Travel eSIMs for Canadians: prices vs roaming

Every big Canadian carrier charges a daily fee to use your plan abroad. A travel eSIM is a digital SIM you buy online and install before you go: you keep your Canadian SIM in the phone, and use the eSIM for data. For most trips it costs a fraction of the daily fee.

What roaming costs

Daily roaming fees, per day

Carrier	USA	International
Rogers	$16	$18
Telus	$16	$18
Bell	$13	$16

CAD before tax, per MobileSyrup (March 2026). Mexico is billed at the international rate.

By country

eSIM prices for popular trips

Will an eSIM work on my phone?

To check if your iPhone is unlocked, go to Settings > General > About. If Carrier Lock says 'No SIM restrictions', it's unlocked. Only your carrier can unlock it.
In Canada, the CRTC Wireless Code requires all newly purchased phones to be sold unlocked, and carriers must unlock older phones free of charge on request.
iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and later support eSIM for international travel.
On Samsung Galaxy phones, add an eSIM in Settings > Connections > SIM manager > Add eSIM, by QR code or activation code. Even listed models may not support eSIM depending on country of origin.
Pixel 7 and later can use two eSIM profiles at once. Google suggests using a prepaid international eSIM and activating it when you arrive to avoid roaming charges.

Good to know

The CRTC says buying a local SIM, eSIM or prepaid plan in the country you visit lets you avoid roaming charges altogether.
Canadian carriers can't charge more than $100 in data roaming per billing cycle unless you explicitly agree to pay more.
Airalo and Yesim country eSIMs are data-only: no local phone number (apps like WhatsApp still work over data). A few Airalo plans (e.g. Uki Mobile+ in the UK, Change+ in the US, Chido with Call/SMS in Mexico) add a local number.

Shop eSIMs

Where to buy

AiraloeSIMs for 200+ countries and regionsBrowse ↗ YesimCountry and regional data plansBrowse ↗

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Sources

Checked September 30, 2026. Prices, rules and fees change, so confirm before you travel.