Vietnam eSIM for Digital Nomads: Unlimited Data & Hotspot (2026)
Most of our work in Vietnam happens on cafe/co-working Wi-Fi. Our eSIMs cover the hours we're out with just our phones, the days the Wi-Fi isn't really an option, and when we're traveling somewhere more remote relying on the hotspot.
Hey friends, we're Liam and Sarah from Two Peas Abroad 👋.
We've been based in Vietnam since 2023, and a normal week for us means downloading and uploading 4K footage, and posting daily to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook. Vietnam is known for having an incredible cafe and co-working culture. The Wi-Fi is usually strong, but an eSIM covers the hours we're out with just our phones: Grab, Maps, WhatsApp, email, and posting.
Sarah catching up on messages with a view of Long Bien Bridge in Hanoi.
One afternoon in September 2026, one of our usual coworking spots in Ho Chi Minh City was mid-renovation, so the Wi-Fi wasn't really an option that day. Thankfully, Sarah could hotspot our laptops from her phone, which kept our work going without any downtime and saved the afternoon.
If you're only after an eSIM for a short holiday, our wider Vietnam eSIM guide is the one to read. Our article on an eSIM or a physical SIM in Vietnam is there if you're deciding whether to bother with a plastic SIM at all.
Quick heads up, this article is sponsored by Sim Local. The trips, the bills and the opinions are all our personal experience. This is our sponsored Sim Local link, and you can use our code LIAMSARAH5 for a discount off your eSIM.
Which plan do we use for a month of remote work?
The plan we usually get from Sim Local is 180GB for 30 days, which came to $29 in September 2026. It guarantees 6GB a day of high speed priority data, which is more than enough for us.
Cafe and co-working Wi-Fi still handles the bulk of our work.
The daily high-speed data on the eSIM is great for the spotty Wi-Fi days, when we need our videos to go out every day no matter where we are, and for messages that can't wait while we're out.
If we know we'll be more remote and relying on the hotspot, we usually get a week of unlimited instead. For example, we spent six days exploring Ha Giang and Cao Bang earlier this year, and went for the seven-day unlimited option for $31.75.
The unlimited plans Sim Local sells come with a daily high-speed allowance, 5GB a day or 10GB a day, resetting 24 hours after first use. We personally went for the 10GB a day, since we work with a lot of video content every day.
Liam uploading Instagram stories from the mountains in Ha Giang June 2026.
| 180GB for 30 days | Ha Giang week | |
|---|---|---|
| When we pick it | A normal working month | Remote relying on the hotspot |
| Data | 6GB a day of high speed priority data | Unlimited data, but 5 or 10GB high-speed priority cap |
| Hotspot | Included | Included |
| What we paid | $29 | $31.75 for the week |
One useful extra on the MobiFone plans is that Facebook and YouTube are zero-rated, which means data used on those two apps doesn't count against the daily high speed allowance. That makes a noticeable difference for us when we're posting or checking comments on the move.
Since we move around so much, we tend to buy data per trip, which lets us swap between unlimited and not depending on where we happen to be.
Not sure which size to get?
We go through quite a lot of data. Yours might be less, or it might be more. Sim Local has a find my plan tool, which is really helpful in helping you work out how much you need.
Can you hotspot a laptop on a Vietnam eSIM?
Yes. Sarah's phone is a Pixel 11 Pro and Liam's is a Pixel 9 Pro. Both are eSIM capable and can provide a hotspot. We usually get an eSIM on just one of the phones and hotspot all our other devices, the other phone and the laptops, so we're not paying again to use a second device.
Sarah hotspotting from her phone when the cafe Wi-Fi is being slow.
For the long transport days, like when we take a sleeper train or sleeper bus, hotspotting from one of our phones is really useful. It lets us get the laptop out and get more work done on those long transfer days.
How much data do we actually use?
On a normal working month we stay comfortably inside the 6GB daily high speed allowance on the 180GB plan. Heavy 4K upload days push us closer to the limit, which is why we switch to an Unlimited Pro plan when we're fully remote and living on the hotspot.
Liam at one of our regular Co-Working spots in Ho Chi Minh City.
What happens after the daily high speed allowance?
The connection stays on. Once you use the daily high speed allowance, Sim Local throttles to up to 1 Mbps until it resets 24 hours later. That's still fine for Grab, Maps and messages, but not for uploading 4K video.
For our remote Ha Giang week we had the 10GB high-speed allowance, and it was more than enough. We never noticed the speed dropping.
Do you still need mobile data if cafe Wi-Fi is good?
Most days we still work on cafe Wi-Fi, co-working Wi-Fi, or homestay Wi-Fi. It's a big part of how people work here, and there's a big co-working culture in Vietnam. The majority of the time it is genuinely really good.
Liam working from a local cafe in district 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
An eSIM isn't meant to replace Wi-Fi.
You still need the data though. The eSIM is for the hours we're out with just our phones, and for when local Wi-Fi is having a tough time. It's still quite common for the Wi-Fi at co-working spaces in Vietnam to slow down during peak hours when everyone is connecting at the same time. Also, the big tropical storms that hit Vietnam every year can sometimes take out the lines entirely. These are the times when having a fast eSIM ready to go consistently saves us.
| Cafe, coworking and homestay Wi-Fi | eSIM | |
|---|---|---|
| What it's for | The bulk of our work, and usually it's good | Hours out with just the phones, and when the Wi-Fi is having a tough time |
| When it struggles | Packed at peak, and storms that take the line out | Not for a large amount of 4K video backups |
Does a travel eSIM give you a Vietnamese phone number?
It can, but we almost always choose the data only plans. WhatsApp, Grab and video calls work fine without a local number.
Sim Local have plans that provide a local number through MobiFone, one of the largest Vietnam phone networks.
If you're opening local accounts or you keep getting asked for a Vietnam number, maybe consider one of their plans that includes the local MobiFone number.
Where did the signal hold up for us?
Ho Chi Minh City in September 2026 was our latest test, and that was great for hotspotting, calls, and the odd upload during rainy season when the local Wi-Fi at our homestay was questionable.
We've also used Sim Local throughout the country in places like Hanoi, Da Nang, Sapa and elsewhere, and coverage has been solid everywhere we've taken it. It runs on MobiFone, one of Vietnam's largest networks, which lines up with the consistent signal we’ve had on the ground.
Ha Long Bay is still one of the few places in Vietnam where Wi-Fi doesn't exist and data is quite weak. You're far enough out into the bays that pretty much nobody has a solid connection. We could still upload and publish the day's video, it just isn't quick, and we usually leave it running in the background for a while, which we plan for. Heavy exports go before the boat or once we're back in the city.
Who is this a good fit for?
Remote workers and digital nomads in Vietnam who still want data on the phone, even though desk hours are mostly on cafe and co-working Wi-Fi.
Liam and Sarah getting some work done from an outdoor cafe. A normal work morning.
For creators like us, being able to move that much footage that quickly is a nice safety net. If cafe Wi-Fi flakes out mid-upload, the eSIM's still there. It's also an easy fit if part of the trip is remote and the hotspot will be on a lot. That's when we get a week of unlimited with a daily high-speed allowance.
If you're only after a short holiday eSIM, we have our wider Vietnam eSIM guide here.
If you're traveling with family, we also have a dedicated guide for the best eSIM when traveling with family.
Our recommendation
For a normal month of remote work in Vietnam we get the 180GB / 30-day plan at $29. It gives 6GB of high-speed priority data a day, hotspot included, and is more than enough when most of our work is still on cafe or co-working Wi-Fi.
When we're heading somewhere more remote and know we'll be living on the hotspot (Ha Giang, longer transfers, spotty homestay Wi-Fi), we switch to the 7-day Unlimited Pro plan at $38.50. That gives 10GB of high speed data a day, which handles our video uploads without hitting the throttle.
Both plans run on MobiFone, include hotspot, and Facebook + YouTube don't count against the daily allowance. If your plans change or the eSIM doesn't work, they offer a full refund within 14 days of purchase, and support is available 24/7 on WhatsApp.
Frequently asked questions
- Which plan do you usually buy? 180GB for 30 days at $29 with 6GB a day of high-speed priority. If you're remote and living on the hotspot, a week of unlimited with a 5 or 10GB high-speed daily cap for $31.75.
- Can you hotspot a laptop on a Vietnam eSIM? Yes. One eSIM runs the laptops and the other phone, and tethering is included.
- What happens when the daily full speed data runs out? On plans with a daily high-speed allowance, Sim Local says you stay online at up to 1 Mbps until it resets 24 hours later, which is fine for our messages.
- Does a travel eSIM give you a Vietnamese number? Yes, it can. Sim Local offer plans both with and without a local number. We personally get the data-only plans, as most of the things we need it for don't need a local number.
- Do you still need mobile data if cafe Wi-Fi is good? You still need data for the hours you're out, and sometimes for peak hours at a coworking spot, or when a storm takes out the local Wi-Fi.
- Can I use a VPN on a Vietnam eSIM? We sometimes turn one on over mobile data, and it hasn't caused a problem on these trips.
- Have you needed their support? They offer WhatsApp support, and they say it's real people. We've personally never had to use it, but it's nice to know it's there if we ever do.
