, including data-only SIM cards and tourist SIM cards, offered by each mobile operator + information about starter benefits (lookup tool)
Digicel has no eSIMs.
Note that the Caymanian mobile operators require your identification (passport) for (future) eSIMs and physical SIM cards.
Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Cayman Islands (without personal detail capturing), you can get the Cayman Islands (Atlantis Mobile) eSIM from Airalo with (1 GB of data for 7 days – top-ups are available).
The Airalo links will automatically get you the available Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers – a code is unnecessary.
- Check out my Airalo eSIM reviews
Or you can get Cayman Islands eSIMs from Holafly. You have these three options:
- Cayman Islands 3 GB eSIM for 7 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
- Cayman Islands 7 GB eSIM for 15 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
- Cayman Islands 15 GB eSIM for 30 days
Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in May based on data up to the 17th of May (2023 data only).
Use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for exclusive deals when getting Holafly eSIMs, AND get an additional 5% off!
- Check out my Holafly reviews
Holafly recently introduced an eSIM for the Caribbean, covering 16 countries with 6 GB of data for 15 days.
The Holafly Carribean eSIM can be used in the following 16 countries:
- Antigua & Barbuda
- Aruba
- Barbados
- Bermuda
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Dominica
- French Guiana
- Haiti
- Jamaica
- Martinique
- Saint Kitts & Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
- Trinidad & Tobago
- Turks & Caicos Islands
Remember to use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for exclusive deals when getting Holafly eSIMs, AND get an additional 5% off!
TIP: check out my Best Cayman Islands eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for the Cayman Islands.
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Digicel Cayman
Digicel top-up vouchers are sold in Digicel stores, kiosks, gas stations & grocery stores.
To top up your Digicel SIM card, dial *135# and follow the instructions.
You can also tell the salesperson how much credit you want, your phone number, pay, and they will top up your SIM card with the POS system.
You can also recharge online with (international) debit and credit cards.
Dial *135# to check your Digicel balance.
You can also top up and check your balance on the Digicel app (Android/iOS).
Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Digicel Cayman
Digicel has only one data-featured prepaid plan: Prepaid Prime Bundles (combo). It includes data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.
I will list all the prices in KYD (The Cayman Islands Dollar).
To convert KYD to your currency (let's say USD) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
Prepaid Prime Bundles can be activated on the MyDigicel App:
The following Prepaid Prime Bundles are available, which can be activated by dialing *135#:
| Price | Plan | Data | Social Data 1 | On-Net Minutes | Off-Net Minutes | Local SMS | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.50 KYD | 1 Day Digicel Prime Plus Bundle | 1 GB | 1 GB/app | Unlimited | N/A | N/A | 1 day |
| 20 KYD | 7 Day Digicel Prime Ultra Bundle | 2 GB | 7 GB/app | Unlimited | 50 minutes | N/A | 7 days |
| 60 KYD | 30 Day Day Digicel Prime Plus Bundle | 7 GB | 45 GB/app | Unlimited | 300 minutes | 50 SMS | 30 days |
| 70 KYD | 30 Day Day Digicel Prime Ultra Bundle | 10 GB | 45 GB/app | Unlimited | 300 minutes | 75 SMS | 30 days |
1 for for BiP, Disney+, GoLoud, Loop, SportsMax, Spotify, TikTok & YouTube
Prepaid Prime Bundles auto-renew. To disable auto-renewal, dial *135#.
APN/Internet Settings – Digicel Cayman
- Name: Digicel
- APN: internet.ky
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
Flow Cayman
Flow Cayman, just Flow, is one of the two mobile operators in the Cayman Islands.
Flow is a brand by Cable & Wireless used throughout the Caribbean.
Flow uses the following frequencies:
- 2G: 850 MHz & 1900 MHz
- 3G: 850 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 17) & 1900 MHz (Band 2)
This is what you will learn about Flow:
* Coverage
* How to Get a Flow SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plan & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings
Coverage – Flow Cayman
Flow has extensive coverage throughout the Cayman Islands.
4G/LTE is available almost anywhere.
Below are Flow's coverage maps produced by Speedtest:
SIM Card Price – Flow Cayman
You can get a Flow SIM card for 11 KYD in Flow stores. They are not sold at any airport in the Cayman Islands, including George Town-Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM).
Dial *129# to access the Flow menu.
Dial *555# to see your Flow phone number.
- Find out how much SIM cards cost in every country, including data-only SIM cards and tourist SIM cards, offered by each mobile operator + information about starter benefits (lookup tool)
Flow has no eSIMs.
Note that the Caymanian mobile operators require your identification (passport) for (future) eSIMs and physical SIM cards.
Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Cayman Islands (without personal detail capturing), you can get the Cayman Islands (Atlantis Mobile) eSIM from Airalo with (1 GB of data for 7 days – top-ups are available).
The Airalo links will automatically get you the available Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers – a code is unnecessary.
- Check out my Airalo eSIM reviews
Or you can get Cayman Islands eSIMs from Holafly. You have these three options:
- Cayman Islands 3 GB eSIM for 7 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
- Cayman Islands 7 GB eSIM for 15 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
- Cayman Islands 15 GB eSIM for 30 days
Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in May based on data up to the 17th of May (2023 data only).
Use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for exclusive deals when getting Holafly eSIMs, AND get an additional 5% off!
- Check out my Holafly reviews
Holafly recently introduced an eSIM for the Caribbean, covering 16 countries with 6 GB of data for 15 days.
The Holafly Carribean eSIM can be used in the following 16 countries:
- Antigua & Barbuda
- Aruba
- Barbados
- Bermuda
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Dominica
- French Guiana
- Haiti
- Jamaica
- Martinique
- Saint Kitts & Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
- Trinidad & Tobago
- Turks & Caicos Islands
Remember to use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for exclusive deals when getting Holafly eSIMs, AND get an additional 5% off!
TIP: check out my Best Cayman Islands eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for the Cayman Islands.
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Flow Cayman
Flow top-up vouchers are sold in Flow stores, grocery stores, gas stations & bars.
To top up your Flow SIM card, dial *129# and follow the instructions.
You can also tell the salesperson how much credit you want, your phone number, pay, and they will top up your SIM card with the POS system.
You can also recharge online with (international) debit and credit cards.
Dial *120# or *129# to check your Flow balance.
You can also top up and check your balance on the Flow app (Android/iOS).
Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Flow Cayman
Flow has two data-featured prepaid plans: Prepaid Combo Plans & Data Only Plans (as the name suggests). It includes data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.
All Digicel plans can be activated by dialing *129#.
I will list all the prices in KYD (The Cayman Islands Dollar).
To convert KYD to your currency (let's say USD) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
Prepaid Combo Plans – Flow Cayman
The Prepaid Combo Plans are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.
The following Prepaid Prime Bundles are available, which can be activated by dialing *129#:
| Price | Plan | Data | Social Data 1 | On-Net Minutes | Off-Net Minutes | Local Minutes | Local SMS | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 KYD | Super 2 | 0.4 GB | Unlimited | “Unlimited”, 5000 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes | Unlimited | 2 days |
| 15 KYD | Super 7 | 1 GB | Unlimited | “Unlimited”, 5000 minutes | 100 minutes | 100 minutes | Unlimited | 7 days |
| 50 KYD | Super 30 | 4 GB | Unlimited | “Unlimited”, 5000 minutes | 400 minutes | 400 minutes | Unlimited | 30 days |
1 for Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter & WhatsApp
Prime Plus Bundles auto-renew. To disable auto-renewal, dial *140#.
Data Only Plans – Flow Cayman
The Data Plans are, as the name implies, data bundles (without 5G NR access).
The following Data Plans are available, which can be activated by dialing *129#:
| Price | Data | Validity | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.99 KYD | 250 MB | 1 day | *146*50# |
| 7.99 KYD | 1 GB | 3 days | *146*250# |
| 14.99 KYD | 2 GB | 7 days | *146*1007# |
| 19.99 KYD | 1 GB | 30 days | *146*1030# |
| 39.99 KYD | 5 GB | 30 days | *146*4000# |
| 54.99 KYD | 15 GB | 30 days | *146*10000# |
Data Plans auto-renew. To disable auto-renewal, dial *140#.
APN/Internet Settings – Flow Cayman
- Name: Flow Internet
- APN: ppinternet
Note: do not use just “internet” as a prepaid customer. That APN is reserved for postpaid customers. Leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
The Preferred Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in the Cayman Islands
Getting a SIM card from Digicel or Flow would do you well when considering a Cayman SIM card.
Local Prepaid SIM Cards in Other Caribbean Countries
Visiting other countries in the Caribbean? Check out my Caribbean SIM card buying guide, covering other Caribbean nations, such as:
Going to other places around the world? Then you should also check out my sim card buying guides for other destinations around the world.
Next Steps to Enhance Your Travel Experiences
Looking for the next steps to enhance your phone travel experiences? Here is what to do:
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Each of these options has its pros and cons. Learn more about them, and find the best option for you.
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