The cost of calling abroad

The moneysupermarket.com international roaming money saving guide outlines that leisure travellers are best to stick with a network rather than opt for a local SIM card or global SIM card when making calls overseas. This allows the user to avoid the expense of paying for a SIM card as well as the inconvenience of having their phone unlocked, etc.

So, if you are a standard holidaymaker making just one or two trips a year, stick with a network overseas. But which network offers the best deal?

The following tables, compiled by moneysupermarket.com, are updated quarterly and illustrate the savings that can be made for a leisure traveller who makes and receives just 10 minutes of calls while abroad by using a network rather than a SIM card as well as outlining the cheapest networks for each country. A SIM card is only cheaper than the networks in one instance - if you pick up the Go-SIM and travel to Germany.

Alternatively if you are a frequent flyer, view our frequent flyer best buy tables to see the massive savings that can be made by using a SIM card.

Infrequent User: France

Local / GLOBAL Sim Cards

Provider SIM Type Cost of Sim Package Free Starter Credit Cost of 10 minutes of Incoming Calls Cost of 10 minutes of Outgoing Calls Total Cost Apply
GLOBAL £30.00 £25.00 £0.00 £1.60 £6.60
GLOBAL £15.99 £10.00 £0.00 £2.50 £8.49
GLOBAL £12.99 £3.95 £0.00 £2.50 £11.54
Simply-Fone* GLOBAL £29.99 £15.00 £0.00 £1.50 £16.49
0044 Ltd GLOBAL £19.99 £5.00 £0.00 £2.40 £17.39
Go-SIM LOCAL £29.99 £5.00 £0.00 £3.00 £27.99
Go-SIM GLOBAL £29.99 £5.00 £0.00 £3.00 £27.99
UK2Abroad LOCAL £54.99 £25.00 £2.00 £2.20 £34.19
0044 Ltd LOCAL £34.99 £3.56 £0.00 £4.70 £36.13

* Provider does not offer a LOCAL SIM Card

All data compiled by moneysupermarket.com and correct to May, 13, 2008.

UK PAY MONTHLY and PAY as You Go Tariffs

Provider SIM Type Cost of Sim Package Monthly Fee Cost of 10 minutes of Incoming Calls Cost of 10 minutes of Outgoing Calls Total Cost Apply
3 PAY MONTHLY £0.00 £0.00 £1.00 £2.50 £3.50
3 PAYG £0.00 £0.00 £1.00 £2.50 £3.50
O2 PAY MONTHLY £0.00 £0.00 £1.80 £3.50 £5.30
O2 PAYG £0.00 £0.00 £1.80 £3.50 £5.30
Orange PAY MONTHLY £0.00 £0.00 £1.90 £3.80 £5.70
T-Mobile PAY MONTHLY £0.00 £0.00 £1.90 £3.80 £5.70
T-Mobile PAYG £0.00 £0.00 £1.90 £3.80 £5.70
Orange PAYG £0.00 £0.00 £1.90 £3.80 £5.70
Vodafone PAY MONTHLY £0.00 £0.00 £1.90 £3.80 £5.70
Vodafone PAYG £0.00 £0.00 £1.90 £3.80 £5.70
O2 ITS* PAY MONTHLY £0.00 £2.99 £1.80 £3.50 £8.29
O2 My Europe Extra PAYG £0.00 £10.00 £0.00 £2.50 £12.50
O2 My Europe Extra PAY MONTHLY £0.00 £10.00 £0.00 £2.50 £12.50

* International Traveller Service (ITS) option is free on monthly contracts with 600 minutes or more. ITS costs £2.99 per month for all other customers.

All data compiled by moneysupermarket.com and correct to May, 13, 2008.

Infrequent User: Germany

Local / GLOBAL Sim Cards

Provider SIM Type Cost of Sim Package Free Starter Credit Cost of 10 minutes of Incoming Calls Cost of 10 minutes of Outgoing Calls Total Cost Apply
Go-SIM LOCAL £4.99 £7.12 £0.00 £3.00 £0.87
GLOBAL £30.00 £25.00 £0.00 £1.80 £6.80
GLOBAL £15.99 £10.00 £0.00 £2.50 £8.49
GLOBAL £12.99 £3.95 £0.00 £2.50 £11.54
Simply-Fone* GLOBAL £29.99 £15.00 £0.00 £1.80 £16.79
0044 Ltd GLOBAL £19.99 £5.00 £0.00 £2.40 £17.39
Go-SIM GLOBAL £29.99 £5.00 £0.00 £3.00 £27.99

* Provider does not offer a LOCAL SIM Card

All data compiled by moneysupermarket.com and correct to May, 13, 2008.

UK PAY MONTHLY and PAY as You Go Tariffs

Provider SIM Type Cost of Sim Package Monthly Fee Cost of 10 minutes of Incoming Calls Cost of 10 minutes of Outgoing Calls Total Cost Apply
3 PAY MONTHLY £0.00 £0.00 £1.00 £2.50 £3.50
3 PAYG £0.00 £0.00 £1.00 £2.50 £3.50
O2 PAY MONTHLY £0.00 £0.00 £1.80 £3.50 £5.30
O2 PAYG £0.00 £0.00 £1.80 £3.50 £5.30
Orange PAY MONTHLY £0.00 £0.00 £1.90 £3.80 £5.70
T-Mobile PAYG £0.00 £0.00 £1.90 £3.80 £5.70
T-Mobile PAY MONTHLY £0.00 £0.00 £1.90 £3.80 £5.70
Orange PAYG £0.00 £0.00 £1.90 £3.80 £5.70
Vodafone PAYG £0.00 £0.00 £1.90 £3.80 £5.70
Vodafone PAY MONTHLY £0.00 £0.00 £1.90 £3.80 £5.70
O2 ITS* PAY MONTHLY £0.00 £2.99 £1.80 £3.50 £8.29
O2 My Europe Extra PAYG £0.00 £10.00 £0.00 £2.50 £12.50
O2 My Europe Extra PAY MONTHLY £0.00 £10.00 £0.00 £2.50 £12.50

* International Traveller Service (ITS) option is free on monthly contracts with 600 minutes or more. ITS costs £2.99 per month for all other customers.

All data compiled by moneysupermarket.com and correct to May, 13, 2008.

Infrequent User: Australia

Local / GLOBAL Sim Cards

Provider SIM Type Cost of Sim Package Free Starter Credit Cost of 10 minutes of Incoming Calls Cost of 10 minutes of Outgoing Calls Total Cost Apply
GLOBAL £30.00 £25.00 £0.00 £1.90 £6.90
GLOBAL £15.99 £10.00 £0.00 £4.90 £10.89
GLOBAL £12.99 £3.95 £0.00 £2.80 £11.84
0044 Ltd LOCAL £29.99 £14.44 £0.00 £1.70 £17.25
0044 Ltd GLOBAL £19.99 £5.00 £0.00 £2.40 £17.39
Simply-Fone* GLOBAL £29.99 £15.00 £0.20 £2.20 £17.39
Go-SIM LOCAL £29.99 £5.00 £0.00 £2.50 £27.49
Go-SIM GLOBAL £29.99 £5.00 £0.00 £2.50 £27.49

* Provider does not offer a LOCAL SIM Card

All data compiled by moneysupermarket.com and correct to May, 13, 2008.

UK PAY MONTHLY and PAY as You Go Tariffs

Provider SIM Type Cost of Sim Package Monthly Fee Cost of 10 minutes of Incoming Calls Cost of 10 minutes of Outgoing Calls Total Cost Apply
3 Like Home PAY MONTHLY £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £2.00 £2.00
3 PAY MONTHLY £0.00 £0.00 £3.00 £8.00 £11.00
O2 ITS* PAY MONTHLY £0.00 £2.99 £5.00 £6.00 £13.99
T-Mobile PAY MONTHLY £0.00 £0.00 £7.00 £7.50 £14.50
T-Mobile PAYG £0.00 £0.00 £7.00 £7.50 £14.50
3 PAYG £0.00 £0.00 £5.00 £10.00 £15.00
Vodafone PAYG £0.00 £0.00 £7.50 £7.90 £15.40
Vodafone PAY MONTHLY £0.00 £0.00 £7.50 £7.90 £15.40
Orange PAY MONTHLY £0.00 £0.00 £7.00 £8.50 £15.50
O2 PAYG £0.00 £0.00 £9.90 £9.90 £19.80
Orange PAYG £0.00 £0.00 £7.00 £13.00 £20.00
O2 PAY MONTHLY £0.00 £0.00 £13.00 £9.90 £22.90

* International Traveller Service (ITS) option is free on monthly contracts with 600 minutes or more. ITS costs £2.99 per month for all other customers.

All data compiled by moneysupermarket.com and correct to May, 13, 2008.

Infrequent User: USA

Local / GLOBAL Sim Cards

Provider SIM Type Cost of Sim Package Free Starter Credit Cost of 10 minutes of Incoming Calls Cost of 10 minutes of Outgoing Calls Total Cost Apply
0044 Ltd LOCAL £19.99 £0.00 £1.80 £1.80 £23.59
GLOBAL £15.99 £10.00 £8.90 £11.90 £26.79
UK2Abroad LOCAL £49.99 £25.00 £1.00 £1.20 £27.19
0044 Ltd GLOBAL £19.99 £5.00 £6.30 £7.30 £28.59
GLOBAL £30.00 £25.00 £16.40 £17.90 £39.30
Go-SIM LOCAL £14.99 £2.57 £12.80 £15.40 £40.62
GLOBAL £12.99 £3.95 £20.90 £17.80 £47.74
Go-SIM GLOBAL £29.99 £5.00 £12.40 £14.80 £52.19
Simply-Fone* GLOBAL £29.99 £15.00 £14.00 £39.20 £68.19

* Provider does not offer a LOCAL SIM Card

All data compiled by moneysupermarket.com and correct to May, 13, 2008.

UK PAY MONTHLY and PAY as You Go Tariffs

Provider SIM Type Cost of Sim Package Monthly Fee Cost of 10 minutes of Incoming Calls Cost of 10 minutes of Outgoing Calls Total Cost Apply
T-Mobile PAY MONTHLY £0.00 £0.00 £5.50 £5.50 £11.00
T-Mobile PAYG £0.00 £0.00 £5.50 £5.50 £11.00
O2 ITS* PAY MONTHLY £0.00