Buying a SIM Card or eSIM at Cambodia's Airport: What US Travelers Should Get
You can be online before you reach the taxi rank at Techo International. Here is exactly what to get at the airport as a US traveler — the SIM kiosks at arrivals, the eSIM you can set up before you fly, and the Metfone, Smart, and Cellcard prices you will actually see.
Should US travelers buy a SIM card at the Cambodia airport or get an eSIM?
Both work well at Techo International (KTI) in Phnom Penh and at Siem Reap. The easiest option is an eSIM you buy and install before you leave the US — install it over Wi-Fi at home, set it to activate on arrival, and you walk off the plane already online. If you would rather buy in person, carrier kiosks for Metfone, Smart, and Cellcard sit in the arrivals area, and a tourist SIM with a generous data bundle runs about $5 to $15 USD and takes roughly five minutes to set up. Bring your passport, because Cambodian law requires SIM registration. Either route beats US carrier international roaming, which often costs $10 or more per day, and your phone must be carrier-unlocked first.
要点总结
- Two ways to land online: install an eSIM before you leave the US and be connected the moment you touch down, or buy a local SIM at a carrier kiosk in the Techo (KTI) arrivals hall in about five minutes.
- Airport SIM bundles from Metfone, Smart, and Cellcard typically run $5 to $15 USD for a generous tourist data package — far cheaper than US carrier roaming at $10 or more per day.
- Buying a local SIM at the kiosk requires passport registration by law, so have your passport out — the same one tied to your Cambodia eVisa and e-Arrival Card.
- Airport kiosk prices are fair but a touch higher than a phone shop in town; the convenience of walking out already connected is usually worth the small premium.
- Your phone must be carrier-unlocked, and for an eSIM it must also be eSIM-capable — check both before you leave the US, because you cannot fix a locked phone after you land.
Getting online the moment you land at Techo (KTI)
You do not have to wonder whether you will have signal in Cambodia, and you do not have to walk out of the airport disconnected. Phnom Penh now runs through Techo International Airport (KTI), which replaced the old PNH airport on 9 September 2025, and the new terminal has the carrier kiosks, the Wi-Fi, and the foot traffic of a modern international gateway. As a US traveler you have two clean ways to be online: an eSIM you set up before you ever board, or a local SIM you buy at a kiosk in the arrivals hall a few minutes after you clear immigration.
The one option to actively avoid is doing nothing and letting your US carrier flip you onto an international day pass. Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile all charge in the region of $10 or more per day for that, which quietly adds up to over $100 across a normal trip for data you can buy at the airport for the price of a couple of coffees. A few minutes of planning is the difference between landing online cheaply and bleeding money you did not need to spend.
This guide covers exactly what you will see at the airport — the SIM kiosks, the eSIM route, the Metfone, Smart, and Cellcard prices, and how to buy and activate each one without fumbling at the gate. Connectivity is a landing-day detail, not a visa requirement, but it pairs naturally with the rest of your entry prep, and our main Cambodia visa for US citizens guide pulls the visa cost, documents, and processing into one place so the paperwork is sorted long before you think about data.
What the SIM kiosks at Techo arrivals actually look like
Once you clear immigration and collect your bags, the arrivals hall at Techo International is where the carrier kiosks live. They sit in the same zone as the currency exchange counters and the transport desks, so you pass them on the way out — you do not have to go hunting. Staff speak enough English to walk a first-time visitor through a tourist plan, and they will set the SIM up and test it before you leave the counter.
Which carriers you will find at the kiosk
Cambodia has three main mobile networks, and you will typically see kiosks or branded counters for all of them at arrivals: Metfone, Smart, and Cellcard. Smart and Cellcard have the strongest traveler reputations for coverage across Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and the southern coast, with reliable 4G on the main tourist routes and growing 5G in the cities. Metfone, backed by Vietnam's Viettel, has the widest rural reach if you are heading well off the standard loop. For a normal first trip, any of the three will serve you well — pick whichever counter has the shortest line and a plan that matches your trip length.
Airport kiosk pricing vs buying in town
Airport SIM bundles are fairly priced, but they tend to sit a dollar or two above the same package bought at a phone shop in the city. That small premium buys you convenience: you walk out of the terminal already connected, with maps for your ride and your hotel address ready, instead of arriving offline and finding a shop later. For most travelers that trade is worth it. If you are watching every dollar and happy to use airport Wi-Fi to get to your hotel first, you can buy in town the next morning and save a little — but the gap is small enough that most people just sort it at the kiosk and move on.
常见问题解答
Can I buy a SIM card at the Cambodia airport?
Yes. Carrier kiosks for Metfone, Smart, and Cellcard sit in the arrivals hall at Techo International (KTI) in Phnom Penh and at Siem Reap, near the currency exchange and transport desks. A tourist SIM with a generous data bundle takes about five minutes to set up once you have your passport out, and runs roughly $5 to $15 USD. If you prefer to land already connected, install an eSIM before you fly and walk straight past the kiosk.
How much does a SIM card cost at the Techo airport?
Airport SIM bundles from Metfone, Smart, or Cellcard typically run $5 to $15 USD for a generous tourist data package, depending on how much data and how many days you choose. Kiosk prices sit a dollar or two above buying in town, but you walk out of the terminal already connected. Either way it is far cheaper than US carrier international roaming, which often costs $10 or more per day.
Is it better to get an eSIM or a SIM at the Cambodia airport?
Get an eSIM if you want to land already online with no counter visit and keep your US number active for calls and two-factor texts, and if your phone is eSIM-capable. Get an airport SIM if you want the most data per dollar and a local Cambodian number for ride apps, and you do not mind swapping your US SIM out and registering at the kiosk. Both beat US carrier roaming, so it mostly comes down to convenience versus value.
Do I need my passport to buy a SIM at the airport?
Yes. Cambodian law requires every SIM to be registered to a passport, so have your passport ready at the kiosk — the same one tied to your eVisa and e-Arrival Card. The staff will scan or photograph it and register the SIM for you on the spot. An eSIM bought online before you fly does not require an in-person passport scan at a kiosk.
Will my US phone work in Cambodia?
It will if it is carrier-unlocked, and for an eSIM it must also be eSIM-capable. A phone locked to Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile will not accept a Cambodian SIM or eSIM, so ask your carrier to unlock it before you leave the US — you cannot fix a locked phone once you land. Check your settings for an eSIM option too, since older or budget phones may not have one.
Is there Wi-Fi at the Cambodia airport?
Yes. Techo International (KTI) has free terminal Wi-Fi you can use on the way out to message your hotel, pull up a ride, or check the kiosk plans before you buy a SIM. It is fine for the basics in arrivals. Travelers who installed an eSIM at home are simply online the moment the plane connects and do not need the airport Wi-Fi at all.
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