In the Turks and Caicos, a local SIM is something you buy for the phone number rather than for the data. Both operators sell in US dollars, so there is no exchange rate hiding the comparison, and the figures are plain. Digicel's week-long Prime Ultra bundle is 27 dollars before tax for 5 GB of general data. Flow's comparable seven-day bundle is listed by a top-up reseller at 27.45 dollars. A starter SIM from either operator costs about 10 dollars. Against that, Nomad sells 5 GB for thirty days at 19 dollars and Airalo sells it for 29 or 30. Every rung of the local price lists costs more per gigabyte than the cheapest travel eSIM, which is the opposite of what we found in St Lucia, Trinidad or Curacao.
Local cards still earn their place for a few kinds of visitor: anyone who needs a 649 number that villa staff, dive shops and restaurants can call at local rates, anyone staying for a season, and anyone whose phone is not eSIM capable. The rest of this page gives both price lists, where the stores are on Providenciales, what you need to bring, and the local eSIM route that both operators now offer.
What This Guide Covers
Jump to the section most relevant to you
Digicel's Prime Ultra Bundles, in US Dollars
Digicel Turks and Caicos sells its prepaid data as Prime Ultra bundles. Each one combines an any-use data allowance, a larger pot of data reserved for named social, music, video and cloud storage apps, unlimited calls to other Digicel numbers and a set number of minutes to other networks. Only the any-use figure is comparable with a travel eSIM, because the app-specific data cannot be used for maps, browsing or ride bookings. Prices are published excluding tax.
| Bundle | Price before tax | Any-use data | App data | Other inclusions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Day Prime Ultra | $7.50 | 1.5 GB | 2 GB | 20 minutes to other networks |
| 3 Day Prime Ultra | $15.00 | 1.5 GB in the plan detail | 3 GB | 20 minutes to other networks |
| 7 Day Prime Ultra | $27.00 | 5 GB | 12 GB | 60 minutes to other networks |
| 14 Day Prime Ultra | $32.00 | 6.5 GB | 15 GB | 120 minutes to other networks, 25 to the USA and Canada |
| 30 Day Prime Ultra | $48.00 | 8 GB | 30 GB | 300 minutes to other networks, 45 to the USA and Canada |
| 30 Day Prime Ultra+ | $72.00 | 10 GB | 35 GB | 500 minutes to other networks, 60 to the USA and Canada |
A few details stand out. The three-day bundle's headline figure on Digicel's page says 2.5 GB, but the plan breakdown lists 1.5 GB of any-use data, so ask at the counter which figure applies before paying twice the one-day price for no extra general data. The fourteen-day bundle is the best value on the sheet: only 5 dollars more than the week for an extra 1.5 GB and double the validity, plus some minutes to the United States and Canada, which is useful if you need to call home from a 649 number. Digicel also says unused data rolls over when you renew.
How these compare with a travel eSIM
The cheapest Digicel rate per gigabyte of any-use data is the 1 Day bundle, at 5 dollars a gigabyte. The weekly bundle works out at 5.40, the thirty-day plan at 6 and Ultra+ at 7.20, all before tax. Nomad's 5 GB eSIM is 3.80 dollars a gigabyte and its 20 GB plan 2.45. On data alone, Digicel does not beat the cheapest eSIM at any size.
Flow's Prepaid Bundles and the Price Problem
Flow's Turks and Caicos website builds its plan list in the browser and would not load for us, so the figures below come from a top-up reseller that sells Flow Turks and Caicos bundles in US dollars. Resellers sometimes add a small margin, so treat these as close to, rather than exactly, the price at Flow's own counter.
| Flow bundle | Reseller price | Data | Calls and texts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Day | $7.60 | 1.5 GB | 25 minutes, 25 texts |
| 3 Day | $16.11 | 2 GB | 200 minutes, 200 texts |
| 7 Day | $27.45 | 5 GB | Unlimited minutes, 350 texts |
| 30 Day | $80.06 | 10 GB | Unlimited minutes, 1,000 texts |
The shape is almost identical to Digicel's, which is not a coincidence in a two-operator market. What makes Flow's list awkward for a visitor is the thirty-day tier: about 80 dollars for 10 GB, when Nomad sells 10 GB for thirty days on the very same Flow network for 34 dollars. If what you want is Flow's coverage for data, the eSIM is the cheaper way to buy it.
Flow does have one visitor-friendly habit. Its SIM, like Digicel's, costs about 10 dollars, with credit bought separately, and the minutes included in its weekly and monthly bundles are generous. For someone who spends a lot of time on the phone to local businesses, arranging boat charters, villa maintenance or a wedding, the calling allowance may be worth more than the data.
Out-of-bundle data is the trap
Loading credit without choosing a bundle leaves you on the default pay-as-you-go data rate, which has been reported at around 31 cents a megabyte. At that rate a single gigabyte would cost more than 300 dollars. Always ask for a named bundle at the counter, and check that it shows as active before you walk out.
Where to Buy on Providenciales, and What to Bring
Neither operator sells SIM cards at Providenciales International Airport, and there is no exchange desk there either. Both main stores are on Leeward Highway, the four-lane road that runs from the airport and downtown area east to the Grace Bay roundabout, so they are on the way from the terminal to most hotels.
| Store | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Flow main office | 1044 Leeward Highway, Providenciales | Largest Flow branch, sells SIMs and local eSIMs, phone +1 649 946 2200 |
| Flow at Graceway IGA | Inside the Graceway IGA supermarket, Leeward Highway | Convenient on a first grocery run, also listed as selling Flow eSIMs |
| Digicel | 991A Tower Plaza, Leeward Highway | Main customer service office, SIMs and prepaid bundles, phone +1 649 331 3444 |
We could not confirm current opening hours for any of the three, so check before making a special trip, especially on a Sunday. Top-up credit is sold far more widely than new SIMs, in supermarkets and small shops across Provo, and both operators let you renew bundles in their apps.
Bring your passport
Both operators require government-issued ID to sell a SIM, and for a visitor that means the passport itself. The tourism authority's guide also mentions it for Flow's in-store eSIM.
Check the phone is unlocked
Many US phones bought on a payment plan are still locked to the carrier. A locked phone will reject a Flow or Digicel card, and the store cannot unlock it for you. Ask your carrier before you travel.
Mind the frequencies on older phones
The tourism authority notes that Flow uses the 850 and 1900 MHz bands while Digicel uses 900 and 1800 MHz. Any recent smartphone handles both, but older handsets and specialty equipment such as signal boosters may only work with one operator.
Choose the bundle by name
Ask for a 7 Day or 14 Day Prime Ultra at Digicel, or the equivalent weekly bundle at Flow, rather than just buying credit. Then install the operator's app so you can renew without another store visit.
Local eSIMs From Flow and Digicel
Unusually for a small Caribbean market, both operators now offer eSIMs, which removes the old argument that a local line means giving up your US SIM slot. The routes differ.
Flow eSIM
The catches
The practical value of a local eSIM is the number rather than the data. A 649 line on a local eSIM, running beside a data plan or your home line, gives local businesses a number they can call without international charges. For a longer villa rental, a boat charter or a wedding with local suppliers, that can be worth a bundle's price. For a normal resort week, it is one more thing to organise.
Why a 649 number matters here
Turks and Caicos numbers use the +1 country code, so they look like US numbers, but calls between a US line and a 649 number are billed as international. A driver or restaurant may simply not call back an American number. A local line removes that friction; a data-only travel eSIM does not, although WhatsApp calls work well on both networks.
Local Bundle, eSIM or US Day Pass: One Week Compared
Since most visitors here arrive with a US phone, the real comparison has three sides rather than two. The table assumes one phone and a seven-night stay. Local prices are before tax and add the roughly 10 dollar SIM.
| Option | Data | Validity | One-week cost | Per GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nomad eSIM | 5 GB | 30 days | $19 | $3.80 |
| Airalo eSIM | 5 GB | 15 days | $29 | $5.80 |
| Holafly eSIM | Unlimited | 7 days | $36.50 | Depends on use |
| Digicel SIM plus 7 Day Prime Ultra | 5 GB | 7 days | About $37 plus tax | $5.40 before the SIM |
| Flow SIM plus 7 Day bundle | 5 GB | 7 days | About $37.45 | $5.49 before the SIM |
| AT&T or Verizon day pass | Your US plan's data | Per day used | About $84 | Not applicable |
The result is clear. Nomad is cheapest at every size, Airalo and the local bundles land close together, and a week of US day passes costs more than four times Nomad's price. Where the local card wins is on calls: Digicel's weekly bundle includes unlimited Digicel-to-Digicel calling and an hour to other networks, and Flow's includes unlimited minutes. If calling local businesses is a real part of your trip, that calling allowance tips the balance.
T-Mobile Experience customers are the exception to all of this. Those plans include a monthly allowance of high-speed roaming data in the Caribbean, so a light user may not need to buy anything at all. Check your plan's allowance before paying for an eSIM.
Taking a Local Line to Other Islands
A Digicel prepaid line from the Turks and Caicos can roam to other Digicel markets in the Caribbean with a Roam Easy Caribbean plan, activated by dialling *153# or in the MyDigicel app. Digicel's Turks and Caicos page lists them in US dollars before tax.
| Digicel roaming plan | Price before tax | Data | Calls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Day Caribbean | $7.50 | 3 GB | 15 cents a minute outgoing, free incoming |
| 7 Day Caribbean | $15.00 | 7 GB | 15 cents a minute outgoing, free incoming |
| 14 Day Caribbean | $30.00 | 14 GB | 50 outgoing minutes, free incoming |
| 7 Day Roam Easy International | $30.00 | 3 GB | Free incoming calls |
Oddly, those Caribbean roaming plans are cheaper per gigabyte than Digicel's own domestic bundles here, but they only work in Digicel territories and need a Turks and Caicos Digicel line to begin with. They make sense for a resident or a long-stay visitor heading on to Jamaica or the Eastern Caribbean, not for someone flying in from Miami for a week.
Cruises and multi-island trips
If Grand Turk is one port on a longer cruise, or Provo is the first stop on a sailing trip south, a regional eSIM is usually simpler than juggling local lines. Airalo, Nomad and Holafly all include the Turks and Caicos in their Caribbean plans, and our guide to an eSIM for Caribbean island hopping compares those plans island by island.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Turks and Caicos SIM card cost before a bundle?
About 10 dollars from either Flow or Digicel, with credit or a bundle bought on top. Because the islands use the US dollar, there is no conversion. A Digicel SIM with the 7 Day Prime Ultra bundle comes to roughly 37 dollars before tax for 5 GB of general data, unlimited Digicel calls and 60 minutes to other networks. Bring your passport, since both operators ask for ID at the counter.
Why is the local SIM not the cheap option here, as it is elsewhere in the Caribbean?
Mainly because the Turks and Caicos is a small, high-cost market that prices in US dollars, and its prepaid bundles are designed around calling as much as data. Digicel's cheapest rate for general data is about 5 dollars a gigabyte before tax, and Flow's is similar. Travel eSIM wholesalers buy capacity differently, and Nomad resells Flow data at 3.80 dollars a gigabyte on its 5 GB plan. In islands such as St Lucia and Trinidad the local bundles win by a wide margin, but that does not hold here.
Can I get a SIM at Providenciales airport after landing?
No. Neither operator has a counter at the airport. The closest stores are on Leeward Highway, a few minutes' drive from the terminal on the way to Grace Bay: Flow's main office at 1044 Leeward Highway, a Flow counter inside Graceway IGA, and Digicel at 991A Tower Plaza. We could not confirm their current opening hours, so a late or Sunday arrival should plan on an eSIM for the first night.
Will a Turks and Caicos SIM work on Grand Turk and the other islands?
Yes. Both operators serve the whole country, so a line bought on Provo works on Grand Turk, North and Middle Caicos, South Caicos and Salt Cay. Both have 4G on Provo and Grand Turk, while the more remote parts of the smaller islands can fall back to slow EDGE data. Neither network offers 5G anywhere in the country.
Is a Flow or Digicel eSIM a good alternative to a plastic card?
It is a good way to add a local 649 number while keeping your US SIM in the phone. Flow sells eSIMs only in person, at its Leeward Highway store and Graceway IGA, and the tourism authority reports that Digicel sells its eSIMs online. The bundles cost the same as on a physical card, so the local eSIM is still dearer for data than Nomad. Treat it as a phone number with some data, not as your main data plan.