Telstra international roaming costs $10 a day with the International Day Pass in most countries, or $5 a day in New Zealand and the Pacific. Each day gives you 2 GB of data plus unlimited standard calls and texts. On a two-week trip to Japan that’s $140. A 10 GB travel eSIM for the same trip costs about A$21, and you can keep your Telstra number for texts.
We sell travel eSIMs (ICY SIM), so we’re one of the options below. Telstra, Optus and Vodafone prices come from their own websites on 27 October 2026. Ours are in US dollars at checkout; we show them in AUD at US$1 = A$1.42.
- Zone 2 Day Pass: $10 a day, 2 GB data, unlimited standard calls and texts. Covers 80+ destinations, including Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, the US and Europe.
- Zone 1 Day Pass: $5 a day in New Zealand, Fiji, PNG, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu and Nauru.
- You have to turn it on in the My Telstra app before you fly. It can take up to 2 hours.
- Without a Day Pass, data is charged at $3 per MB. 100 MB of maps and messages would cost $300.
- For data, a travel eSIM is usually 80–90% cheaper on trips longer than a few days.
How much does Telstra international roaming cost?
| Option | Price | What you get | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| International Day Pass, Zone 1 | $5 a day | 2 GB data, unlimited standard calls and texts | New Zealand and 6 Pacific islands |
| International Day Pass, Zone 2 | $10 a day | 2 GB data, unlimited standard calls and texts | 80+ destinations in Asia, Europe, the Americas, Africa |
| Data Top-Up | $10 | 2 GB extra, valid 31 days | Zones 1 and 2 |
| No Day Pass (pay as you go) | $3 per MB data, 75c per text | Calls from $1.50 to $4.50 a minute | Anywhere Telstra roams |
The Day Pass charges you on each day you use your phone overseas, for a call, a text or data. Background data counts, so an app refreshing in your pocket can start the day’s charge. Receiving a text doesn’t. On Upfront plans the pass lasts 24 hours from first use; on other plans it ends at 11:59pm Sydney time. Unused data doesn’t roll over.
Which countries does the Telstra Day Pass cover?
| Zone | Daily price | Popular destinations in it |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | $5 | New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, Nauru |
| Zone 2 | $10 | Indonesia (Bali), Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, India, UAE, United States, Mexico, Canada and most of Europe |
| Zone 3 | $10, calls and texts only | Jamaica, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey (Upfront plans; no data) |
Telstra updates the list from time to time, so check your destination in My Telstra before you go. If a country isn’t covered, you pay the pay-as-you-go rates above.
Day Pass vs eSIM: what a real trip costs
| Trip | Telstra Day Pass | Travel eSIM (ICY SIM) | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 days in Bali | $50 | 5 GB, 30 days: about A$9 (US$6) | about $41 |
| 10 days in Thailand | $100 | 10 GB: about A$21 (US$15) | about $79 |
| 14 days in Japan | $140 | 10 GB: about A$21 (US$15) | about $119 |
| 3 weeks in Europe | $210 | 20 GB, 30 countries: about A$57 (US$40) | about $153 |
| 7 days in New Zealand | $35 (Zone 1) | 5 GB: about A$13 (US$9) | about $22 |
The Day Pass also includes calls and texts, and the eSIM is data only, so this isn’t a like-for-like price. But most travellers use WhatsApp, iMessage or FaceTime for calls, and those run on data. For a weekend in Auckland, the $5 Zone 1 pass is hard to beat; for anything longer in Zone 2, the gap gets big. Check live prices on our Indonesia, Japan and Europe pages.
How to turn on international roaming on Telstra
- Open the My Telstra app and sign in.
- Go to Extras, then International Roaming, and turn on the Day Pass for the service you’re taking.
- Do it at least 2 hours before you fly. Activation isn’t instant.
- On your phone, check data roaming is on for the Telstra line (Settings, then Mobile or Cellular).
- When you land, the pass starts the first time your phone uses the network for a call, a text or data.
If you only want to be reachable for texts and calls in an emergency, you can leave roaming on but keep data roaming off for the Telstra line. Telstra says receiving a text doesn’t trigger the pass; making a call or sending a text does.
What happens if you roam without a Day Pass?
You pay Telstra’s standard rates: $3 per MB of data, 75c per text and $1.50 to $4.50 a minute for calls (for example $3.00 a minute in Japan or the US, $4.00 in Indonesia). At $3 per MB, loading a map and a few photos can cost more than a week of Day Passes. If you’re on an Upfront plan and Day Pass isn’t available in a country, Telstra tells you to use Wi-Fi instead.
How to keep your Telstra number and use an eSIM for data
Most phones sold since 2018 can hold two lines at once: your Telstra SIM for your number, and a travel eSIM for data. You still get texts like bank codes on your Telstra number, and you don’t pay $10 a day for data. Check your model on our compatible devices list.
- Buy a travel eSIM for your destination and install it at home on Wi-Fi. Validity starts when you first use it overseas.
- When you land, set the travel eSIM as your mobile data line.
- Turn data roaming on for the eSIM and off for your Telstra line.
- Leave the Telstra line on if you want to receive texts. Avoid making calls or sending texts from it, as that starts the $10 Day Pass for that day.
- Back home, switch mobile data back to Telstra.
Going overseas soon?
Data for 190+ destinations from US$1.50. Keep your Telstra number for texts.
See eSIM prices →When the Telstra Day Pass is the better deal
- Short trips: one or two days, especially in New Zealand at $5 a day.
- Lots of normal phone calls: the pass includes unlimited standard calls, and an eSIM doesn’t.
- You don’t want to change any settings: turn it on once, and your phone works as it does at home.
- Work phone paid by your employer: if you’re not the one paying, convenience wins.
Telstra vs Optus vs Vodafone roaming
| Carrier | Daily price | Data a day | How it starts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telstra Day Pass | $10 ($5 in NZ and Pacific) | 2 GB | Turn on in My Telstra, then charged on days you use it |
| Optus Daily Roaming (Choice Plus plans) | $5 | 5 GB | Automatic on first use in 150+ destinations |
| Optus $10 Roaming Pass (other postpaid plans) | $10 | 1 GB | Turn on in My Optus |
| Vodafone $5 Roaming | $5 | Your plan’s data | Automatic in 100+ countries, up to 90 days a year |
| Travel eSIM (ICY SIM) | From US$1.50 one-off | 1–20 GB for the trip | Install before you fly |
Telstra is the dearest of the three for data. On another network? Read our Optus international roaming or Vodafone roaming guide. Going to Bali? See the best eSIM for Bali. For how roaming works in general, see eSIM vs roaming.
