Poor internet in accommodation in Greece, well known isn’t it?

You require internet during your vacation in Greece and you are searching for the most favorable option. You are at the right place. Below, you can find out which option is the most cost-effective and how to easily and affordably obtain unlimited internet during your vacation.

Every year, we receive many questions regarding the use of internet for mobile phones during holidays in Greece.

Most tourists report issues with internet usage, both in accommodation and at the beach, cafes, and restaurants that offer free Wi-Fi. The reason for this is usually the large number of connections to the same Wi-Fi signal emitted from one router, causing the flow to be very slow. One solution to this problem could be purchasing an internet card in Greece. The most cost-effective internet in Greece during vacations can be obtained by purchasing a Greek SIM card (Greek number).

To purchase a Greek SIM card or number, you need a passport. A passport is not required if you are buying a number from street vendors (often immigrants), but in that case, the number is already activated and registered under someone else’s name.

What is the best mobile internet network in Greece and where to buy a SIM card?

There is no definitive answer, as in some parts of the country it is Cosmote, in others Vodafone, and in some Nova (formerly Wind). Cosmote is considered the most developed network and usually has the best and most affordable internet packages for tourists.

It is best to buy a mobile internet card at kiosks and stores that are official partners of one of the operators. You will see this by the sticker on the store door. Greek cards can also be purchased at some supermarkets, as well as at authorized stands on the street or in squares or shopping centers. Official sellers can be recognized by having their own stand and promotional clothing of the operator.

Cosmote has a very widespread network of stores and you can view them by clicking on the link. Only Germanos and Cosmote stores are listed here, not smaller stores and kiosks. Cosmote Stores

You can view Vodafone stores by clicking on the link

NOVA (WIND) stores can be viewed by clicking on the link
On these links, you have the opportunity to enter the place where you are staying and the nearest store will appear.

In any case, small resorts in Greece usually do not have large official stores of these operators, but as mentioned above, almost every place has a kiosk or store where you can buy an internet card. In addition, a package for mobile internet or a sim card of a Greek operator can also be purchased on the way to the sea, if you pass through a larger city.

Where to top up credit for any Greek mobile internet card if needed?

Credit or top-up for internet is purchased at newsstands, supermarkets, as well as in other stores (you will recognize them by the sticker on the door, but even if they don’t have one, go in and ask because it can happen that you can buy a top-up at unexpected places, in a bookstore, for example). The minimum top-up is 12€. You will receive a receipt-like document with a 16 or 12-digit number (depending on the network) with instructions in English for entering and activating the top-up. To enter the top-up, you can call the indicated number or send an SMS, which we find to be the easier option. The simplest way to top up credit in Greece is to download the application of the Greek mobile operator whose card you bought and enter the code you received on the document. If you have a bank account or PayPal, it is even easier to top up through the application. We will write below about the details of topping up credit in Greece.

If you are not very comfortable with the English language and instructions, ask the vendor from whom you bought the top-up to enter and activate it for you. We are sure that they will not refuse you if you have not bought it in a large supermarket where the vendors do not have time to help you, but in all smaller stores they will help you without any problems.

How long is the credit you top up valid for?

After 60 days from the last top-up, the credit is lost. This means that if you have remaining credit, you can no longer use it, and your balance is zero. After 90 days from the last top-up, calls are blocked.

How long is the number valid for? After 12 months from the last top-up, you lose the number and it stops being active.

This means that if you vacation around the same time every summer, and you top up your number before the expiration of 12 months from the last top-up, you can use the same card every summer.

Which mobile internet package is the largest, providing the most internet during vacations in Greece?

Throughout the year, there are many promotional packages with a short lifespan. However, during the summer season, packages with good mobile internet suitable for tourists are often activated. It is known that tourists only want internet during their vacation and calls and SMS messages do not interest them (they use Viber or WhatsApp for calls and messages), so summer packages are oriented towards more internet or even unlimited internet for a certain amount. In recent years, all providers have had excellent and affordable offers where for about 10€ top-up, you get unlimited internet for a month. However, this year (2024) there is no package offering unlimited internet for a month. The most favorable option is to get 100GB for 13.90€. Similar offers are available from all three providers. If you are staying for a shorter time in Greece and need unlimited internet, consider the option offered by Cosmote, which is unlimited internet for a week for 6.5€. Unlimited internet for the weekend costs 2.5€, and for a day 2€. You can combine these offers.

How much does a Greek number cost?

A Greek number costs around 5€, depending on whether you buy it at an official store of the mobile operator or from vendors (at a newsstand), and when picking up the card, you must top up with 12€. This price includes VAT, so after activating the top-up, your balance will be reduced by about 1.5€.
If you are vacationing with family or friends, spending a lot of time together, consider buying only one Greek SIM card for internet. Today’s smartphones have the ability to share internet with other phones and devices (laptop, tablet…) via hotspot. The maximum number of devices that can use the internet from one card is 10. This option is available on all smartphones where one device containing that SIM card becomes the main one (similar to a router) and others connect through it. The internet will not work if you move too far away. You can view detailed instructions on how to enable Wi-Fi Hotspot here.
If you plan to separate and it is important for you to be able to communicate with each other and be online, then it is a better option for each person to have their own card.

ADVICE: Buy from authorized sellers and activate the SIM card or top-up immediately. Scams are not possible, but there may be a system error that you will find difficult to correct later unless you return to the store where you bought the card. To save yourself the trouble, activate the top-up and card immediately after purchasing it or ask the vendor to help you with that.
Below, you can see the current prices for packages from the 3 largest Greek mobile operators.

We will update the text again when other promotions for the summer period are announced.

COSMOTE (at the end of the text, we will explain the difference between several Cosmote prepaid packages (Frog, What’s up, and Cosmokarta))

  • Name of prepaid package: What’s up
  • Price: 12-15€ (balance remains about 10.5€)
  • Android app: https://bit.ly/3OnR8lo
  • iOS app: https://apple.co/3KSuGi7
  • Summer package (2023): 13.90€, 100GB for a month
  • Weekly data package: 6GB / 4€ or unlimited for 6.5€
  • Monthly data package: 4GB / 8.5€
  • Unlimited internet for a day: 2€

NOVA (WIND)

Name of the first prepaid package: F2G

Name of the second prepaid package: Q

  • Price: 10€ (balance remains about 7.8€)
  • Android app: https://bit.ly/3uPSOvT
  • iOS app: https://apple.co/3JR4qmP
  • Weekly data package: none
  • Monthly data package: 3GB / 8.5€
  • Monthly data package: 4GB / 10.40€
  • Special data offer: Sometimes appears through the app under the name “Countdown offers” 5GB for 3€ (15 days) or unlimited internet for 15 days for only 5.5€.

VODAFONE

Which Cosmote card to buy?

Cosmote is an operator that offers three prepaid variants (cards) - Cosmokarta, What’s up, and Frog.
All these cards have more or less similar options, and we recommend What’s up as the option with the most favorable packages for tourists.

If you have a Cosmokarta, you can easily switch to What’s up or Frog to activate more favorable packages.
You do this by sending a free message ALPAK to 1314. You will receive an SMS instructing you to enter W if you want to switch to What’s up or F if you want to switch to Frog.
Enter W, and that’s it. This switch is free, but if you want to return to Cosmokarta, then a new switch costs 3€.
After switching, install the Whats up Cosmote application and choose the package that suits you best. To start, you will receive 5GB for free, and when you use them, you can choose one of the packages we listed above.

If you want unlimited internet, you can opt for a weekly option, you can take it by day or for the weekend, however you like. Of course, it is assumed that you have enough money in your account.

Options offered by Serbian mobile operators

Serbian mobile providers also offer internet packages and add-ons for travel abroad, so you can compare their offers with those of Greek providers mentioned above. Last year, the Western Balkans zone was introduced which includes Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, and North Macedonia and since then, there is no roaming for postpaid users in these countries, and a certain percentage of the internet package (a certain number of GB) you have with your operator can be used in one of the mentioned countries. It is good to know that after the introduction of the Western Balkans zone, roaming in Greece has become significantly cheaper. Roaming add-ons from Serbian mobile operators are also available.

Roaming add-ons from Serbian mobile operators:
All operators have several options, and we have selected the cheapest ones and provided a link to the complete offer.

A1 - 2GB for 7 days costs 1299 dinars, and you can find the rest of the offer here

MTS - 1.5GB of internet for 7 days costs 999RSD (postpaid package), while you can view the complete offer on this link

Yettel - 1GB of internet for 7 days also costs 899 dinars. You can view the complete offer here

Globaltel - 1GB of internet for 7 days costs 250 dinars. You can purchase a larger package as well, and view the complete offer here.

Our tourists who vacation in Greece also use numbers or cards from Croatian operators for traveling to Greece or another EU country.

Previously, the Bonbon card was very popular. There was an option to order it directly from the Bonbon store in Croatia and have it delivered to your home address, but this option no longer exists. Nowadays, our tourists mostly order Croatian cards through online platforms like Kupujem Prodajem. In addition to Bonbon, the Tomato card is also popular. The advantage that only Tomato offers is that the internet you top up can be fully used outside Croatia, while all other operators have a limitation that only 50% of the internet can be used outside Croatia, that is in Greece or other EU countries. Regarding the price of internet packages, currently, for 1700 dinars you get 13GB. We will see if there will be better options during the summer.

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