Town in Amhara, Ethiopia

Internet in Lalibela: speed, SIM cards and coworking

Updated October 2026Sources

—Median download

Is the internet good in Lalibela?

Hotel wifi is slow and patchy. Mobile coverage works in town but regional shutdowns occur.

Getting online in Lalibela

	Details
Home fibre	Few homes have broadband; most use mobile data. Not suited to remote work.
Cafés and coworking	Hotel wifi is slow and patchy. Mobile coverage works in town but regional shutdowns occur.
Outages	Frequent power and network cuts, including regional shutdowns.
Tourist SIM	Buy at Addis Bole airport or carrier shops with your passport; registration is required. Roughly 500–1,500 ETB for a month of data.
eSIM	Local carriers sell eSIMs to visitors.
Carriers	Ethio telecom, Safaricom Ethiopia
Monthly data plan	Br400–900 ($2.5–5.5)
Blocked services	Regional shutdowns have hit Tigray and Amhara, and social media was blocked in 2023; VPNs are common but unreliable.

Coworking in Lalibela

There's no dedicated coworking scene here; people work from cafés and accommodation.

Internet speeds in Africa

National medians, Speedtest Global Index.

Country	Fixed	Mobile
Egypt	99 Mbps	52 Mbps
Morocco	57 Mbps	70 Mbps
Botswana	52 Mbps	—
South Africa	50 Mbps	70 Mbps
Tanzania	41 Mbps	33 Mbps
Kenya	23 Mbps	45 Mbps
Namibia	18 Mbps	—

Quick answers

Is the internet fast in Lalibela?

Hotel wifi is slow and patchy. Mobile coverage works in town but regional shutdowns occur.

Which SIM card should I get in Lalibela?

Buy at Addis Bole airport or carrier shops with your passport; registration is required. Roughly 500–1,500 ETB for a month of data.

Can I use an eSIM in Ethiopia?

Yes. Local carriers sell eSIMs to visitors, and travel eSIMs work too.

More about Lalibela

Going to Lalibela solo?

SoloSquare is where travelers, nomads and locals in Lalibela meet up for small plans: coffee, dinners, walks and day trips. Join one, or start your own in a minute.

See plans in Lalibela

Sources

Speeds are medians from Ookla's Speedtest Global Index, cited for reference. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.