The best eSIM for Colombia depends on how long you stay and whether Colombia is your only stop. For a week or less, a South America plan is often the better buy, even if you never leave Colombia. For two weeks or a month in Colombia, a Colombia plan gives you more data for your money. Both are data only, install at home and connect when you land. Plan details here come from our Colombia eSIM page and South America eSIM page.
Short on time? Here are three picks for three typical trips: one week, two weeks and a month.
South America 10GB (7 days, 10 countries incl. Colombia) · Colombia 20GB (15 days) · Colombia 50GB (30 days) · all data only · See all eSIMs for Colombia
What makes an eSIM the best one for Colombia?
There's no single best eSIM for everyone. The right one is the plan that fits your trip. Check these points before you buy:
- Data and days: enough data for the length of your stay, so you don't run out on day five.
- Countries covered: Colombia only, or Colombia plus Ecuador, Peru or Brazil if you cross borders.
- Top-ups: the option to add data instead of buying a new eSIM.
- When the days start: ideally when you land, not when you buy or install it.
- Phone number: most travel eSIMs are data only. Decide if you really need a Colombian number.
- Your phone: it must support eSIM and be unlocked.
Our eSIMs for Colombia: the details
SimOptions sells six Colombia plans and five South America plans. According to the plan details on both pages, they work the same way:
- Colombia plans: 1 GB or 3 GB for 3 days, 5 GB or 10 GB for 7 days, 20 GB for 15 days and 50 GB for 30 days.
- South America plans: 1 GB or 3 GB for 3 days, 5 GB or 10 GB for 7 days and 20 GB for 15 days.
- South America countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.
- Phone number: no. Data only, with no calls or SMS.
- Speed: 4G/LTE.
- Activation: once installed, the eSIM activates automatically when you arrive in a covered country.
- Top-ups: available, so you can add data if you run low.
- Expiry: if you don't use the eSIM within a year of buying it, it becomes invalid.
Every plan is prepaid with no contract, and your QR code comes by email.
Which eSIM is best for your Colombia trip?
Start with how long you stay. Then check if you visit other countries and if you need a phone number.
A week or less: compare the South America plan first
For a long weekend in Cartagena or a week in Bogotá and Medellín, you need 1 GB to 10 GB. When we checked our pages, each South America plan from 1 GB to 10 GB cost less than the Colombia plan of the same size and length, and it covers nine more countries. Prices can change, so compare both pages before you buy.
Two weeks: Colombia 20GB
Two weeks through Bogotá, Medellín, the Coffee Region and the Caribbean coast? Colombia 20GB lasts 15 days. When we checked, it cost less than South America 20GB, so it's the better pick if you stay in Colombia. That's enough for daily maps, ride apps, social media, photos and some video calls.
A month or more: Colombia 50GB
Working remotely from Medellín or travelling slowly around the country? Colombia 50GB lasts 30 days, and there's no South America plan that big. For a longer stay, top it up instead of buying a new eSIM.
Colombia plus Ecuador, Peru or Brazil
A Colombia plan only works in Colombia. If your trip crosses borders, one South America plan covers all 10 countries, so you don't swap eSIMs at the border. It also helps in Leticia, in the Amazon, where Colombia meets Brazil and Peru: if your phone connects to a Brazilian or Peruvian network there, a Colombia-only plan won't give you data.
Planning two weeks in Colombia and Ecuador, for example? This plan connects in both.
For a longer route through the continent, see our guide to the best eSIM for South America. Going on to Ecuador? Read about the best eSIM for Ecuador.
You need a phone number
The Colombia and South America plans are data only. You can still call and text with WhatsApp, FaceTime or iMessage, see how to make calls with a data-only eSIM. Your home SIM also stays on your phone, so you keep getting texts and bank codes on your usual number. If you need a Colombian +57 number, you need a line from a local carrier (see below).
Other ways to get connected in Colombia
A SimOptions eSIM isn't your only option. Here is a fair look at the others.
A local eSIM from Claro, Movistar or Tigo
Claro, Movistar and Tigo all offer eSIM in Colombia. A local line gives you a +57 number and local rates, which can make sense for a long stay. But Claro's eSIM is mainly for its existing customers, you may need your passport or a store visit, and a Colombian line in a phone bought abroad can need IMEI registration. Our guide to eSIM providers in Colombia covers each carrier and the rules for visitors. For most trips, a travel eSIM that already works when you land is simpler.
Global eSIM apps
Many global eSIM sellers have Colombia plans too, and most are data only. Compare them on the same points as above: data, days, countries covered, top-ups, when the days start and whether you need a number.
Your home carrier's roaming
Check your own plan before you buy anything:
- From the USA or Canada: some plans include data in Colombia, often at reduced speed or for a daily fee. Check your carrier's roaming page for Colombia.
- From the UK, Australia or elsewhere: check your carrier's roaming prices for Colombia before you go.
- From the EU: "roam like at home" only applies inside the EU and EEA, so it doesn't cover Colombia (Your Europe: mobile roaming costs).
If roaming is expensive or your high-speed allowance is small, a Colombia eSIM next to your home line gives you local data at a fixed prepaid price. Our tips to avoid roaming charges help too.
How much data do you need in Colombia?
It depends on how you use your phone. Wi-Fi at your hotel helps a lot. As a rough guide:
- 3 to 5 days: 1 GB to 5 GB for maps, messages and ride apps.
- 7 to 15 days: 10 GB to 20 GB, enough for social media, photos and some video calls.
- 15 to 30 days: 20 GB to 50 GB, or more if you stream or work online.
Sharing your connection with a laptop or a friend's phone? Hotspot uses data fast, so go a size up. Download offline maps before you head into the mountains (Google Maps Help: offline maps), and keep an eye on your data usage.
Is your phone compatible?
Your phone must support eSIM and be unlocked. Dial *#06#: if you see an EID number, your phone supports eSIM. For Android phones and older iPhones, see our guide to checking eSIM compatibility. If you bought your phone from a carrier, ask it to unlock the phone before you travel.
How to set up your eSIM for Colombia
- Buy your plan on the Colombia eSIM page, or the South America eSIM page. Your QR code comes by email.
- Install it at home on Wi-Fi before you fly. Step-by-step help: how to install an eSIM and Apple's guide to setting up eSIM on iPhone.
- Label the line "Colombia" or "Travel" so you can tell it apart from your home line.
- When you land, the eSIM connects automatically. Choose it as your line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it. On iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Data) > Cellular Data and pick the travel eSIM (Apple: Using Dual SIM with an eSIM).
- Turn off data roaming on your home line, so it can't use data abroad.
No signal after you land? Our guide on what to do when your eSIM is not activating walks you through the fixes.
Top places to visit in Colombia
Colombia sits in the northwest of South America, with coasts on the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, the Andes in the middle and the Amazon in the south. Here are five places worth a visit, with a connection tip for each.
Cartagena
Cartagena de Indias was founded in 1533 on the Caribbean coast. Its walled old town, port and fortresses have been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1984. Walk the city walls at sunset, visit the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas fortress, browse the craft shops in Las Bóvedas and spend the evening around Plaza de Santo Domingo and in Getsemaní. For a short beach break here, a small plan is usually enough.
Medellín
Medellín fills the Aburrá Valley in the Andes. Its metro links to Metrocable cable cars that climb the hillsides, which is a cheap way to see the city from above (Metro de Medellín). See works by Fernando Botero in the Museo de Antioquia and the 23 bronze sculptures he donated to Plaza Botero outside it, then visit the botanical garden and Parque Explora. Guatapé and El Peñol rock make an easy day trip. Your eSIM works in Medellín like anywhere else in Colombia, so you can use ride apps and maps from the airport on.
The Coffee Region (Eje Cafetero)
The Coffee Region covers the departments of Caldas, Quindío and Risaralda and part of Valle del Cauca. Its Coffee Cultural Landscape is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Many farms offer tours that follow the coffee from the plant to your cup. The small town of Salento is a good base for the Cocora Valley and its tall wax palms, Colombia's national tree. Signal can drop on the trails, so download your map first.
Leticia and the Amazon
Leticia is the capital of Colombia's Amazonas department, on the Amazon River where Colombia, Brazil and Peru meet. No road links it to the rest of Colombia, so most visitors fly in from Bogotá. From there, boat trips head into the rainforest and to river communities. Expect signal in town and little or none on the river and in jungle lodges, whatever eSIM you use.
Bogotá
Colombia's capital was founded in 1538 and sits at about 2,600 metres, so evenings are cool and you may feel the altitude on day one. Start in La Candelaria, the historic centre, with the Museo Botero and the Gold Museum, which holds one of the world's largest collections of pre-Hispanic gold work (Banco de la República: Museo del Oro). Visit the National Museum, the cathedral on Plaza de Bolívar and the San Francisco church, then take the cable car or funicular up Monserrate for a view over the city.
FAQs
What is the best eSIM for Colombia?
It depends on your trip. For a week or less, compare the South America plans with the Colombia plans: when we checked, the South America plans up to 10 GB cost less. For two weeks, Colombia 20GB. For a month, Colombia 50GB. If you also visit Ecuador, Peru or Brazil, pick a South America plan.
Which company offers the best eSIM for Colombia?
There's no single best company. Compare plans on what matters for your trip: data, days, countries covered, top-ups and whether you need a number. Travel eSIMs like the SimOptions Colombia plans are data only and install before you fly. A Claro, Movistar or Tigo line gives you a local number, but takes more steps to set up as a visitor.
Does a travel eSIM work in Medellín, Bogotá and Cartagena?
Yes. The SimOptions Colombia and South America plans cover the whole country, so they work in Medellín, Bogotá, Cartagena, Cali and other places with mobile coverage. In the mountains, the Amazon and remote areas, signal can be weak or missing, so download offline maps first.
Can I get a Colombian phone number with a travel eSIM?
Not with the SimOptions plans, which are data only. For a +57 number, you need a line from Claro, Movistar or Tigo. See eSIM providers in Colombia.
Can I top up my Colombia eSIM?
Yes. Top-ups are available on the SimOptions Colombia and South America plans, so you can add data instead of buying a new eSIM.
When should I install my eSIM for Colombia?
Install it at home on Wi-Fi a day or two before you fly. It activates automatically when you arrive in Colombia, so your days start then. If you don't use it within a year of buying it, it becomes invalid.
Can I keep my own number and WhatsApp?
Yes. On a dual SIM phone, your home line stays on next to the travel eSIM. WhatsApp keeps your usual number and works over the eSIM's data.
