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Turkey: 3 Best Prepaid SIM Cards Buying Guide (2023)

Turkey – the gateway between (Southeastern) Europe and (Western) Asia, with a small part of the country being considered to be in Europe and the remainder of the land in Asia.

Known for its sweet, sweet tea, famous kebabs, and for being an affordable travel destination, Turkey is a popular country to visit by travelers of all kinds.

From the busy streets in Istanbul to the Roman ruins in Antalya, from the hot air balloon festival in Cappadocia to Bodrum Castle in Bodrum, the country hosts everything for anyone. And of course… plenty of cool beaches.

Before you start sharing your beach-life photos or videos of exploring ruins, be aware that international roaming can be expensive. Roaming in Turkey could make your relatively affordable trip suddenly more expensive.

Luckily, you can get a Turkish SIM card to enjoy local rates. The best part is that Turkey has one of the lowest mobile data rates in the Middle East AND worldwide.

You can get a Turkish SIM card for as low as 30 TRY (1.55 USD) from Turkcell, Vodafone, and Türk Telekom. However, it will be a challenge to pay such a price as a tourist or traveler – you can be charged up to 200 TRY (10.30 USD) for Turkish SIM cards (unless a local can negotiate a better deal for you).

Special note for those from Ukraine: be sure to ask about special benefits for Ukrainians. Many mobile operators around Europe have waived fees for you or introduced exclusive plans, including free calls back to Ukraine. Слава Україні! 🇺🇦

Even if you have to pay a tourist premium for your SIM card, you can still enjoy low mobile data rates. You can get 1 GB of data valid for 7 days for as little as 7 TRY (0.80 USD). There will not be a roaming deal out there cheaper than this!

The Turkish mobile operators love to offer choice – a lot. They all have around 90 different prepaid packages, let alone postpaid ones. So there is quite a lot to go through when trying to find the best plan for you.

Luckily for you, I have listed it all in this guide.

In this guide, I will go over everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in Turkey. Let's do this.

Buying a SIM Card in Turkey Guide (logos of Turkcell, Vodafone & Türk Telekom)

Original publication: 26th of December 2019. Last updated: 30th of May 2023.

Table of Contents

Can You Buy a SIM Card in Turkey?

Anyone living in or visiting Turkey can buy a Turkish SIM card from Turkcell, Vodafone Turkey & Türk Telekom in their stores and mobile stores without any restrictions.

You do have to comply with the SIM card registration regulations.

  • Find out which countries have SIM card registration regulations and what is required from you (lookup tool)
SIM Card Registration Worldwide Tool by Phone Travel Wiz

Moreover, you need a phone that supports the frequencies used in the country (preferably all of them to have the most optimal experience while in Turkey).

Furthermore, you need to have a SIM-lock-free device.

Where Can You Buy a SIM Card in Turkey?

You can get a Turkish SIM card in the official stores of Turkcell, Vodafone Turkey & Türk Telekom. They can also be obtained from other stores, including kiosks, mini markets, and electronic shops. It is also possible to get SIM cards at international airports, including Istanbul Airport.

You can buy a SIM card in the following international airports:

  • Adana – Adana Şakirpaşa Airport (Adana Havalimanı)
  • Ankara – Ankara Esenboğa Airport – Ankara (Ankara Esenboğa Havalimanı)
  • Antalya – Antalya Airport (Antalya Havalimanı)
  • Dalaman – Dalaman Airport (Dalaman Havalimanı)
  • Istanbul – Istanbul Airport (İstanbul Havalimanı)
  • Istanbul – Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen Uluslararası Havalimanı)
  • Izmir – İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport (İzmir Adnan Menderes Havalimanı)
  • Milas & Bodrum – Milas–Bodrum Airport (Milas-Bodrum Havalimanı)

You can expect to pay the following for Turkish SIM cards:

  • Turkcell: between 34 TRY to 200 TRY
  • Vodafone Turkey: between 40 TRY and 200 TRY
  • Türk Telekom: up to 200 TRY

It is highly recommended to purchase SIM cards at the official stores of the mobile operators.

Third-party resellers will often charge you much more than the official list price of SIM cards.

However, each Turkcell, Vodafone Turkey, and Türk Telekom branch is can set its own prices (for foreigners).

In most cases, the mobile operators will sell you a SIM card with an (expensive) plan. These offers will often be cheaper than what authorized dealers will sell you (up to 400 TRY – 47 USD).

The following operators also have SIM cards targeting tourists:

  • Turkcell: 169 TRY
  • Vodafone Turkey: 40 TRY (excludes new SIM card fee)
  • 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)
SIM Card Prices Worldwide Tool by Phone Travel Wiz

Can You Use Your Phone in Turkey?

Turkey uses GSM technology for mobile communications. CDMA phones will not work in Turkey. If your phone has a SIM card slot, then it supports GSMA (99% of the phones do support GSM nowadays).

Traditional European frequencies are used in Turkey, which are mostly used in ITU Regions 1 & 3 (Africa, Asia (including the Middle East), Europe & Oceania).

The Americas (North-, Central– & South America + the Caribbean – ITU Region 2) use American Frequencies, which differ from the European ones.

ITU Regions Map by Phone Travel Wiz

If you bought your phone in Africa, Asia, Europe, or Oceania (ITU Regions 1 & 3), you should not experience any issues with using your phone in Turkey.

If you purchased your phone in the Americas (ITU Region 2) and have a low/medium-end device (without Tri-Band or Quad-Band) support, then there is a possibility you cannot use your phone when in Turkey or can only use slower networks (3G or 2G).

If you have a medium/high-end device with Tri-Band or Quad-Band support, you can use your phone in Turkey (to some extent) – also on 4G/LTE.

Mobile Operators, Networks & Frequencies in Turkey

Turkey has three mobile network operators offering prepaid services easily accessible to travelers:

  • Turkcell
  • Vodafone Turkey
  • Türk Telekom

The following frequencies are used in Turkey:

  • 2G: 1800 MHz
  • 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
  • 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20), 900 MHz (Band 8), 1800 MHz (Band 3), 2100 MHz (Band 1) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)

You can learn more about frequencies in the video below.

To check whether your phone will work in Turkey, 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 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 the hidden reason they do not want you to know.

5G NR in Turkey

Commercial 5G NR is not available in Turkey yet. However, 5G NR trials have been held since 2016. The Turkish government has not indicated when it will hold 5G license auctions.

The three operators, Turkcell, Vodafone Turkey & Türk Telekom, have all held (live) 5G NR trials and tests. Turkcell even managed to achieve a download speed world record during a trial in 2019 with a download speed of 2.283 Gbps. However, that record has been broken already.

Best SIM Card in Turkey

If you want to buy the best SIM card in Turkey, I recommend going with Turkcell. It has the fastest speeds in the country and extensive coverage.

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Best eSIM in Turkey

Unfortunately, none of the mobile operators offer eSIM (to prepaid customers) in Turkey yet.

However, you can get travel eSIMs from Airalo.

However, you can also get a travel eSIM from various eSIM providers.

The list below is not exhaustive – many more providers have eSIMs for Turkey.

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 seven best eSIMs for Turkey:

Because this is the SIM card buying guide for Turkey, 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 Turkey, you better check out my Turkey eSIM buying guide.

It is as helpful and comprehensive as this guide but about eSIMs instead 😜.

Buying an eSIM for Türkiye Guide (Airalo, Holafly, Nomad & Merhaba)

SIM Card Registration Turkey

SIM card registration with your passport information is mandatory in Turkey. It will be done at the point of sale.

  • Find out which countries have SIM card registration regulations and what is required from you (lookup tool)
SIM Card Registration Worldwide Tool by Phone Travel Wiz

IMEI Registration & Foreign Phone Tax in Turkey

As of 2015, all phones using Turkish SIM cards have to be registered with the government using the device's IMEI. Before you can register your phone, though, you have to pay a tax of between 1838.70 TRY and 2006.20 TRY (2021 figures) at a local tax office.

But do not get too worried yet – you have a grace period of 120 days. If you stay in Turkey for fewer than 120 days AND use a Turkish SIM card, you do not have to pay the fee (nor do you have to register your phone).

The tax only applies when using a Turkish SIM card and using your device for more than 120 days in Turkey. If you roam in Turkey, you are not subject to this tax, even if you use Northern Cypriot SIM cards. The same counts for when you use international SIM cards.

Be aware that if you do not register your phone within 120 days when using a Turkish SIM card and you revisit Turkey with the same phone, you will not be able to use said device with a Turkish SIM card.

You would have to roam, use an international SIM card different device, or pay the tax – trying to use a different Turkish SIM card (from another operator) will not be a workaround for this rule.

Note that dual-SIM phones have two IMEI numbers. You could use a Turkish SIM card in slot one for the first 120 days and again in slot two for another 120 days, giving you a total use time of 240 days without paying the tax.

More information related to IMEI registration can be found on the Bilgi Teknolojileri ve İletişim Kurumu (MCKS) site. However, the English version of this site has been broken for months.

EU Roaming in Turkey

European Union (EU) & European Economic Area (EEA)

Turkey is not part of the European Union (EU) nor the European Economic Area (EEA). However, it is a Potential Candidate Country for joining the EU.

As a result, the EU/EEA Roam Like At Home roaming regulation does not apply in Turkey. Consequently, you should not expect to roam for free if you have an EU/EEA SIM card while traveling in Turkey.

This also means that you can not roam for free in the EU/EEA with a Turkey SIM card.

Turkey Mobile Speeds, Mobile Internet Prices & Insights

Flag of Turkey

Turkey has always been one of the Middle Eastern countries with the lowest prices for mobile data. That is still the case to this day – at least, from a global perspective.

So much much does mobile data cost in Turkey?

The average price for 1 GB of data in Turkey is 0.63 USD, far below the Middle Eastern average of 3.94 USD. The world average is 4.07 USD.

In fact, Turkey is one of three Middle countries where the average cost of 1 GB of data is less than 1 USD. Moreover, it is also one of the 53 countries where the same applies.

So what about speeds? Can you get fast download speeds in Turkey?

Turkey's average mobile download speed is around 48 Mbps.

That is not too bad! Sure, the average is slightly below the global average, but only 47 countries have average download speeds above the worldwide average.

And with the introduction of 5G NR in Turkey very soon, Turkey should be climbing the ranks quickly like other Middle Eastern nations have done, such as the United Arab Emirates (#1), Qatar (#4), Kuwait (#6), Saudi Arabia (#7) & Cyprus (#8) – and those are just the Middle Eastern nations in the top 10!

With extensive nationwide coverage, low costs for SIM cards (if lucky) and data, you should have a smooth network experience in Turkey.

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Currency in Turkey

50 Turkish Lira Bank Note
© Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey/Türkiye Cumhuriyet Merkez Bankası (TCMB)

Turkey uses the Turkish Lira with the symbol TRY (which will be used throughout this guide).

However, prices are often listed in TL or . For example, 25 TRY = TL/₺ 25.

For reference, below are some exchange rates between TRY and USD (US Dollars):

  • 1 TRY = 0.55 USD
  • 10 TRY = 0.50 USD
  • 100 TRY = 5.15 USD
  • 1000 TRY = 51.60 USD

For up-to-date TRY:your currency (let's say EUR – 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.

Open a Wise account for FREE!

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Turkish Prepaid SIM Cards

Below, I will guide you through Turkcell, Vodafone Turkey & Türk Telekom and go through:

  • Background information
  • Mobile coverage
  • SIM card types, prices, and availability
  • Recharge/top-up information
  • Combo plans, data plans, and special packs (such as social media packs) 

With that being said, let’s see what Turkey has to offer to us.

Turkcell

Turkcell Logo
© Turkcell

Turkcell is the largest mobile operator in Turkey. It is also the mobile operator with the fastest speeds and best overall performance in the country.

Turkcell uses the following frequencies:

  • 2G: 1800 MHz
  • 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
  • 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20), 900 MHz (Band 8), 1800 MHz (Band 3), 2100 MHz (Band 1) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)

This is what you will learn about Turkcell:

* Coverage
* How to Get a Turkcell SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – Turkcell

Turkcell has extensive coverage in Turkey.

According to OpenSignal, it has the best 4G Coverage Experience.

Below is Turkcell's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

SIM Card Price – Turkcell

You can buy a Turkcell SIM card for 34 TRY with 15 GB of data, 750 minutes, and 250 SMS – all valid for 28 days in Turkcell stores and many other stores, such as phone shops, electronic stores, and kiosks. Each Turkcell branch and reseller can set its own price. As a tourist, you will be charged more than locals. Turkcell SIM cards are sold up to 200 TRY.

Turkcell SIM Card
© Turkcell

Short-term travelers can also take advantage of the Tourist Welcome Pack. It costs 169 TRY and features 20 GB of data, unlimited data for BiP & WhatsApp, and 200 local minutes, and 1000 SMS – all valid for 30 days. However, this offer can be a challenge to find.

Turkcell Tourist Welcome Pack
© Turkcell
  • Find out how much SIM cards cost in every country + information about starter benefits (lookup tool)
SIM Card Prices Worldwide Tool by Phone Travel Wiz
  • Find out about the best local eSIMs, travel eSIMs & travel SIM cards for every country (lookup tool)
Best Local & Travel eSIMs Worldwide Tool by Phone Travel Wiz

Turkcell SIM cards are active for 185 days. After 185 days, it goes into a semi-active period for 180 OR until the 31st of December. In the semi-active period, you can still receive calls and SMS, but you cannot reach out to anyone yourself (except for emergency numbers).

Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Turkcell

Turkcell top-up vouchers are sold in Turkcell stores and other stores, including kiosks, phone stores, and grocery stores.

To top up your Turkcell SIM card, call 532 and follow the instructions.

You can 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 *123# to check your Turkcell balance.

You can also use the Dijital Operatör (Digital Operator) to refill and check your balance (Android/iOS).

Turkcell Dijital Operatör App
© Turkcell

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Turkcell

Turkcell has eight data-featured prepaid plans:

I will list all the prices in TRY (Turkish Lira).

To convert TRY to your currency (let's say EUR – Euro) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.

Wise Currency Exchange Banner
© Wise

Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.

Ana Paketler (Main Packages) – Turkcell

Ana Paketler (Main Packages) plans are combo bundles with data (without 5G NR access), minutes, and SMS

You can activate Ana Paketler by texting the Activation Code to 2200:

PricePlanDataSocial Data 1Local MinutesLocal SMSValidityActivation Code
100 TRYBolca 1 GB1 GB5 GB1000 minutes500 SMS28 daysBOLCA 1GB
100 TRYBolca 1200 DK Paketi250 MBN/A1200 minutes500 SMS28 daysBOLCA 1200DK
110 TRYBolca 2 GB2 GB5 GB1000 minutes500 SMS28 daysBOLCA 2GB
130 TRYBolca 4 GB4 GB5 GB1200 minutes500 SMS28 daysBOLCA 4GB
160 TRYBolca 8 GB8 GB5 GB1000 minutes500 SMS28 daysBOLCA 8GB
180 TRYBolca 12 GB12 GB5 GB1000 minutes500 SMS28 daysBOLCA 12GB
200 TRYBolca 16 GB16 GB5 GB1000 minutes500 SMS28 daysBOLCA 16GB
240 TRYBolca 24 GB24 GB5 GB1000 minutes500 SMS28 daysBOLCA 24GB

1 BiP, Lifebox & TV +

Turkcell Turkey Ana Paketler Main Packages
GNÇ Paketler (GNÇ Packages) – Turkcell
Turkcell GNÇ Paketler
© Turkcell

The GNÇ Paketler (GNÇ Packages) are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access), minutes, and SMS.

GNÇ Paketler can be activated with the Dijital Operatör (Turkcell) app:

PricePlanDataSocial DataLocal MinutesLocal SMSValidity
110 TRY2 GB2 GBVarious 1, 21000 minutes500 SMS28 days
130 TRY4 GB4 GBVarious 1, 21000 minutes500 SMS28 days
160 TRY8 GB8 GBVarious 1, 21000 minutes500 SMS28 days
180 TRY12 GB8 GBVarious 1, 21000 minutes500 SMS28 days
200 TRY16 GB4 GBVarious 1, 21000 minutes500 SMS28 days

1 Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter & YouTube
2 5 GB BiP, Lifebox & TV +

Diger Ana Paketler (Other Main Packages) – Turkcell

The Diger Ana Paketler (Other Main Packages) are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access), minutes, and SMS.

Enable Diger Ana Paketler by sending the Activation Code to 2200:

PricePlanDataSocial Data 1,2Local MinutesLocal SMSValidity
130 TRYHepsi 5 GB3 GB2 GB1200 minutes750 SMS28 days
140 TRYHepsi 7 GB5 GB2 GB1200 minutes750 SMS28 days
149 TRYYepyeni Fırsat 12 GB12 GBN/A3000 minutes1000 SMS90 days
150 TRYGNÇ Hepsi 16 GB Paketi8 GB8 GB 21200 minutes750 SMS28 days
185 TRYHepsi 15 GB13 GB2 GB 21200 minutes750 SMS28 days
190 TRYGNÇ Hepsi 24 GB Paketi14 GB10 GB 21200 minutes750 SMS28 days
215 TRYHepsi 23 GB18 GB5 GB 21200 minutes750 SMS28 days
245 TRYHepsi 28 GB23 GB5 GB 21200 minutes750 SMS28 days

1 Facebook & Twitter
2 + 5 GB for BiP

Turkcell Turkey Diğer Ana Paketler Other Main Packages
Uzun Süreli Paketler (Long Term Packages) – Turkcell

Uzun Süreli Paketler (Long Term Packages) are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access), minutes, and SMS.

Enable Uzun Süreli Paketler by sending the Activation Code to 2200:

PriceDataSocial Data 1Local MinutesLocal SMSValidity
310 TRY15 GBShared with data allowance6000 minutes3000 SMS90 days
550 TRY35 GBShared with data allowance12 000 minutes6000 SMS180 days
850 TRY70 GB60 GB25 000 minutes12 000 SMS365 days

1 BiP, Lifebox & TV +

61cell Fırtına Paketler Kampanyası (61cell Storm Packages Campaign) – Turkcell

61cell Fırtına Paketler Kampanyası (61cell Storm Packages Campaign) are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access), minutes, and SMS.

PriceDataBiP DataLocal MinutesLocal SMSValidity
40 TRY2 GB1 GB600 minutes300 SMS1 day
54 TRY4 GB1 GB1000 minutes500 SMS1 day
Turkcell Turkey 61cell Fırtına Paketler Kampanyası 61cell Storm Packages Campaign
Internet Paketleri (Internet Packages) – Turkcell

The Internet Paketleri (Internet Packages) are data plans (without 5G NR access).

Internet Paketleri can be activated by texting the Activation Code to 2222:

PricePlanDataValidityActivation Code
110 TRYYeni 4 GB4 GB28 daysYENI 4GB
120 TRYYeni 6 GB6 GB28 daysYENI 6GB
140 TRYYeni 8 GB8 GB28 daysYENI 8GB
Diger Ek Paketler (Other Additional Packages) – Turkcell

The Diger Ek Paketler (Other Additional Packages) are data plans (without 5G NR access).

Enable Diger Ek Paketler by texting the Activation Code to 2200:

PricePlanDataSocial DataAppsValidityActivation Code
4 TRY250 MB Yeni Twitter PaketiN/A250 MBTwitter28 daysApp only
6.02 TRYYolda Paylaş Paketi2 GBN/AN/A1 dayApp only
7 TRY500 MB Twitter Paketi (Hazır Kart)N/A500 MBTwitter28 daysApp only
10.10 TRYYolda İzle Paketi4 GBN/AN/A1 day App only
42.84 TRYAylık 1 GB İnternet Paketi1 GBN/AN/A28 daysABONE 1GB
50 TRYYouTube PaketiN/A5 GBYouTube28 daysYOUTUBE
50 TRYEk Sosyal İnternet PaketiN/A5 GBFacebook & Twitter30 daysApp only
50 TRYInstagram PaketiN/A5 GBInstagram30 daysINSTAGRAM
64.25 TRYAylık 4 GB İnternet Paketi4 GBN/AN/A28 daysABONE 4GB
107.09 TRYAylık 8 GB İnternet Paketi8 GBN/AN/A28 daysABONE 8GB
Gaming Paketleri (Gaming Packages) – Turkcell

The Gaming Paketleri (Gaming Packages) are data plans for gaming (without 5G NR access).

PricePlanDataValidity
20 TRYOyna Paketi3 GB 130 days
30 TRYPUBGM 5 GB5 GB 230 days
45 TRYOyna İzle Paketi5 GB 130 days

1 Free Fire, PUBG Mobile & Twitch
2 PUBG Mobile & YouTube

APN/Internet Settings – Turkcell

  • Name: Turkcell
  • APN: internet

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

Vodafone Turkey

Vodafone Logo
© Vodafone

Vodafone Turkey, just Vodafone but officially Vodafone Türkiye, is the second-largest operator in Turkey. It is the mobile operator with the best 4G availability, but it has the slowest speeds.

Vodafone uses the following frequencies:

  • 2G: 1800 MHz
  • 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
  • 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20), 900 MHz (Band 8), 1800 MHz (Band 3), 2100 MHz (Band 1) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)

This is what you will learn about Vodafone:

* Coverage
* How to Get a Vodafone SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – Vodafone Turkey

Vodafone has extensive coverage in Turkey.

According to OpenSignal, Vodafone has the best 4G availability in the country.

Below is Vodafone's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

SIM Card Price – Vodafone Turkey

You can buy a Vodafone SIM card in Vodafone stores and many other stores, such as phone shops, electronic stores, and kiosks. Each Vodafone branch and reseller can set its own price. As a tourist, you will be charged more than locals. Vodafone SIM cards are sold for 30 TRY up to 200 TRY.

Vodafone Turkey SIM Card
© Vodafone Turkey

Short-term travelers can also take advantage of the Tourist Exclusive Pack. It costs 40 TRY and features 20 GB of data, 750 local minutes, and 1000 SMS – all valid for 28 days. However, this price excludes the new SIM card free, which varies by shop and can be as high as 200 TRY.

  • Find out how much SIM cards cost in every country + information about starter benefits (lookup tool)
SIM Card Prices Worldwide Tool by Phone Travel Wiz
  • Find out about the best local eSIMs, travel eSIMs & travel SIM cards for every country (lookup tool)
Best Local & Travel eSIMs Worldwide Tool by Phone Travel Wiz

Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Vodafone Turkey

Vodafone top-up vouchers are sold in Vodafone stores and other stores, including kiosks, phone stores, and grocery stores.

To top up your Vodafone SIM card, call 7500 and enter the Voucher Code.

You can 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. However, only Mastercards are accepted.

Dial *123# to check your Vodafone balance.

You can also use the Vodafone Yanimda (Vodafone by my side) to refill and check your balance (Android/iOS).

Vodafone Turkey Yanımda App
© Vodafone Turkey

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Vodafone Turkey

Vodafone has two data-featured prepaid plans: Süper Kolay Paketleri/Super Easy Packages (combo) & Ek Paket Al/Extra Packages (data add-ons)

I will list all the prices in TRY (Turkish Lira).

To convert TRY to your currency (let's say EUR – Euro) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.

Wise Currency Exchange Banner
© Wise

Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.

Kolay Paketleri (Easy Packages)- Vodafone Turkey

The Kolay Paketleri (Easy Packages) are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access), minutes, and SMS.

The following Kolay Paketleri are available:

PricePlanDataLocal MiunutesLocal SMSValidity
40 TRYHoş Geldin Ekstra 25GB25 GB750 minutes250 SMS28 days
92 TRYSüper Kolay Paket 1500500 MB1500 minutes250 SMS28 days
115 TRYSüper Kolay Paket 55 GB750 minutes250 SMS28 days
140 TRYSüper Kolay Paket 1010 GB750 minutes250 SMS28 days
145 TRYSınırsız İletişim Kolay Paket7 GB750 minutes250 SMS28 days
190 TRYSüper Kolay Paket 2020 GB750 minutes250 SMS28 days
240 TRY3 Aylık Kolay Paket 3030 GB5000 minutes1000 SMS90 days
305 TRY3 Aylik Kolay Paket 5050 GB5000 minutes1000 SMS90 days
460 TRY6 Aylık Kolay Paket 6060 GB5000 minutes1000 SMS180 days
Vodafone Turkey Kolay Paketleri Easy Packages
Ek Paket Al (Extra Packages) – Vodafone Turkey

The Ek Paket Al/Extra Packages are data bundles (without 5G NR access) that sometimes act as add-ons for the aforementioned plans. When it is an add-on, it cannot be purchased as a standalone plan.

All plans with Until plan expires in the Validity column are add-ons.

The following Ek Paket Al are available:

PricePlanDataSocial DataValidityAuto-Renews?
6.12 TRYNew Facebook + Twitter + Instagram Package N/A350 MB 130 daysNo
9.9 TRY50 GB Güvenli Depo Ek Paketi50 GBN/AUntil plan expiresYes
9.18 TRYEkonomik 1000 Paketi1 GBN/A30 daysYes
10.1 TRYWhatsApplı Arama AsistanıN/A1 GB 2Until plan expiresYes
12.9 TRY100 GB Güvenli Depo Ek PaketiUnlimited1 GB30 daysYes
15.2 TRYPrestij Paketi100 MBN/A30 daysNo
15.3 TRYE-Toplanti Pass PaketiN/AUnlimited 330 daysYes
15.3 TRYEk 4 GB Internet Paketi4 GBN/AUntil plan expiresNo
19 TRYYeni Fırsat 5GB5 GBN/A30 daysYes
19 TRYYeni Fırsat 2GB Paketi2 GBN/A30 daysYes
19.3 TRY1903 Hep Destek Paketi5 GBN/A30 daysYes
19.38 TRYDoldur1GB Paketi1 GBN/A7 daysNo
19.9 TRYHemen İnternet 2 GB Paketi2 GBN/A30 daysNo
19.9 TRY500 GB Güvenli Depo Ek PaketiUnlimited1 GB30 daysYes
20.4 TRYAylık 20GB Paketi20 GBN/A30 daysNo
25 TRYKarakartal 1GB Destek PaketiiN/A1 GB30 daysYes
29 TRYYeni Fırsat 15GB15 GBN/A30 daysYes
29 TRYHemen İnternet 2GB Paketi2 GBN/A30 daysNo
29 TRYYeni Fırsat 5GB Paketi5 GBN/A30 daysYes
29 TRYSahura Ozel 10GB Paketi10 GBN/A30 daysNo
29.9 TRYHaftalık 10 GB Ek Paketi10 GBN/A7 daysNo
29.58 TRYAylık 3 GB İnternet Paketi3 GBN/A30 daysNo
30 TRYKarakartal 2GB Destek PaketiN/A2 GB30 daysYes
35 TRYHaftalık 3GB Astroloji Paketi3 GBN/A7 daysYes
35 TRYAylık 1GB Haber Paketi1 GBN/A30 daysYes
39 TRYHaftalık 10GB Paketi10 GBN/A7 daysNo
39 TRYHarika 15GB Paketi15 GBN/A30 daysNo
40 TRY3GB 1903 Destek PaketiN/A3 GB30 daysYes
45 TRYHarika 10GB Paketi10 GBN/A30 daysNo
45 TRYAvantajlı 2GB Paketi2 GBN/A30 daysYes
45 TRYAkıllı Ekip Takip 1+1 Paketi2 GBN/A30 daysYes
49 TRYFırsat 20 GB Paketi20 GBN/A30 daysYes
55 TRYHarika 15GB Paketi15 GBN/A30 daysNo
55 TRYFırsat 20GB Paketi20 GBN/A30 daysYes
55 TRYAylık Süper 2GB Paketi2 GBN/A30 daysNo
65 TRYHediyeli 10GB10 GB 4N/A30 daysNo
65 TRYAylık Süper 3GB Paketi3 GBN/A30 daysNo
69 TRYAvantajlı 5GB Paketi5 GBN/A30 daysYes
70 TRYAkıllı Ekip Takip 1+2 Paketi5 GBN/A30 daysYes
85 TRYAvantajlı 10GB Paketi10 GBN/A30 daysYes
85 TRYHaftalık Süper 10GB Paketi10 GBN/A7 daysNo
99 TRYAvantajlı 15GB Paketi15 GBN/A30 daysYes
99 TRYRamazan Paketi15 GBN/A30 daysNo
100 TRYAylık Süper 10GB Paketi10 GBN/A30 daysNo
100 TRYAkıllı Ekip Takip 1+3 Paketi10 GB 4N/A30 daysYes
109 TRYAvantajlı 20GB Paketi20 GBN/A30 daysNo
112 TRYBol Bol 50 GB Paketi50 GBN/A30 daysNo
114 TRYAylık Süper 15GB Paketi15 GBN/A30 daysNo
129 TRY25 GB On Muhasebe E-Fatura 250 Paketi25 GBN/A30 daysYes
139 TRYBol Bol 50 GB Paketi50 GBN/A30 daysNo
186 TRY50 GB On Accounting E-Invoice 500 Package50 GBN/A30  daysYes
199 TRYAylık Süper 50GB Paketi50 GBN/A30 daysNo

1 Facebook, Instagram & Twitter
2 WhatsApp
3 Cisco Webex & MS Teams
4 only for business owners

APN/Internet Settings – Vodafone Turkey

  • Name: Vodafone Internet
  • APN: internet

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

Türk Telekom

Türk Telekom Turkey Logo
© Türk Telekom

Turkcell uses the following frequencies:

  • 2G: 1800 MHz
  • 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
  • 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20), 900 MHz (Band 8), 1800 MHz (Band 3), 2100 MHz (Band 1) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)

This is what you will learn about Türk Telekom:

* Coverage
* How to Get a Türk Telekom SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – Türk Telekom

Türk Telekom has extensive coverage in Turkey.

However, its 4G/LTE coverage is lacking compared to its competitors.

Below is Türk Telekom's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

SIM Card Price – Türk Telekom

You can buy a Türk Telekom SIM card for between 30 TRY and 200 TRY in Türk Telekom stores and many other stores, such as phone shops, electronic stores, and kiosks. Türk Telekom branch and reseller can set its own price. As a tourist, you will be charged more than locals. This is why I gave a price range for the SIM cards.

  • Find out how much SIM cards cost in every country + information about starter benefits (lookup tool)
SIM Card Prices Worldwide Tool by Phone Travel Wiz
  • Find out about the best local eSIMs, travel eSIMs & travel SIM cards for every country (lookup tool)
Best Local & Travel eSIMs Worldwide Tool by Phone Travel Wiz

Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Türk Telekom

Türk Telekom top-up vouchers are sold in Türk Telekom stores and other stores, including kiosks, phone stores, and grocery stores.

You can 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.

Call 555 to check your Türk Telekom balance.

You can also use the Türk Telekom Online İşlemler (Türk Telekom Online Transactions) app to refill and check your balance (Android/iOS/Huawei App Gallary).

Türk Telekom Online Islemler App
© Türk Telekom

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Türk Telekom

Türk Telekom has 17 data-featured prepaid plans:

I will list all the prices in TRY (Turkish Lira).

To convert TRY to your currency (let's say EUR – Euro) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.

Wise Currency Exchange Banner
© Wise

Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.

Aramıza Hoş Geldin Paketleri (Welcome Packages) – Türk Telekom

The Aramıza Hoş Geldin Paketleri (Welcome Packages) are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access), minutes, and SMS.

You can activate Aramıza Hoş Geldin Paketleri by texting the Activation Code to 5555:

PriceDataLocal MinutesLocal SMSValidityActivation Code
89 TRY5 GB750 minutes100 SMS28 daysHG 5GB
99 TRY10 GB750 minutes100 SMS28 daysHG 10GB
139 TRY20 GB750 minutes100 SMS28 daysHG 20GB
179 TRY30 GB750 minutes100 SMS28 daysHG 30GB

Aramıza Hoş Geldin Paketleri auto-renew. To deactivate auto-renewal, text the Deactivation Code to 5555.

Türk Telekom Turkey Aramıza Hoş Geldin Paketleri Welcome Packages
Bol Fırsat Paketi (Plenty of Deals Packages) – Türk Telekom

The Bol Fırsat Paketi (Plenty of Deals Packages) are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access), minutes, and SMS.

PriceDataLocal MinutesLocal SMSValidity
92 TRY1 GB1500 minutes100 SMS28 days
102 TRY3 GB750 minutes100 SMS28 days
115 TRY6 GB750 minutes100 SMS28 days
139 TRY10 GB1000 minutes100 SMS28 days
159 TRY15 GB1000 minutes100 SMS28 days
195 TRY25 GB1000 minutes100 SMS28 days
Türk Telekom Turkey Bol Fırsat Paketi Plenty of Deals Package
Elit Paketler (Elite Packages) – Türk Telekom

The Elit Paketler (Elite Packages) are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access), minutes, and SMS.

PriceDataLocal MinutesLocal SMSValidity
92 TRY1 GB1500 minutes100 SMS28 days
102 TRY3 GB750 minutes100 SMS28 days
115 TRY6 GB750 minutes100 SMS28 days
139 TRY10 GB1000 minutes100 SMS28 days
159 TRY15 GB1000 minutes100 SMS28 days
195 TRY25 GB1000 minutes100 SMS28 days
Türk Telekom Turkey Elit Paketler Elite Packages
Fenercell Efsane Taraftar Paketi (Fenercell Legendary Fan Pack) – Türk Telekom

The Fenercell Efsane Taraftar Paketi (Fenercell Legendary Fan Pack) are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access), minutes, and SMS.

PriceDataLocal MinutesLocal SMSValidity 
105 TRY5 GB750 minutes100 SMS28 days
140 TRY12 GB750 minutes100 SMS28 days
170 TRY20 GB750 minutes100 SMS28 days
Türk Telekom Turkey Fenercell Efsane Taraftar Paketi Fenercell Legendary Fan Pack
Fiks Paketler (Fixed Packages) – Türk Telekom

The Fiks Paketleri (Fixed Packages) are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access), minutes, and SMS.

PriceDataLocal MinutesLocal SMSValidity
65 TRY5 GB750 minutes250  SMS21 days
75 TRY10 GB750 minutes250 SMS21 days
80 TRY5 GB750 minutes250 SMS28 days
90 TRY 15 GB750 minutes250 SMS21 days
95 TRY10 GB750 minutes250 SMS28 days
100 TRY5 GB750 minutes250 SMS35 days
100 TRY20 GB750 minutes250 SMS21 days
110 TRY25 GB750 minutes250 SMS21 days
110 TRY15 GB750 minutes250 SMS28 days
120 TRY10 GB750 minutes250 SMS28 days
120 TRY5 GB750 minutes250 SMS45 days
125 TRY20 GB750 minutes250 SMS28 days
185 TRY20 GB750 minutes250 SMS45 days
205 TRY25 GB750 minutes250 SMS45 days
Türk Telekom Turkey Fiks Paketler Fixed Packages
Mobil Yaşa Paketleri (Mobile Age Packages) – Türk Telekom

The Mobil Yaşa Paketleri (Mobile Age Packages) are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access), minutes, and SMS.

PriceDataLocal MinutesLocal SMSValidity
95 TRY500 MB1000 minutes1000 SMS28 days
105 TRY3 GB1000 minutes1000 SMS28 days
120 TRY5 GB1000 minutes1000 SMS28 days
135 TRY9 GB1000 minutes1000 SMS28 days
150 TRY12 GB1000 minutes1000 SMS28 days
175 TRY18 GB1000 minutes1000 SMS28 days
185 TRY20 GB1000 minutes1000 SMS28 days
195 TRY25 GB1000 minutes1000 SMS28 days
220 TRY30 GB`1000 minutes1000 SMS28 days
Türk Telekom Turkey Mobil Yaşa Paketleri Mobile Age Packages
Mobilist Paketler (Mobilist Packages) – Türk Telekom

The Mobilist Paketler (Mobilist Packages) are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access), minutes, and SMS.

PriceDataLocal MinutesLocal SMSValidity
PriceDataLocal MinutesLocal SMS
120 TRY5 GB250 minutes1000 SMS30 days
140 TRY10 GB250 minutes500 SMS30 days
160 TRY15 GB250 minutes250 SMS30 days
Türk Telekom Turkey Mobilist Paketler Mobilist Packages
Selfy'nin Mega Sosyal Paketi (Selfy'nin Mega Social Packet) – Türk Telekom

The Selfy'nin Mega Sosyal Paketi (Selfy'nin Mega Social Packet) are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access), minutes, and SMS.

You can activate Selfy'nin Mega Sosyal Paketi (Selfy'nin Mega Social Packet) by texting the Activation Code to 5555:

PriceDataSocial Data 1Local MinutesLocal SMSValidityActivation Code
95 TRY4 GB2 GB750 minutes250 SMS28 daysMEGA SOCIAL 4
105 TRY8 GB4 GB750 minutes250 SMS28 daysMEGA SOCIAL 8
135 TRY16 GB8 GB750 minutes250 SMS28 daysMEGA SOCIAL 16
145 TRY24 GB8 GB750 minutes250 SMS28 daysMEGA SOCIAL 24
175  TRY20 GB5 GB 21000 minutes500 SMS30 daysSOCIAL 2XLARGE
185 TRY25 GB5 GB 21000 minutes500 SMS30 daysSOCIAL 3XLARGE

1 Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube
2 with WhatsApp

Türk Telekom Turkey Selfy'nin Mega and Large Sosyal Paketi Selfy'nin Mega and Large Social Packet
Avantajım Paketleri (Advantage Packages) – Türk Telekom

The Avantajım Paketleri (Advantage Packages) are data plans (without 5G NR access).

You can activate Avantajım Paketleri by texting the Activation Code to 5555:

PriceDataValidityActivation Code
60 TRY 3 GB7 daysAVANTAJIM 3GB
75 TRY5 GB7 daysAVANTAJIM 5 GB
75 TRY10 GB7 daysAVANTAJIM 1 0GB
90 TRY 15 GB7 daysAVANTAJIM 15 GB
90 TRY20 GB7 daysAVANTAJIM 20 GB
Türk Telekom Turkey Avantajım Paketleri Advantage Packages
Aylık İnternet Paketleri (Monthly Internet Packages) – Türk Telekom

The Aylık İnternet Paketleri (Monthly Internet Packages) are data plans (without 5G NR accesss).

You can activate Aylık İnternet Paketleri by texting the Activation Code to 5555:

PriceDataValidityActivation Code
9 TRY100 MB30 days100MB MONTHLY
12 TRY250 MB30 days250MB MONTHLY
19 TRY500 MB30 days500MB MONTHLY
35 TRY1 GB30 days1GB MONTHLY
39 TRY2 GB30 days2GB MONTHLY
45 TRY3 GB30 days3GB MONTHLY
55 TRY 5 GB30 days5GB MONTHLY
59 TRY6 GB30 days5GB MONTHLY
90 TRY 10 GB90 days10GB MONTHLY

Aylık İnternet Paketleri auto-renew. To deactivate auto-renewal, text the Deactivation Code to 5555.

Türk Telekom Turkey Aylık İnternet Paketleri Monthly Internet Packages
Haftalık İnternet Paketleri (Weekly Internet Packages) – Türk Telekom

The Haftalık İnternet Paketleri (Weekly Internet Packages) are data plans (without 5G NR accesss).

PriceDataValidity
5 TRY100 MB7 days
10 TRY1 GB1 day
45 TRY1 GB7 days
75 TRY10 GB7 days
Türk Telekom Turkey Haftalık İnternet Paketleri Weekly Internet Packages
Hızlı Paketler (Express Packages) – Türk Telekom

The Hızlı Paketler (Express Packages) are data plans (without 5G NR accesss).

PriceDataValidity
65 TRY5 GB7 days
75 TRY10 GB7 days
90 TRY 15 GB7 days
105 TRY25 GB7 days
Türk Telekom Turkey Hızlı Paketler Express Packages
Pakete Ek Aylık İnternet Paketleri (Additional Monthly Internet Packages) – Türk Telekom

The Pakete Ek Aylık İnternet Paketleri (Additional Monthly Internet Packages) are data plans (without 5G NR accesss).

PriceDataValidity
18 TRY5 GB30 days
20 TRYUnlimited 130 days
80 TRY4 GB30 days
105 TRY8 GB30 days

1 WhatsApp

Türk Telekom Pakete Ek Aylık İnternet Paketleri Additional Monthly Internet Packages
Günlük Ek İnternet Paketleri/Haftalık Ek İnternet Paketleri (Additional Weekly/Daily Internet Packages) – Türk Telekom

The Günlük Ek İnternet Paketleri/Haftalık Ek İnternet Paketleri (Additional Weekly/Daily Internet Packages) are data plans (without 5G NR accesss).

PriceDataValidity
18.36 TRY1 GB14 days
25 TRY1 GB3 days
35 TRY1 GB14 days
35 TRY2 GB3 days
40 TRY3 GB3 days
45 TRY2 GB7 days
55 TRY3 GB7 days
Türk Telekom Turkey Günlük Ek İnternet Paketleri and Haftalık Ek İnternet Paketleri Additional Weekly and Daily Internet Packages
Gece İnternet Paketi/Gündüz İnternet Paketi – Türk Telekom

The Gece İnternet Paketi/Gündüz İnternet Paketi are data plans (without 5G NR accesss).

PriceDataValidity
60 TRY10 GB 130 days
75 TRY10 GB 230 days

1 daytime 23:00 – 06:00
2 nighttime 09:00 – 17:00

PUBG Mobile Paketleri (PUBG Mobile Packs) – Türk Telekom

The Gece İnternet Paketi/Gündüz İnternet Paketi are data plans for PUBG Mobile.

PriceData 1Validity
25 TRY15 GB7 days
49 TRY30 GB`30 days
Türk Telekom Turkey PUBG Mobile Paketleri PUBG Mobile Packs
YouTube Paketleri (YouTube Packages) – Türk Telekom
Türk Telekom YouTube Paketleri
© Türk Telekom

The YouTube Paketleri (YouTube Packages) are data-only plans specifically for YouTube browsing and streaming.

You can activate YouTube Paketleri by texting the Activation Code to 5555:

PriceDataValidityActivation Code
65 TRY5 GB30 daysYOUTUBE 5GB
75 TRY15 GB7 daysWEEK YOUTUBE
95 TRY30 GB`7 daysYOUTUBE 30GB

Multiple YouTube Paketleri can be activated simultaneously.

YouTube Paketleri auto-renew. To deactivate auto-renewal, text the Deactivation Code to 5555.

APN/Internet Settings – Türk Telekom

  • Name: Türk Telekom
  • APN: internet

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

The Preferred Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in Turkey

Getting a SIM card from Turkcell would do you well when considering a Turkish SIM card.

Local Prepaid SIM Cards in Other Middle Eastern Countries

Visiting other countries in the Middle East? Check out my Middle Eastern SIM card buying guide, covering other Middle Eastern countries, 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:

Support Phone Travel Wiz

It takes a lot of time to analyze, translate & review the SIM card options worldwide (especially to test them out).

Your support helps me keep producing impartial content by eliminating the need to recommend international SIM cards as the best local SIM card (but some of them CAN be useful).

Every Ko-Fi donation, one-time or monthly, helps me to spend more time creating local SIM card buying guides.

Support Me on Ko-Fi Orange

Check Out My Resource Page

Looking for the best companies and gadgets to enhance your travel experience

Check out my travel resources page for the best companies to use when you travel!

Save money with international SIM cards, on plane tickets, bus rides, cruises & accommodation.

Besides that, I also list services and items I use to make my life easier – and I believe they will help you too!

Start Your Own Online Business – Make Money While Traveling

Do you want to learn how I started an online business that allows me to generate income while traveling?

In my starting an online business guide, I tell you which tools, services & products I have for this site and my YouTube channel.

If I can start a business about something I am passionate about (phone travel), then you can do it too!

Learn About Your Phone Travel Options

You can buy local prepaid SIM cardsinternational SIM cardsmobile hotspots, or roam internationally.

Each of these options has its pros and cons. Learn more about them, and find the best option for you.

Phone Travel Tips, Tricks & Hacks

I have written many articles with tips and hacks to save money on mobile costs while abroad. You surely want to check them out!

Sign Up for the Phone Travel Wiz Newsletter

Get updates related to the newest guides, videos & recommended products and services.

Moreover, I send you many tips and tricks on saving money while traveling every now and then.

Let's Be Social

Did you know that I have a YouTube channel covering everything you need to know about traveling with your phone?

A lot of useful videos are uploaded multiple times a week, and you do not want to miss out on them!

Learn More About Who Adu Actually Is

Who is the guy behind Phone Travel Wiz? Well, find out on the Ernest Adu about page!