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ESIM GUIDE

Best eSIM for South Korea for Canadian travellers

A week of roaming with Rogers or Telus in South Korea costs about $126. A travel eSIM covering the same week starts around US$10. Here's what the plans cost, what's different about staying connected in South Korea, and how to set it up before you fly.

By the Viorvo team · Checked

Our pick for a week in South Korea

Simple one-week planAiralo 5 GB for 7 days · US$10.00A week of roaming with Rogers or Telus costs about $126. Install the eSIM at home before you fly.
Get this eSIM ↗

Roaming vs eSIM for a week in South Korea

Roaming, 7 days$1267 × $18 international (Rogers/Telus); Bell 7 × $16 = $112. CAD before tax.
Travel eSIM, 7 daysUS$10Airalo 짱 Jjang 5 GB / 7 days

Daily rates from MobileSyrup (March 2026): Rogers and Telus $16 a day in the US and $18 internationally, Bell $13 and $16. This country is billed at the international rate.

Compare plans

eSIM plans for South Korea

PlanDataPriceNetwork
YesimSouth Korea 1 GB1 GB30 daysUS$2.835GView ↗
Airalo짱 Jjang 1 GB1 GB3 daysUS$4.005GView ↗
AiraloOur pick짱 Jjang 5 GB5 GB7 daysUS$10.005GView ↗
YesimSouth Korea 10 GB10 GB30 daysUS$18.125GView ↗
Airalo짱 Jjang 10 GB10 GB30 daysUS$19.005GView ↗
YesimSouth Korea UnlimitedUnlimited (fair use)7 daysUS$27.755GView ↗

Prices in US dollars as shown on esimdb.com on October 1, 2026. esimdb also lists new-user promo codes, so the price at checkout can differ slightly. Plans are data-only unless the provider says otherwise. Viorvo may earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.

What to know about staying connected in South Korea

  • Prepaid SIM cards are sold at Incheon and Gimpo airports and at convenience stores such as CU, 7-Eleven and GS25.
  • Seoul has nearly 10,000 free Wi-Fi hot spots, including hotels, cafés, transit stations and airports. Some need a password.
  • SK Telecom, KT and LG U+ all have counters at Incheon, and SK Telecom's arrivals counter is open 24 hours. Most others open about 6:30 a.m.–10:00 p.m. You must show your passport (secondary guide updated June 2026).
  • Visit Seoul notes that an eSIM can be installed by scanning a QR code, and most phones released after 2019 support it.

How to set up your eSIM

Do this at home on Wi-Fi, a day or two before you fly, so you land connected.

  • 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.
  • An iPhone can store eight or more eSIMs. To add one from a QR code, scan it with the Camera app, tap 'Cellular Plan Detected', then tap Add Cellular Plan.
  • On arrival, choose which line your iPhone uses for data in Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data. If your home line stays on, you might still be charged roaming fees by your home carrier.
  • Data Roaming on iPhone is under Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options. It lets you use data on networks outside your carrier's coverage.
  • 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.
Plan the rest

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Getting there

Cheapest flights from Canada

Toronto → SeoulYYZ–ICNMontreal → SeoulYUL–ICNVancouver → SeoulYVR–ICNCalgary → SeoulYYC–ICN

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Questions

Common questions

How much does roaming cost in South Korea with a Canadian phone plan?

Rogers and Telus charge $18 a day and Bell $16 a day for their daily roaming add-on in South Korea (CAD, before tax, as of March 2026). A 7-day trip comes to about $126 with Rogers or Telus.

How much is an eSIM for South Korea?

The cheapest plan we found was Yesim 1 GB for 30 days at US$2.83. For a typical week, Airalo 짱 Jjang 5 GB / 7 days costs US$10 (prices checked October 1, 2026).

Will a travel eSIM give me a local phone number?

Usually not. Most travel eSIMs from Airalo and Yesim are data-only. Apps like WhatsApp still work over data, and you can keep your Canadian line switched on for texts, but calls or data on your Canadian line can trigger your carrier's daily fee.

Sources

Checked October 1, 2026. Prices, rules and fees change, so confirm before you travel.

eSIM for South Koreafrom US$2.83 ↗