The best eSIM for Costa Rica is a data plan sized to your days there, installed on Wi-Fi before you fly. A SimOptions Costa Rica eSIM does that: it runs on 4G/LTE, activates when you land in Costa Rica and comes in sizes from 1 GB for 3 days to 50 GB for 30 days. It has no Costa Rican phone number, so you call through WhatsApp or FaceTime. Need a local number? Local carriers such as kölbi and Claro sell eSIMs too, but you get them through their own stores and channels.
Which is the best eSIM for Costa Rica?
Short on time? These Costa Rica plans are data-only and 4G/LTE. Pick the size from the days you stay: one week, two weeks or a month.
SimOptions Costa Rica eSIMs · data only · 4G/LTE · See all eSIMs for Costa Rica · All destinations
What to look for in an eSIM for Costa Rica
- Coverage: check that Costa Rica is on the plan's country list. A Costa Rica plan suits a trip that stays in the country. Crossing into Panama or Nicaragua? See the section on neighbouring countries below.
- Data and days: both are on the plan page. A small plan fits a few days in San José. For two weeks with maps, booking apps and video calls, look at a bigger one.
- Speed: our Costa Rica plan details list 4G/LTE speed.
- A local number: most travel eSIMs are data-only. If you must call tour operators or hotels on a normal Costa Rican number, a local carrier fits better.
- Setup before you fly: you get a QR code by email and install it on Wi-Fi at home. Your phone must support eSIM and be unlocked (see how to check eSIM compatibility).
How much data do you need in Costa Rica?
These are the sizes on our Costa Rica eSIM page, with what each one lasts:
- Costa Rica 1GB and 3GB: 1 GB or 3 GB for 3 days. A stopover or a short visit.
- Costa Rica 5GB and 10GB: 5 GB or 10 GB for 7 days. A week with maps, messages and photos.
- Costa Rica 20GB: 20 GB for 15 days. Two weeks, with some video.
- Costa Rica 50GB: 50 GB for 30 days. A month, or if you work from your phone.
If you run out of data, top-ups are available. Not sure how much you need? Pick the bigger size. Our guide to eSIM data plans shows how to estimate it, and how to reduce data usage abroad helps you make it last.
Which networks does a Costa Rica eSIM use?
Our Costa Rica eSIM page says the plans run on Liberty and Claro. You don't pick the network yourself: the plan's settings use automatic network selection, with data roaming turned on for the eSIM. The eSIM activates by itself when you reach Costa Rica, and you have 1 year to start using it.
Signal still varies by place, whichever eSIM you use. It can be weak deep in the rainforest, on remote stretches of coast or on boat trips, such as the canals of Tortuguero. Download offline maps before you head out (Google Maps: download areas offline).
Local eSIM or travel eSIM?
You have two kinds of choices in Costa Rica. Here is what the local carriers say on their own pages.
- kölbi (the mobile brand of ICE) offers its eSIM for prepaid and postpaid lines. You request it in a kölbi store or an ICE agency and activate it by scanning a QR code (kölbi: eSIM). Its prepaid requirements page lists the ID documents it accepts for each type of customer, so check it before you go (kölbi: prepaid requirements).
- Claro offers eSIM on prepaid and postpaid lines across Costa Rica. In its online store you choose eSIM as the SIM type when you buy a phone, and the QR code comes by email (Claro Costa Rica: eSIM).
Both give you a Costa Rican number, but both pages are written for local customers, in Spanish, and the steps go through a store or a phone purchase. A travel eSIM is different: you buy it online, scan a QR code at home and don't visit a shop after you land.
Choose a local eSIM if you stay a long time and need a Costa Rican number for calls. Choose a travel eSIM if you want data the moment you land, and a plan you can compare and pay for before the trip. You can keep your home number active next to it (Apple: Using Dual SIM with an eSIM), see how to set up a dual eSIM.
Travel eSIM or roaming with your home carrier?
Most readers of this guide come from the USA, the UK and Canada. Before you travel, check whether your home plan includes Costa Rica and what it costs per day or per gigabyte. Apple's advice is the same: check with your carrier whether international roaming is included or sold as a travel pass (Apple: Use eSIM while traveling). If it isn't included, a data-only travel eSIM is usually the simpler choice. We compare both in international roaming vs travel eSIM.
Which eSIM for San José, Arenal or Guanacaste?
You don't need a different eSIM for each place. A Costa Rica plan covers the whole country, from San José to La Fortuna, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio and the beaches of Guanacaste and the Caribbean coast. It activates when you arrive, so it works the same whether you fly into San José or Liberia.
The usual data uses on a Costa Rica trip are maps for driving, messages, translation and booking tours. These need little data, so a 10 GB plan may be enough for a week. Video calls, streaming and uploading wildlife videos use much more, so go for 20 GB on a two-week trip.
Visiting Panama or Nicaragua too?
Costa Rica is bordered by Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south (Visit Costa Rica: about Costa Rica). None of our regional plans, other than global ones, includes Costa Rica, so a Costa Rica plan works in Costa Rica only. For a trip across a border, buy a country eSIM for each stop. You can install both at home and switch to the second one when you cross. Check the country list of any plan before you buy.
Panama and Nicaragua plans · data only · See the Panama eSIMs · See the Nicaragua eSIMs · All destinations
How do you get an eSIM for Costa Rica?
- Check your phone: it must support eSIM and be carrier unlocked. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > About and look for "No SIM restrictions" next to Carrier Lock (Apple: Unlock your iPhone).
- Buy and install on Wi-Fi: you get a QR code by email. Our install guide walks you through it.
- Turn on the eSIM when you land: turn on data roaming for the Costa Rica eSIM, and use it as your data line so your home line doesn't run up roaming charges. Our guide to the correct roaming settings for an eSIM shows how.
New to buying one? Read how to buy an eSIM online. Not sure what an eSIM is? See what is an eSIM.
FAQ
What is the best eSIM for Costa Rica?
It depends on your trip. For data only, a Costa Rica eSIM sized to your days is a simple choice: 10 GB for a week, 20 GB for two weeks, 50 GB for a month. If you need a Costa Rican number, a local carrier such as kölbi or Claro fits better.
Which eSIM provider offers the best value for money in Costa Rica?
Compare the price per day of your trip, not just per gigabyte. Pick the smallest plan that covers your days with some margin, and top up if you run low. Our Costa Rica eSIM page lists every size with its current price.
Can I get an eSIM for Costa Rica before I travel?
Yes. Buy it online, install the QR code on Wi-Fi at home, and it activates when you reach Costa Rica.
Does a travel eSIM for Costa Rica include calls or a local number?
No. SimOptions Costa Rica plans are data-only, with no phone number. Use WhatsApp or FaceTime for calls, or get an eSIM from a local carrier for a Costa Rican number.
Which networks does the Costa Rica eSIM use?
Our Costa Rica eSIM page says the plans run on Liberty and Claro, in 4G/LTE.
Does the eSIM work in national parks like Monteverde or Corcovado?
It works wherever its networks have signal. In towns and on the main roads that is usually fine. Deep in the forest, on remote beaches and on boat trips, signal can be weak or absent, so download offline maps first.
Does my phone need to be unlocked?
Yes. A carrier-locked phone may not accept an eSIM from another provider. Ask your carrier to unlock it before you travel, see how to unlock your phone.
Is there one eSIM for Costa Rica and Panama?
Not among our country and regional plans. Buy a Costa Rica eSIM and a Panama eSIM, install both before you go, and switch at the border.
