eSIMGuide - Compare Travel eSIM Plans

Updated Sep 2026

Flag of Costa Rica

Compare eSIMs for Costa Rica 2026

Compare 2,770 plans from 32 providers

ESIM.DOG
ESIM.DOG for Costa RicaFlag of Costa Rica7 hours ago
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Which mobile networks you get in Costa Rica

Claro is the clearest pattern in Costa Rica’s eSIM listings: it is named by most providers, so the radio network is often effectively decided before you choose a plan. movistar and Kölbi ICE are the less commonly named alternatives, worth considering when the operator matters to your choice. The list contains only three distinct consumer networks, and 5G is the fastest technology stated, though that remains a profile ceiling rather than a promise of 5G throughout a trip.

  • ClaroBest stated technology: 5G

    Operated by Claro CR Telecomunicaciones (Aló)

    16 of 19 providers

    Roamix, MicroESIM, AbestESIM, AirPlans, and eSimCard +11 more

  • movistarBest stated technology: 5G

    Operated by Telefónica Móviles Costa Rica

    13 of 19 providers

    MicroESIM, iroamly, Roamix, AbestESIM, and Roamless +8 more
Show 1 more network

  • Kölbi ICEBest stated technology: 5G

    Operated by Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad

    2 of 19 providers

    AirPlans and Esimatic

Where your data comes out in Costa Rica

Only one provider breaks out locally; the others use gateways in the United States, United Kingdom or Italy, so your choice of provider decides both the route and the IP address you present. For distant breakouts, the typical round trip to Costa Rican services is about 147ms: that adds delay rather than reducing download speeds, though video calls may feel less responsive. A foreign IP can also cause a local banking app to refuse access, whereas an in-country breakout should let local apps and banking behave normally.

Where each provider breaks out, nearest first. Estimated from distance, not measured.

220 ms
  • EsimaticEsimaticFlag of Costa Rica~20 ms
  • RoamixRoamixFlag of United States of America~86 ms
  • GigSkyGigSkyFlag of United States of America~86 ms
  • Always MobileAlways MobileFlag of United Kingdom~147 ms
  • AbestESIMAbestESIMFlag of Italy~175 ms
  • AirHubAirHubFlag of Poland~185 ms

Costa Rica eSIM prices, month by month

Data has been getting cheaper in Costa Rica: a gigabyte typically goes for $1.40 now, against $2.98 when we started tracking it in December 2025, a fall of 53% across 10 months.

That is above the $1.23 a gigabyte typically costs across the 229 destinations we track — Costa Rica ranks 118 of them, counting from the cheapest, so it pays to compare here rather than take the first plan you see. It has never been cheaper: $1.40 in September 2026 is the lowest figure we have recorded for Costa Rica.

Every figure here is the lower quartile of the plans in our catalogue that month — the cheaper end of what was actually on sale, rather than an average pulled up by a handful of premium plans.

  • Costa Rica$1.40
  • All destinations$1.23
Typical per GB
$1.40down 53% since Dec 2025
Typical per day
$1.47up 47% since Dec 2025
Plans compared
2,770up 1,772 since Dec 2025
Providers
32up 9 since Dec 2025

Change measured since December 2025, our first monthly snapshot.

Show all 10 months
September 2026$1.40down 30% on the previous monthTypical per GB$1.47up 32% on the previous monthTypical per day2,770up 40% on the previous monthPlans32up 4 on the previous monthProviders
August 2026$2.00down 9% on the previous monthTypical per GB$1.11up 1% on the previous monthTypical per day1,983up 26% on the previous monthPlans28up 4 on the previous monthProviders
July 2026$2.19down 1% on the previous monthTypical per GB$1.10up 10% on the previous monthTypical per day1,574up 7% on the previous monthPlans24down 1 on the previous monthProviders
June 2026$2.22down 15% on the previous monthTypical per GB$1.00down 11% on the previous monthTypical per day1,476up 6% on the previous monthPlans25Providers
May 2026$2.60up 2% on the previous monthTypical per GB$1.12down 10% on the previous monthTypical per day1,395up 4% on the previous monthPlans25up 1 on the previous monthProviders
April 2026$2.56down 6% on the previous monthTypical per GB$1.24up 2% on the previous monthTypical per day1,339up 14% on the previous monthPlans24up 1 on the previous monthProviders
March 2026$2.73up 17% on the previous monthTypical per GB$1.22up 69% on the previous monthTypical per day1,173down 24% on the previous monthPlans23Providers
February 2026$2.33down 12% on the previous monthTypical per GB$0.72down 10% on the previous monthTypical per day1,537up 30% on the previous monthPlans23Providers
January 2026$2.65down 11% on the previous monthTypical per GB$0.80down 20% on the previous monthTypical per day1,180up 18% on the previous monthPlans23Providers
December 2025$2.98Typical per GB$1.00Typical per day998Plans23Providers

Frequently Asked Questions about eSIMs for Costa Rica

How many travel eSIM brands (providers) are available for use in Costa Rica, and how many prepaid data plans are there?

Claro, movistar and Kölbi ICE are the local networks named behind Costa Rica eSIMs, while the travel brands include MicroESIM, AirHub, AbestESIM, Roamix, Esimatic and iroamly. This is a crowded market: the practical choice is less about finding a brand that sells here and more about separating plans by data allowance, validity, refill options and what happens when the data runs out. Familiar branding does not make two offers interchangeable; a short trip or heavier use can make a different-sized plan the more sensible choice.

What are the mobile networks available for a travel eSIM in Costa Rica?

Claro, movistar and Kölbi ICE all appear in provider listings for travel eSIMs in Costa Rica. That gives buyers a genuine choice of underlying operator, although the buyer does not usually select it separately. The provider’s own published list determines which network the eSIM is intended to use, so the operator you end up on follows from the eSIM you choose. This is something you can establish before purchase rather than discover after arrival: compare the stated operator pairing for each plan, as two eSIMs for the same destination may rely on different local networks.

Are there any free data eSIM plans available for Costa Rica?

A zero-priced data option is listed for Costa Rica, but it is a small trial allowance rather than something to cover a holiday. Access normally depends on registering with the provider and may be limited to one claim per customer. It can help you get online when you arrive, but regular maps, calls and social media will quickly use it up. Since most major eSIM brands sell here, this is an exception rather than the usual shape of Costa Rican plans.

Are there any unlimited data eSIM plans available for Costa Rica?

Unlimited offers are common among the many eSIM brands serving Costa Rica, but that label is only a starting point. One plan may restore its faster connection each day, while another may slow down for the rest of the trip after its full-speed quota is used. Once throttled, video can become impractical and map loading may drag, even though basic messaging still works. Check the reset arrangement and the reduced speed in the plan details before choosing.

eSIM Providers for Costa Rica

Claro and movistar account for much of the stated network choice, but the market is not uniform. Many eSIMs name just one operator, while ESIM.DOG reaches the most distinct networks listed here. That difference matters if your itinerary includes both towns and less populated areas: a multi-network eSIM gives you another stated network to try when one is weaker, rather than tying the whole trip to a single operator. Check the network list against your route before buying.

27 providers sell eSIMs for Costa Rica. Open one for its prices, its full plan list and the networks it puts you on here.