Getting a prepaid SIM card in Costa Rica is very easy and not that expensive. We recommend getting a Costa Rica SIM card so you can have a local phone number and data which is very useful in case of emergencies.
In this article you will learn all about getting prepaid SIM cards in Costa Rica.
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Where Can I Get a prepaid SIM Card in Costa Rica?
You can buy a prepaid SIM card at any phone store, supermarket or computer store in Costa Rica.
At the San Jose International Airport, there is a Claro (name of the phone company) stand left of baggage claim 5 where you can purchase a SIM card.
It is open from 6 AM to 9 PM and sometimes to 11 PM on weekends. They’ll help you insert the SIM card and set up your phone to use it.
Claro offers a couple plans. 15 days for $60 USD and $30 USD for 7 days. They have a vending machine that you can just buy the card from and then you can ask the agent for assistance to insert it into your phone.
In the Country
You can go to any of the phone companies’ offices in Costa Rica. Additionally, you can get a prepaid SIM card at most cell phone or computer stores in Costa Rica.
Some supermarkets sell prepaid SIM cards that come with a prepaid plan (already have a set amount of credit on them).
Which SIM card to get in Costa Rica?
For tourists going to popular tourist destinations in Costa Rica, we recommend to get a Kolbi SIM card. Kolbi is the government cell phone network company and has the widest coverage in Costa Rica. You can buy prepaid SIM cards at any of their branches.
There are Kolbi offices throughout the country and close to the airports. Search for the closest one to you in Google Maps or Waze. Just look for the office with a big green frog on it that says Kolbi.
Do keep in mind that most offices close from 5-7 PM. If you fly into Guanacaste Airport, there is a Kolbi office in Liberia 15 minutes away by car where you can get a SIM card.
Car Rentals and SIM Cards
Our partnership with Adobe Rent a Car includes a free Costa Rican SIM card with 1000 CRC preloaded that you can put in your unlocked phone for the duration of your car rental booking.
This way, you can have a Costa Rica number in case of emergencies and you can recharge it if you need to. 1000 CRC gives you about 30 minutes of local minutes.
Requirement to get a SIM card in Costa Rica
To buy your own prepaid SIM card in Costa Rica, you must have your original passport or photo ID (passport works best) and cash.
You have to fill out a short form and present your photo ID to purchase a prepaid SIM card in Costa Rica which costs around 2000 colones or (~$3.50 USD).
It is also best to pay in Costa Rican colones, not USD or credit card. When you purchase your SIM card, you can then load as much credit on there as you want.
Additionally, your smartphone must be quad band, it must use a physical SIM card and it has to be unlocked.
The type of phone doesn’t matter. It can be an iPhone or Android, Samsung, HTC, Blackberry, whichever, as long as it fits those three requirements.
Make sure you call your home provider to see if your phone it unlocked and can accept international SIM cards before you leave.
Once you purchase a SIM card in Costa Rica, you can’t return it if you find out your phone is still locked.
Prepaid SIM cards typically expire after 90 days of no use.
Costa Rica Cell Phone Companies
The 3 major phone companies in Costa Rica are: Kolbi, Liberty and Claro. With these companies you can buy the SIM card for 1-2000 colones (around $2-4 USD) and they will give you the same amount for phone credit on the SIM card itself.
Some prepaid SIM cards already have a plan and credit loaded. You will see signs like this at the supermarket for them:
This is an option if you’re not sure how much credit you want to put. However, most people like to do the pay as you go and then recharge when needed.
Our Recommendations for Costa Rica Prepaid SIM Cards
Kolbi is best for nationwide use, especially if you plan to stay in the city and main destinations. However, Claro also has good coverage nationwide, but more for rural areas.
For example, Kolbi does not have as good coverage down in the Osa Peninsula. Instead, Claro worked well there.
When we visited Pavones, Kolbi had 0 service but Claro had 3g. In Guanacaste, Liberty tends to have a teeny bit more coverage than Kolbi.
Using T-Mobile in Costa Rica
Samantha used to use her US phone with T-Mobile in Costa Rica. T-Mobile offers plans with free international data and calling/text included.
No set up required so you don’t need to switch your SIM card or take it out. Just keep your T-Mobile SIM card in your phone.
On their Go5g plan, they don’t charge roaming fees and offer high speed data abroad in over 200 countries, including Costa Rica. Depending on which Go5g plan you have, it’ll be either 5gb of high speed data or 256 kbps on the basic plan.
If you plan to use your T-Mobile plan in Costa Rica, when you land in Costa Rica, take your phone off airplane mode and turn on data, T-Mobile will send you a text message.
It’ll say something like “Welcome to Costa Rica!” and then detail what exactly is included in your plan (how fast your internet is, costs of calls, etc.) They will also include a link in case you want their International Pass for $5 USD a day.
TMobile Plans
The T-Mobile Go5g Next, Go5g Plus and Magenta MAX and Plus gives up to 5GB of high speed data, unlimited texts and calls at $.25/min. The T-Mobile Go5G, Magenta & ONE plans only gives 256Kbps.
I used to have the Go5g Next plan that has up to 5gb of high speed data. The high data works decently in the cities, but in more rural areas, it’s sometimes OK, sometimes only 3g and slow.
It worked well enough for simple emails, Whatsapp texts and Google Maps/Waze but anything more like downloading/uploading or streaming on Youtube, opening heavy websites (surfing the web) or watching videos on Instagram, it was pretty slow.
If you need high speed Internet throughout your whole trip, I recommend to get their International Pass or rent a wifi hot spot.
ur partnership with Adobe Rent a Car gives an extra benefit for wifi hot spots, get more details here about our Costa Rica car rental discount and benefits.
How to Recharge Your prepaid SIM Card in Costa Rica
You can recharge your prepaid SIM card at the supermarket, convenience store, cell phone stores or the phone company’s office.
Business will have a sign with the phone company’s logo to indicate they can recharge SIM cards.
To add more credit, you must pay in cash in local currency (Costa Rican colones). Just tell the cashier Me puedo recargar mi X (Kolbi/Libery/Claro/etc.) and tell them how much or give them the cash.
Or just hold out your phone and say the name of the company.
You will also need to give them your phone number. Your phone number will be on your original receipt. There’s a good chance you’ll throw it away so I recommend taking a photo of your phone number.
How Much Credit Should I Put On My SIM Card in Costa Rica?
This depends on what you plan to use it for and how long you’re in Costa Rica. For one week in Costa Rica, we recommend to put 5000 colones on your prepaid SIM card (~$10 USD) at first and then you can recharge it later if need be.
This is usually a good amount to start with for those just using it for email and occasionally surfing the web.
Remember that uploading and watching videos will suck up your data on your SIM card fast so do that on Wi-Fi only.
If you plan to be uploading and using Instagram and Youtube a lot, I recommend to add more than 5000 colones to begin with because those apps suck up a lot of data.
With Kolbi, if your SIM card has not been used, recharged or have any activity, the card will expire after 90 days.
How to Check Your Balance (Kolbi)
For Kolbi customers, type *888# and then select option 1 to check your balance. You can also send a text to 888 with the word SALDO.
eSIM
Many of the latest phones have eSIM which you can use in Costa Rica. eSIMs are actually very practical and convenient as you do not have to have a physical SIM card anymore.
The app will present you options of various international packages that you can choose from. Once you choose the package you want and purchase it, they’ll show you the steps on how to activate the eSIM which is fairly simple.
Then you can upgrade your package, purchase another one or modify it right within the app. There is no need to purchase any physical SIM card for eSIMs.
Our iPhone 14s uses eSIMS. We have used two different eSIM providers when we travel abroad. Both of them have plans in Costa Rica: Airalo and Holafly.
Get 10% off your Airalo eSIM package with our promo code “mytanfeet” and use our promo code MYTANFEET to get 5% off Holafly. Holafly has plans with calls, text and data. Airalo is mostly data only.
Get ready for Costa Rica with these other posts!
Guide to finding accommodation in Costa Rica
Immigration and customs in SJO and LIR Airport
Costa Rica Vacation Checklist
- First time to Costa Rica? Read our First Time in Costa Rica guide.
- Not sure how to move around Costa Rica? Read our How to Get Around Costa Rica guide to find the best transportation method for you.
- Click the link to get our detailed Costa Rica Packing List so you know what essential items to bring.
- Check our Costa Rica destinations map and Costa Rica restaurant map
- Do not forget to purchase Travel Insurance for your trip to Costa Rica.
- Save money with Mytanfeet Deals for tours and hotels and our Costa Rica Car Rental Discount.
Mona says
Thank you very much for all this useful information.
We are a bit confused. When searching for an eSIM via airalo (and other providers who sell eSIMs for Costa Rica) we only find offers with data volume but no options for making calls? Phone calls within Costa Rica should definitely be possible. Can you help?
Sammi says
Airalo should have the data/callas/texts packages, I can see it on their website. I believe Holafly does not offer calls or texts, only data.
Hanna says
Hi, could you uptade SIM card information in SJO Airport? I heard that Claro only has 2 options – $30 and $60. Is it true?
Sammi says
Hi Hanna, I just landed at SJO last night and they do have just two plans. $30 for 7 days, $60 for 15 days.
Hanna says
Thanks for quick answer!
Megan says
Hi and thank you so much for all the awesome info you guys share! Sorry if someone already asked this, but I only got about halfway through reading all the 250+ comments. We’re going to CR in October for our fifth trip and are considering buying our own hotspot. We always get the one from Adobe (we really appreciate your discount code and use it every trip!), but it typically doesn’t hold a charge very long and isn’t very strong. Do you think that bringing our own nice new one would make a difference? If so, do you have any recommendations or just general feedback about buying our own hotspot? Thank you!
Sammi says
HI Megan, I’m sorry to be honest we don’t have any tips for using a hotspot bought outside of Costa Rica and using it in the country…most people just get an international data plan from their home provider or get the prepaid SIM card/hot spot here.
Michael Shinkarovsky says
Hi,
Two questions.
Should the supermarkets around Liberia airport sell Claro sim cards? Or will I need to go to the Claro store to buy one?
Will the 5GB sim card for 10,000CRC work in a hotspot device?
Many thanks!
Sammi says
Yes I have seen Claro SIM cards at pretty much almost all supermarkets I’ve been to but I can’t guarantee it since I’m not 100% sure. But the ones I’ve seen are ones that come with a plan already.
Wally Velishek says
Thanks for the article. I called T-mobile to find out about texting, data, and calls because I will be coming into Costa Rica Via Liberia Airport in a few weeks.
If you have T-Mobile, contact them directly and ask about data, texting, & phone calls. I get free texting (not sure if that includes picture messaging), phone calls to Costa Rican numbers and US numbers will be .25cents a minute.
But no International data, unless I buy a package. They offer various data packages. I am choosing the 15Gig data plan good for 30days which will cost $50USD. I think the cost varies according to your T-mobile plan.
After reading this article, I have decided to buy a sim card in Costa Rica. Thanks
Danna says
Hi there!!
Thanks so much for this info. Bought a kolbi card but the call is not getting processed. I enabled wifi calling and I keep getting a message that says other error.
Not sure what to do.
Sammi says
The card might be a faulty one or your phone isn’t set up to accommodate the new settings which you’ll have to do
Tony L Cooper says
I’m really enjoying the content on this site. I currently use T-Mobile as my provider in the US, and I’m reading in this article that you can use T-Mobile in Costa Rica for data/international calling? I did check my plan and it includes international access. Is there anything else I need to do? We’ll be in Costa Rica starting mid-February 2023.
Sammi says
TMobile does offer international plans, you can talk to them to get the details since they also offer various plans for data, etc.
Martin says
Hi,
does the Claro kiosk at San Jose International Airport also accepts US Dollars for their 10.000 CRC tourist plan?
My second question is about the sim of Movistar/Liberty as I’m thinking about buying their sim on ebay beforehead (sim is not activated yet) because of it’s better coverage in Costa Rica. Is there an easy option to activate the Moviestar sim by an sms code without speaking to an agent (who probably only speaks Spanish)?
Thanks for your help 🙂
Sammi says
Probably they accept USD but you can pay in credit card
I honestly don’t know what the MOvistar/Liberia ebay SIM card coverage is like, maybe you can check their website or ask the person you’re purchasing it from what it is like. Normally the Movistar customer service line, they will offer an English option
Mike says
For recharging a Claro sim card online or by phone, only credit cards from Costs Rican banks will be accepted. Claro will not accept a USA bank card.
Tom Teece says
Hi Yeison and Samantha, firstly thank you for all your useful information, it’s really helped me in preparation for my first visit to Costa Rica! I am looking to get local SIM card for my time in Costa Rica, I am arriving in Liberia international airport, do you know if there is a shop I can use there to get this or whether there is a way to get this on the internet beforehand?
Thanks,
Tom
Sammi says
Unfortunately the SIm card stand in LIR was taken out, you can check the mini mart if they sell one. If not, you’ll have to go to a phone/computer store or supermarket in town to get one.
Julie Chorneyko says
Hi both! First, I really appreciate your site, there has been a lot od useful information, especially the border crossing to Nicaragua. The specifics really help for the first run!
I have a question in regards to using my Costa Rica Sim card in Nicaragua. Is it best to just keep the plan i pay here and add the roaming service with the nicaraguan charges added onto it or is it better to purchase a Sim card in Nicaragua and buy a plan there? We are going to be in Nicaragua for two months. Thank you!
Sammi says
I believe MOvistar offers plans for all of Central America, you should check with them to see what they offer
Darrin says
Hi! I followed all of the requirements of making sure my Samsung Galaxy S9 phone was unlocked and went to purchase a Kolbi plan in Uvita. I was facing network errors that asked for an unlock code I thought I could resolve with my carrier and reading web articles only to find out that my phone isn’t compatible with the Kolbi SIM card…
For hours I’ve been doing online research to find any info about my S9 phone and compatibility with Claro or Movistar and not having any luck…do you have any advice or suggestions to understand phone compatibility with the local phone carriers?
Sammi says
Hi Darrin, to be honest I don’t know, that would be something you would have to check with your home carrier because I have a Samsung galaxy note s9 and I use a Kolbi prepaid SIM card in it as my backup phone here and it works fine. It sounds like something to do with your home carrier.
Rebecca P says
Hi! Do you have any information on eSIMs in Costa Rica? Thanks!
Sammi says
No sorry 🙁
Hamer says
It is easier to switch to an eSIM for your US plan and save the physical SIM for travelling.
Chelsea says
We are flying into SJO late December 2021. We plan on taking off to La Fortuna/Arenal for the majority of our trip using public transit. I am curious if using T-mobile would allow us to rely on uber to get around within La Fortuna/Arenal. Can uber app be used using a SIMs card?
Sammi says
as long as you have internet on your phone in Costa Rica you can use Uber
Britney says
Hi Sammi,
Is there a Kolbi store in the airport? I am seeing mixed answers. If not, where is the closest one to the SJO airport that stays open late– arriving at 930pm. Thanks.
Sammi says
There is a Claro store inside SJO Airport but I’m not sure how late they stay open now. No SIM card inside LIR Airport unfortunately.
There won’t be any SIM card stores or even supermarkets open at 930 PM, you’ll have to get one the next morning.
Emil Nassra says
Hey Britney , could you update us if there is a kolbi at the airport?
Sammi says
There isn’t a Kolbi stand in SJO Airport, only Claro. No SIM card stand in Liberia AIrport. If you want a Kolbi SIM card, you’ll have to go to their store or a cell phone store to pick one up.
Conan says
Just to add to this – I flew into Costa Rica, San José today (10th Dec 2020), and the Claro store is still there at the luggage collection area.
SIM card costs 10,000 colones (roughly $20 US), and has 5gb data, and unlimited Whatsapp.
Sammi says
Perfect thank you for confirming, I was just updating the post to verify it!
Mary says
Your blog has been SO helpful to us while planning our trip to Costa Rica. We arrived in SJO last night (9:30pm) and found that Claro has a small booth on the left side of the baggage claim where you can purchase a SIM card. It was 26 usd for the card with 5Gs of data.
Just wanted to pass this information along to other people like me who like to plan every detail out beforehand haha. Thank you so much again for all of your posts!
Sammi says
Thank you so much for the feedback Mary! I’m glad to hear there’s finally a new SIM card stand there now.
Peter says
Finally I found out myself 😉
The easiest way is not to go through the *888# Menue, but to send an SMS to 8888 with „1GIGA“ for 1 GB and „2GIGA“ for 2 GB. There is a table with the activiations Codes on the kolbi Website.
John says
Thanks for the information. I bought a SIM card and the 2 Gig plan at the Kolbi store. The Kolbi rep set if all up for me. Is there a way to check my Data Balance? I haven’t figured it out yet?
Sammi says
For Kolbi customers, type *888# to check your balance.
Peter says
Hi,
I purchased a Kolbi SIM card. I used all the data, Went to a store and put another 4000 CRC on the number. At this Point however, I dont know how to „recharge“ my Data Plan. Its still at 0 MB, even though i put the money on the Account. Do I need to Go in the *800# menu? If yes, I now almost spend an hour translating and Findling my way through it. What menu options do I need to Go to (2-1-2 etc)?
Thanks
Peter
thanks for the work you put in this Blog. We use it every day for our Costa Rica Trip! 🙂
Katherine says
Do the Walmart’s sell Kölbi SIM cards?
Sammi says
It may vary between Walmarts but I don’t think so (though I’m not 100% sure).
Angela says
Great comprehensive article. How do I check for the Kolbi balance on an iPhone?
Thanks, Angela
Sammi says
type *888# to check your balance.
Austin says
Google maps is showing a Kolbi Cell Phone Store in the SJO airport (named “Tienda Kolbi Aeropuerto“).
Is this store active? I was hoping to get a SIM card with just cell data. ~5GBs or so preferred (but I can get by with 50 mb if necessary). Do you know how much this SIM card would cost?
Sammi says
Unfortunately no, the stores inside the airport have closed down.
Chris says
Three weeks ago I purchased a movistar sim card at a corner store in San Jose. The seller did not ask for my passport but simply registered it using his own cedula. I learned this in a movistar office a few hours later. The sim card worked very well all the time in Costa Rica (San Jose, La Fortuna, Monteverde, Jaco). They advised me to by a plan because its cheaper than “pay as you go” which I did. It just means sending a text to a movistar number and they deduct the cost of the plan from your saldo.
They also told me that I could use the sim card in some other countries in Central America but only data, no calls and no recharge or buying plans is possible there!
Len says
I unfortunately have a bad experience with Movistar. I could not make it work and I am close to the town of Fortuna.
Len says
Update:
Apparently it is just my location in La Fortuna. Movistar is excellent in Monteverde.
Rebecca says
Hi
Thanks for the SIM update. You’ve said you can get a prepaid SIM in Tortuguero. Please can you give some more details about where this is as I could’t find any details about this else where. We will be flying into San Jose in the evening and have a transfer to Tortuguero in the morning so this will be our first opportunity to get a SIM
Sammi says
hi Rebecca, if you go to the Kolbi website (Kolbi is the telecommunications company) and google Kolbi sucursal Tortuguero, you will see a map of where their office is in Tortuguero town. But since you are flying into San Jose, you can also go to any of the Kolbi/Movistar/Claro stores in San Jose and get a sim card.
Rebecca says
Thanks the hours seem to suggest the they are closed at the weekend is this true?
Sammi says
It depends on the branch, they will have different hours as some open on weekends, some only on Saturdays or some not at all on weekends.
Rocky says
You wrote “Pro tip: For Kolbi customers, type *1150# to check your balance.”
This has not been the case for a long time.
For the onscreen way to get the balances etc you dial *888#
Or if you want voice just dial 8888. There is an English option (2)
Actually *1150# gave me my phone number.
Please try and then update.
Sammi says
Thanks, just updated it.
Sarah says
Where do I go to find a SIM card now that the airport locations have closed? I am flying into LIR, can I get one in the town of Liberia? Do I just go to a grocery store or does it have to be an official Kölbi ICE store?
yeison says
Hello Sarah,
Unfortunately Kolbi closed their stores at both airports we hope that Kolbi or any other company opens a store soon, for now you can go to any cell phone store, some supermarkets also sell sim cards we see them all the time. As you mentioned you can go to the Kolbi store in Liberia downtown and get one.
Ann says
I chatted online today with a Kolbi rep who said that their kiosk in the arrival area, near baggage claim 2 , is open. He said that the one in the departure area is closed.
Sammi says
Hi Ann, actually they are closed… we called the main Kolbi office and the airport staff and they confirmed they are officially closed in both airports unfortunately. We actually just flew into Liberia Airport last week and it was no longer there. They still have it on their website that the airports are a location but both airport locations just very recently closed sadly.
renzhen says
First of all, thank you for the useful information. I am planning to have only a few days in CR, so plan to use my Verizon phone with international plans (I know it is a bad price!). In that case, I was wondering how do I make phone calls to 911 just in case of emergency? Do I call like +506 911? Also, could you let me know how to call OIJ police and/or tourist police? Thanks.
Sammi says
Him you can just dial 911 like normal and it’ll call the emergency number.
Donna Hall says
Hello! Love your website, so much wonderful information, thank you!
Long story short, we bought property in Costa Rica (Playa Flamingo area) and will be coming down occasionally. We brought an old unlocked phone this time to try the phone cards here.
The Kolbi kiosk is no longer at the Liberia airport so we bought one in Huaco at a small store. The girl said just put the SIM card in and call the number on the package to activate. But all that happens is I get a message that says no service or out of service area. I am probably doing something wrong but can not figure it out, any help would be appreciated! Thank you!
Sammi says
You may need to change the network settings on your phone, I’m not sure which phone you have but usually it’s under mobile networks and you need to reset it so it switches to the Kolbi network.
Thank you for the nice comments about the blog!
Jonathan Pierce says
The Kolbi booth in the baggage area at the San Jose airport was boarded up when we arrived tonight. Does anybody know to where it might have wandered? That was such a handy location.
Sammi says
What time did you arrive? We flew into SJO Airport in May and they were told us they were open until 1015 PM, hopefully they are still there. We will check again since the one in Liberia Airport did close.
Jonathan Pierce says
Where it used to be was all boarded-up and it wasn’t in the next room with the car rental companies.
Sammi says
Hmm yea there is a very big possibility they are closing it because the one in Liberia Airport has officially closed :/ THanks for the update, we’ll check on it!
pam says
I have always had bad luck with phone service in costa rica …both AT&T and Verizon International plans. If I purchase a SIM card can I use it for long distance calls and texts?
Sammi says
You can but it will take away the credit from the balance you have on your sim card and long distance calls are expensive here so it’ll eat up your credit fast.
Adonias Tafa says
hello i am leaving in costa rica now above 2 years and i have been using kolbi sim card but now i cant use it because it says the sim card is locked, please how can i get solution or do i need to buy another sim card?
Sammi says
You need the pin from your Kolbi sim card or you have to call/go to their office to unlock it if you don’t know what it is
Matt K. says
Hello,
I think I found the answer to my question, but I’d like to ask just to be sure. I’m coming from the U.S. If I bring my sprint cell phone and rent the WiFi hotspot with adobe, do I need to get a sim card if I just plan on leaving my phone in airplane mode? Can I just get away with leaving it in airplane mode for the entire trip with the WiFi on and not purchase a sim card? I don’t think I will be making any phone calls other than possibly on whatsapp. By the way…Kick-ass website you run here!!!
Sammi says
Hi Matt, if you connect your phone to the Wi-Fi hot spot and leave your airplane mode, you don’t necessarily need a sim card. The difference is that with a sim card, you will have a local Costa Rican phone number. If you use a wi-fi hot spot, you will only have Internet, you will not have a Costa Rican phone number.
Bill M says
Smart phone neophyte here, Will need to use gps ( waze ) to get from Conchal to Montezuma and for emergency calls, will be in CR for 3 weeks but will be using wifi on my tablet except for the above mentioned. How much data should I purchase?
Pura Vida
Sammi says
I would get maybe like 5000 colones first and then you can refill it later if you need to
Rachael says
Hi!
I hope this isn’t a dumb question… but we are getting wi-fi in our rental car and have wi-fi at the place we’re staying.. do we still need to get the sim card or will we have access to the web/gps/etc just from having wifi?
I read somewhere else we need to be able to put our phone in GSM mode.. is that something you’re familiar with or if we have an unlocked smart phone can we just get a sim card at the airport and be on our way? I’d like to avoid getting the international plan with Verizon due to the expense.
And finally do we need to request the phone be unlocked whether or not we are just using wi-fi?
Sammi says
If you plan to use only the Wi-Fi hot spot, it will give you Internet on your phone like normal, just like if you were connecting to the Wi-Fi at your home. Put your phone in Airplane mode so you don’t get charged for roaming, turn on Wi-fi and connect to the hotspot.
If you want to get a prepaid sim card, your phone has to be unlocked and must take a sim card. It doesn’t need to be unlocked if you plan to use Wi-Fi only.
Hans says
Just my experience. Got the Kolbi sim at SJO airport on arrival Aug 17th. They could not do the all in max plan for some reason. Said there was system problems so then had to got to a grocery store and put 5000 colones on after the 100MB included with the $2 at the initial purchase.
Does not seem they advertise or want to sell 2GB of data for $10. Instead they want you to buy data at regular prepaid rates.
J says
Just wanted to leave this here for folks who no longer have their SIM card pin and need it (which would happen if you restart your phone. You can call 1193 from someone else’s phone that has Kolbi and request what’s called a PUK number (you can request support in English). The PUK is the number that you will need to enter on your phone after you’ve entered in the incorrect SIM pin too many times. All you need to do is provide the rep with the ID number that you used to purchase the SIM card ie your passport number. This can also be avoided if you change the SIM pin in your phone settings when your first get the SIM card.
Amit Singh says
Hi there, just arrived at Liberia airport & that Kolbi stand looks to have become an Amstar tourism stand.
Jeff says
Our flight arrives at 11:55 p.m. on July 7. Can I count on being able to buy a SIM Card at the airport at that late hour? Thank you in advance for your time.
Sammi says
The Kolbi stand closes at 1015 PM.
Jeff says
What if i have a Kolbi sim card that I activated several years ago while on vacation in CR. Can I somehow pay and reactivate it online with them?
Sammi says
I don’t believe it will work, they recycle numbers so it has already been sold to someone else if it’s been a few years ago. You can try that first when you go to the Kolbi stand if you want though.
Kiana says
Hi! I’m studying abroad in CR for 6 weeks and recently had the volunteer coordinator for my program purchase a Kolbi SIM card for me. However, I am not sure how much data I have on it. Is there a way I can check this? Thank you!
Sammi says
Hi Kiana, type *1150# to check your balance.
Julie says
Hi. I am coming to Costa Rica in May and will need a SIM card that will allow me to upload video and pictures to social media for work purposes. Can you advise what would be the best thing for me to do. I have an iphone8. Thanks
Sammi says
Hi Julie, you can see what plans they offer when you pick up the SIM card because if you’re streaming or uploading/video and photos, that will take up a lot of data and you should see if they have a data package plan for however long you’re staying at. Also you can always save photos and videos on Instagram and upload the later when you are connected to Wi-Fi so you don’t have to do everything using your data.
Joanne says
Are the prepaid SIM cards nano size?
Sammi says
Yeison has a Iphone 8+ that uses a nano, for prepaid they should have one.
Chani says
Hi there!
I purchased a prepaid SIM card at the airport Kolbi kiosk while in CR 6 months ago. I was really pleased with how it well it worked out, such good value. I am returning soon and wondered if I will be able to simply recharge the same card? Or will I have to purchase a new package?
Thank you for your help. Pure vida!
Sammi says
Hi Chani, the cards expire if the number hasn’t been used for a certain period of time (I think a few weeks or a month) so you’ll have to buy a new one.
tex says
When you purchase a sim card at the airport and put it in your smartphone are you able to access uber immediately ?
Sammi says
Yes if you already have the app on your phone and you get data on your card, that’s all you need to use Uber.
Rich says
Does the Kolbi sim allow for tethering?
Sammi says
Hi Rich, that will depend on your phone you have and the plan. You can normally tether with any sim card but only certain phones or plans have tethering.
Christine Byl says
Hello,
I’m kind of a dunce about phones, so sorry if this is an obvious question. If we put a CR SIM card into my husband’s iPhone, will that erase all of his current contacts, data, etc? We are not using it for international calls right now but are using it for WhatsApp texts and iMessages that come in on WiFi. I assume that will all disappear if I switch to the new card. Thanks for any input!
Christine
Sammi says
Hi Christine, I know that as long as you don’t re-register the new phone number, your Whatsapp will stay the same, that is what someone told me.
Jon says
Sammi you’re correct. I used Whatsapp while I was in CR recently and when I first opened it, it asked me if I wanted to use a local CR number or keep my existing one.
Jon says
Recently returned from trip to Costa Rica and purchased a Kolbi SIM when I got there. My biggest tip would be to double check that your phone actually is unlocked. My iPhone and my wife’s iPhone’s were both supposedly unlocked.
I purchased the SIM at San Jose for $10 and it gave an error of some type. Kolbi rep I bought it from said phone must not be unlocked, also tried card in my wife’s phone also with same result. Kolbi rep tried it in hers and it worked fine. At this point she said unfortunately she couldn’t take the card back being it had been sold and registered to me.
Ended up doing a chat on WiFi with AT&T on wife’s phone, Kolbi SIM was in my phone. Chat rep stated also that my phone was supposedly unlocked. After going through some back and forth and finally about defeated, I had the AT&T rep add the international (or whatever it’s called) package added to my phone. At the last second I looked over at my phone again & low & behold the top now said Kolbi on it!! I had the AT&T rep cancel their package and the Kolbi worked fine from that point on.
So I’m not sure exactly how you’re supposed to double check that your phone is unlocked before getting there (short of contacting provider), but do it somehow or you may be in for a surprise when you go to activate your Kolbi card!
Hardtac says
Use a sim card from one of your friends phone(from a different company) to test if a phone is unlocked.
Shantell says
This is a bit late but might be helpful in the future for someone else with the same inquiry:
Someone mentioned that they weren’t sure how to check for certain if their phone was for certain “unlocked” through ATT. This link allows you to check your status to clarify that.
https://www.att.com/deviceunlock/?#/
Good luck!
P.S. Yes also, if your phone isn’t paid off (as in you’re still making monthly payments on your phone) they won’t unlock it for you 🙁
Kathi McGraw says
Hi – Great article and comment section!
We arrive at SJO on Saturday, January 26 (2pm) and need to activate phone service after we deplane, so I guess we’ll be visiting the Kolbi stand in the airport. We’ll be staying in Santa Ana for 2+ months and I’m bringing our Moto G5 Plus (4G, dual SIM, unlocked international version). We need to arrange for an Uber ride to the condo and to contact the landlord enroute to gain entry & check in. We’re not cell phone users back in the US, so we’re rookies with understanding how to best use cell service, but the G5 Plus has worked well for the 3 months we’ve been in Portugal (using Vodafone service). We rarely used the phone while on the road in Portugal (rental car), mostly making WIFI calls from the apartment.
While in Costa Rica, we will have WIFI at the apartment. However, we won’t be renting a car, using Uber several times each week, mostly for grocery stores and my husband going to the golf course. This trip is not for vacation/tourist activities, but as a trial run to see if we want to spend winters in CR.
Finally my question – What is the best Kolbi option/plan for using cell service mostly for local calls and the Uber app while away from the apartment?
As you’ve mentioned we can’t use a credit card for adding service as needed at local grocery stores, I’d like to buy what’s needed at the airport using the credit card, unless I can add service on the Kolbi website using a credit card.
Sammi says
Hi Kathi, I would recommend to check the Kolbi website to see what prepaid plans they have available and you can also ask the person at the Kolbi counter when you purchase it what they offer. They have a lot of different plans with minutes, texts and data and you can decide what you think you need. They have weekly, monthly and daily plans so check their website to see the details which will help you decide.
Regan says
Flying into Libera and heading to Nicaragua the next day. It seems like claro is the best sim card for nicaragua but not sure a claro sim card from CR would be the same as in nica. Or if I would have to buy a different sim in nica.
Sammi says
I would recommend Movistar, they have chips that work all throughout Central America and I find their internet to be much better, they have way more signal than Claro.
Brandy says
Hi!
Thanks so much for your very informative blogs!!! Love!!
Question about having a sim card. I understand that if I get a sim card in CR, my number changes. And that if I call back home to the US, it uses up a big chunk of my data bought on my sim…. I’ve also read that its free and doesn’t use up my data if someone from the US calls my phone while in CR ….BUT, does that cost the US caller anything to call my phone with a now CR number from a US phone?
Thanks so much for any advise. I’m coming in a couple of weeks for 10 days for my 40th bday!!!! First trip, super excited!
Brandy
Sammi says
Hi Brandy, yes so the person who calls your CR phone from the US will have to pay an international calling charge since they are calling an international number. Where you bought your phone doesn’t matter, it is the sim card that’s inside the phone because it changes the phone number and network.
Glad the blog is helpful, have a great time here!
Chan says
I recommend you and your friends use Whatsapp. First activate Whatsapp on your with your usual cell phone number, and same goes for your friends. Then when you travel to other countries, take out your usual SIM and put in the foreign SIM . As long as you don’t re-register your phone number against your Whatsapp account, your friends can still reach you via Whatapp (voice, text and even video).
That’s how I communicate with friends and family back home during vacation. Hope that helps.
Katherine says
If I primarily want access to Waze for driving directions, what would be the best plan to support this? I assume some type of data plan but I don’t have any idea how much that would require – we’ll be driving maybe 5 days. Thank you!
Sammi says
You can do the pay as you go (prepaid) and it’ll take away credit as you use data or you can sign up for a plan. You can check with the stand you’re purchasing the card from what plans they have. With Waze, if you set your route using Wi-Fi before you go, then it won’t take up more data since it already downloaded and has the route when you were on Wi-Fi (you have to keep the app open, don’t close it). For 5 days, I would put maybe like 5000 colones or see if they have any good data plans available.
Chan says
With Kolbi, I recommend activating a data package with the prepaid plan; instead of paying the default per-kb prepaid rate out of your prepaid credit. The default rate is currently 0.008588C per kb (8.588C per MB). As a heavy data user, I went with “En Todas y más” that provides 2GB data at 4000C, which is 2C per MB.
There are other data packages available.
Reload the phone at a store to ensure sufficient balance, then dial *888# to enter menu, and select “3 – Internet Movil”, “1 – Paquetes EN TODAS”, “5 – En Todas y Mas” (or another package shown), “1 – Aceptar”.
Hope that helps.
Larry Sy says
Hi, I will travelling to CR for the first time in about 2 weeks time, landing in San Jose. I need a local sim card with data so I can use Uber to get to my AirBNB.
In this post about the sim card, you mentioned “It is also best to pay in Costa Rican colones, not USD or credit card.”
In your post on exchanging money, you mentioned “You can also exchange at the airport. Both the Liberia International and San Jose International Airport currency exchange is right when you exit customs and at baggage claim. You don’t get the best exchange rate so if you can wait until the bank, I would.”
What is your suggestion if I just got out from the plane and don’t have any colones with me? Try to get some colones at the airport or just pay with USD?
BTW, thanks your your very informative blog. I might rent a car through you during my stay,
Larry
Sammi says
Hi Larry, you can get a sim card at the airport and those ones take credit card/USD which is best way to pay for it. If you want, you can exchange to get some CRC but if you have time or have the chance to go to a bank, I would go to the bank to get colones instead. But when you are recharging your sim card like at the grocery store/cell phone store, all prices are in colones so it’s best to pay in Costa Rican colones.
Chan says
We just came back from our trip and here’s our experience: we arrived late at night and the Kolbi booth was closed. The next day we went to the Adobe office to pick up an extra car seat (I asked for two but only gave us one at the hotel) and I asked the staff there about the SIM card. To my surprise, they gave us one for free. This SIM is pre-activated; I just had to put it in my phone and worked right away.
Later on I needed an extra SIM card for my wife’s phone. I hunted around for one and one store sold me one; however, it has big bold words in Spanish stated that the “SIM card is not activated”. I took it to the hotel lobby, in which the front desk staff called and helped me to get activated. The staff had to read off some information from my passport as part of the activation process.
Kasatka says
Hi there!
So, I want to confirm that we can buy a sim card in Costa Rica at the airport with US passports?
Sammi says
H Kasatka, yes you can.
Chartini616 says
2 Questions: I was visiting CR approximately 5 years ago and purchased a sim card. I still have it. #1) Will this SIM still work and #2) if yes, can I add “recharge” my phone online before I return to CR again in Jan?
Sammi says
Hi Chartini, no the sim card won’t work. They deactivate if the card hasn’t been used within I believe 30 days. You will need to buy a new one.
dotty says
I think I understand about purchasing a SIM card while at the SJO airport to use for data. I also know that when prompted/asked if I want to move my contacts, etc over to the new number associated with the SIM card I should say “no” so as not to lose my whattsapp, imessage, etc contacts.
However, I am curious about what folks have done to make international phone calls to land-line numbers. We need to keep in touch with our parents back home .Does kolbi have a plan and if so has anyone used it recently? Thanks
Sammi says
Hi Dotty, with the prepaid sim card, you can call international numbers like normal (make sure to type in the international country code) and your credit will be charged for each minute. International phone calls are a bit $ so just make sure to have plenty of credit.
Juan Pablo says
Hi! My wife and I are going to Costa Rica in November and have thought about purchasing a Sim Card or paying for international roaming. We are leaving our toddlera back home and need to stay in constant contact in case something happens. When you buy the sim card, does the number for your whatsapp change? Or is it the same as our local number in Colombia?
Sammi says
I believe if you don’t delete the app off your phone, it’ll keep working as normal as long as you have data/Wi-Fi. (I’m not 100% sure since I never tested it but I think so) Whatsapp does go by phone number but I think as long as you don’t delete the app or clear the cache it’ll keep all the information stored.
Steven says
Unless you go into your WhatsApp and change your number it will stay the same. You can change your Sim and the number of your phone as often as you like and your WhatsApp will still work. I had no issues swapping Sim cards in Hong Kong, or in Mexico this year, and my WhatsApp still connected and sent messages just like back home.
Sammi says
Hi Emma, these are prepaid packages, the bottom part tells you how to activate and the section above tells you what each package has.
Laura Polaski says
Hello all!
I just noticed that this page says that Verizon phones will not work because they do not use a SIM card. I am really confused because my phone DOES have a SIM card and a Verizon agent told me to buy a SIM card in CR. I do not have a strictly Verizon phone. Is that the difference? It is an unlocked iPhone 6 that has been used with various carriers.
Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi Laura! So if you purchase a phone from Verizon, they don’t use SIM cards but you have an unlocked phone that you didn’t get from Verizon, something probably like my old Google Nexus (Verizon uses a code I believe to register phones). As long as your phone can use a sim card, then you can purchase one from Costa Rican and use it.
Christian says
This isn’t correct. All Verizon 4glte devices come unlocked with quad band. I work for them and travel to CR quarterly
Sammi says
Thanks for the update, last time we were with Verizon they didn’t have sim cards which is the reason why we switched to TMobile. Is it because of the phones or is it with all Verizon?
Zee says
Update for future viewers – All Verizon 4G LTE phones have a SIM card slot, and I believe almost all of them are factory unlocked.
sassette says
FYI
Did a bit of research online and found that if you are still paying monthly installments on your phone with AT&T, they will not unlock you phone.
This sucks because it’s almost the only way to get a phone these days – through monthly installments. The system really does blow.
Yiqi Jin says
you can pay off the installment plan, wait 48 hours, then submit another unlock request online.
Vivian says
When I bought my SIM card from Kolbi in Coco, I received a text when the woman activated it with my balance. The text was in English. Is there a way to check your account with English as the language?
Sammi says
Hi Vivian, you should be able to check your balance by dialing *1150# and it will send you a text. Balance is “Saldo” in Spanish, the lady who set it up for you probably set it up in English since they have that option but even if it’s in Spanish, just look for the word “Saldo” and right after it should be the amount you have in credit.
Sasha says
Just a warning- I got a Movistar SIM card this week with 650 KB of data right away, cost me about $6. I went into a restaurant nearby and connected to their WiFi, called over WhatsApp while eating, checked my emails, etc.. Then 30 minutes later I get a text message saying I have no more mobile data left! I went back to the Movistar store and they told me that you use phone data even while connected to a WiFi network unless you explicitly turn off mobile data at that time.. I was super mad! I tried buying another recarga for 2000 colones a few days later, and the whole lot was gone after a few hours of GPS navigation.
So I strongly discourage people to buy Movistar cards!
Sammi says
Hi Sasha! Wow I had no idea, that is super weird! If you have strong Wi-Fi your WiFi should take over on your phone, I have noticed there have been some times when I’m connected to Wi-Fi that is suuuuuper slow and stopped working and my phone data takes over but that is a huge bummer! And Movistar data goes by quickly. They have been promoting free Whatsapp on Movistar too so that’s not good. Good to know and that is annoying. For GPS, I always recommend to download the maps offline beforehand on Wi-Fi cause it goes up fast on data.
Lee says
I’m going to CR next week and have an android phone. How do I download the maps before I go for GPS?
Sammi says
You need to open Google Maps, go to COsta Rica and it’ll give you an option to download and save offline.
Valori Heitkamp says
Hi we are arriving in Lib on feb 22nd at 1:30pm. We will have carry ons and are hoping to fly through immigration/customs and will get rental car and will need to get to Monteverde before dark! We shouldnt need calling but I’d love to be able to get Waze for GPS. Does it take much time to get sim card at kolbi at airport? Or should we just get the gps adobe offers and use that? I know we r cutting it close esp if delays but our goal is to get to Monteverde before dark! Do I also need to unlock my phone before getting there if we get the sim card? thx
Sammi says
Hi Valori, you need an unlocked cell phone (you can read in the post the requirement for an unlocked phone but you need to be able to put a sim card in and it has to be unlocked). There is a Kolbi office right outside of customs and it shouldn’t take too long, it’s a pretty quick process. I also recommend downloading Waze beforehand and downloading all the languages and updates before you open it in Costa Rica because it takes up a lot of data if it needs to download updates so do it somewhere you have Wi-Fi. If you can get out by 2:30, 3 PM the very latest, you can get to Monteverde right when it’s dark but please don’t try too fast when you go up the mountain on the bad road because it is very curvy and narrow.
George D says
Is it possible to get a cheap phone at a reasonable cost? And if so, what would you recommend?
Sammi says
You can buy cheap not smart phones in Costa Rica but I recommend buying it online on Amazon because they’re not as cheap in Costa Rica and they will all be in Spanish. And the “cheap” smart phones in Costa Rica are still pretty expensive, the cheapest one will be at least $100 or more. I recommend getting one like this one: http://amzn.to/2DyrPsg if you don’t want a smart phone.
Gordon says
As of October 5, 2017, the Kolbi kiosk in SJO will not sell you a SIM if you have a passport with letters in it. Both my Canadian and fiancee’s Filipino passport have letters and we had to go elsewhere looking for a SIM. The explanation was nonspecific except it my be a limitation in their computer system.
Sammi says
Hi Gordon, that’s odd! Did you try your driver’s license? I have shown my driver’s license before and they accepted that.
Gordon says
No, I didn’t try. She asked for a passport and then said she couldn’t do it with letters so I moved on. I ended up finding a movistar van on the side of the road with three employees hanging out. It ended up working better, in my opinion, because it had free Waze, which was the main reason I wanted the SIM. It also had some data and voice (I forget the exact amount, but in 8 days I didn’t run out) for only 3000 CRC.
Sammi says
Ohh that is weird. Well I’m glad it worked out and good note about the free Waze, forgot Movistar had that.
Valerie says
Do you know the hours they are open? Also would they have a SIM card for iphone 6 plus?
Sammi says
I’m not sure exact hours the KOlbi store in SJO is open but it was still open when we arrived at 830 PM. They should have a sim card, they can cut it if you have a nano card.
Draxz says
Does anyone know how much credit would be sufficient for a 10 day trip in Costa Rica and specifically a data heavy plan for GPS navigation; its hard to figure out how much $ equals to how much MB of data
Sammi says
I would put at least $10 on it at first. GPS uses a lot of data but you can download the maps and use them offline to save credit and then you can refill at any supermarket easily if you need to.
Lee says
How do I use the maps offline? Do I turn GPS off and just read the map like a paper map but on my phone?
Sammi says
In the Google Maps app, you can save sections of the map so you can open it up later even if you don’t have internet but you need to first download them (so you need internet) and then Gmaps will save it for you.
Jiri says
Hello,
does anyone know which operator is the best for using a data for GPS navigation? I want to use a google maps in my smartphone, but I don´t know how much credit I need to recharge for 11 days?? Thank you. George (CZECH)
Sammi says
Kolbi has the most coverage and I recommend actually to use Waze, not Google Maps (google maps here is awful). For 11 days, I’d put at least $20 if you’re going to be using GPS a lot and then you can check how much credit you have and recharge when you need to.
Nisha says
Can you use your phone on Wi-Fi in your hotel/apartment without getting a SIM card? I was planning on leaving my phone in Airplane mode and using Skype in the apartment instead of calling. Does that work?
Sammi says
Yup, you can do that. As long as you can connect to the Wi-Fi, you can use it even if your phone is in airplane mode. And depending on what kind of phone you have, you can do wi-fi calling. My samsung does that.
Nisha says
Oh really? I have an iPhone 6 with AT&T. Do you know if I can call on Wi-Fi with that? Thank you so much!!!
Sammi says
I don’t know about iphones, but in my samsung drop down menu on the top I have an option that says Wi-Fi Calling. I don’t think Iphone 6 has it because Yeison has one and his doesn’t have wi-fi calling.
Sarah says
I’m in costa rica now aND bought a $5 kolbi sim. I think it’s for a week of data or service. I don’t really know. I haven’t needed to make any calls and have only used it for Internet when I’m not near WiFi. I didn’t have an ublocked phone but the guy at the kiosk in the airport seemed to make it all work. I have a Samsung Galaxy s4. Maybe he has a code to do it. Anyway. What’s the best way to extend the service ? If I wanted data for a month?
Sammi says
You’ll have to add more credit on your card, you can do it at the supermarket and you have to pay in colones. You can use activate a plan when you add more credit or you can just use it as pre-paid and it’ll deduct credit as you go. Most Samsung phones are unlocked depending on who your carrier is or if you bought it retail.
Me says
If I use my US phine plan on aoiplane mode, will I need a sim card for free WiFi calling?
Sammi says
To use free Wi-Fi calling, you need to be connected to Wi-Fi so you can’t do that with just the data from a sim card. You will need to be connected to Wi-Fi to be able to use the free Wi-Fi calling that way.
Todd Gallant says
Wow, the article and your answers to all these questions have been great! We’re travelling with friends to CR this April and you’ve convinced me to get my iPhone 6 Plus unlocked before I leave Canada, rather than buy a cheap one there to use it. Thanks!
I’ll probably go with Kolbi. I know it’s probably just the Google translation of the page, but I found it difficult to find pricing information on simply buying a local SIM and adding credit for minutes and data. Does anyone know if a SIM can still be bought for just a few dollars and I can add more credit for 2 weeks of travel? I did see some information on their site about plans with x amount of data to use during y amount of days…
…but that was data only. Nothing about talk minutes. We’ll not really need many minutes, as we’ll likely only be calling a few hotels and tour operators while visiting, but it would be nice to know how that works.
Can you help clarify?
Sammi says
You can buy the sim card for about $4 and then add as much credit as you want. They have options for plans or you can just do pay as you go, so you put a set amount on there, say $20 and then you can call/text/use data and it’ll just deduct from your credit. I like to do that so I can have the option of minutes and texts instead of just data.
Patricia says
Hi, I coming to Costa Rica 10-22 February. I was wondering if my old Nokia non-smart phone would work. It is only a dual band model, 900/1800. I really just want it for quick messaging with friends in country while there. I will have my iPad with me with a roaming program with my carrier. I don’t normally use a cell phone at home and have this Nokia phone left over from a trip a few years back to Thailand.
BTW, I will mostly be in the Playa Potrero area but plan on a few excursions away from from the coast while there.
Sammi says
As long as the phone has a slot for a sim card and is unlocked, you can get a sim card for it here.
Jeff says
Hello, does anyone know how much data is available on 1 $4 sim card? I don’t need the card for calls, I just need it for data to create a mobile hotspot with my iPhone and then connect my laptop to that hotspot. Also, does anyone know average speeds I would see in Tamarindo on the sim cards’ network? Thanks in advance!
Sammi says
You won’t get much done with just $4 for data… in Tamarindo I am getting around 2-3mb (it’s super slow) on my phone which is good enough for apps, surfing the web and checking emails but watching Youtube is kind of annoying and slow. If you need it for video chatting/downloading/uploading, I suggest when you buy your sim card to see if they have a plan with faster speed. If I remember correctly when I had Movistar, I was able to pay for a 1 week or month plan with 5mb.
Ester says
Hi ill be going to the Arenal for a few days and then to Playa Tamarindo, any idea on which company prepaid sim card I should purchase, i would need one that has good data speed with good pricing. Thank you!
Sammi says
Hi, Kolbi should work fine and hotels have Wi-Fi.
Shabso says
Hello,
I am traveling to Costra Rica at the end of January 2017. I would prefer to get a Costa Rican SIM card rather than buying an international roaming plan, given the extra charges associated with the plan with CR being in a different zone.
My flight does not get into until 9:20 pm and I imagine we wont get off the plane and into the baggage area until around 10 or later on a Sunday. Does anyone know how late the kiosk is open in the airport? I would wait to get it the next day but I have to catch an early bus that morning.
yeison says
Hi Shabso, the Kioskos have a 8am to 6pm schedule, but no worries you can get sim cards on most of the cell stores and in some super markets you will have an area there they sell them.
Teresa says
Just went through the airport tonight and the tourist SIM card was $40 USD with some credit for calls and Internet. Once I realised that the price was in USD I didn’t look at it anymore. Will go searching in town tomorrow any suggestions at all for a good place to buy a cheap phone and SIM card. Thanks
Sammi says
If you go to any cell phone store, you should be able to buy a sim card (around $4) and then put as much credit as you’d like on it. Cell phones in Costa Rica aren’t cheap, but you can get one of those simple phones, not a smartphone for not very much.
Teresa says
Hi Sammi. Thanks for the message. Just wanted to let other readers know not to get caught purchasing the SIM card at the airport. Really it was a big rip off . Got one at the markets today
Sammi says
That’s good to know about that, I didn’t realize they were making people pay $40 for a sim card at the airport. Thanks for the heads up, glad you found one at the market instead
Xrak En says
I landed at SJO on Dec 31 and also saw the $40 “tourist SIM card” brochures at the Kolbe/ICE kiosk buth when I asked the person behind the counter he told me about another option to get a SIM card for US$ 2.00. I got that and my phone worked right away along with internet. I had a hard time figuring out what kind of an internet plan I was on and never did figure out during my entire trip. I did add another USD 5.00 at a grocery store and I used about 500MB on my one week trip and never had any issues with calling or internet access.
Sammi says
Hi Xrak! So it seems there are two options, they probably offer the $40 plan for people who aren’t sure exactly how much and don’t want to be worried about running out of credit. Glad to hear you can still get the $2 pre-paid sim card and put as much as you want on the go.
Todd says
Hi, I am going on a live aboard dive trip to Cocos Island. I have read that there is cellular service when the boat is near the island. I want to use WhatsApp to keep in touch with family while I am away. Which Costa Rican SIM card should I buy for Cocos?
Thanks, Todd
Sammi says
Kolbi is the most common one, but I’d also ask your tour provider as they should know for sure.
Pam says
Do you know which phone company works best on the Caribbean coast? I’ll be staying in Puerto Viejo.
Sammi says
Kolbi worked for us over there, I remember getting 4g in town.
Pam says
Thank you! I’ll reply when I return with how it worked.
Sammi says
Sounds great! 🙂
arnold Guillen says
I made a mistake on my first comment. it is not a Iphone5 but a Iphone 6 that I’m getting from the US and I want to know if I can use it in Costa Rica by Unblocking the phone or replacing the chip. It is currently being used with Verizon as the service provider.
arnold Guillen says
I’m getting an iphone5 from the US but I do not know what model other that my daughter is using Verizon. They tell me that that phone will not work her in Costa Rica due to the band that it is working on now. i’m using Kolbi here on a prepaid program. Can it be unblocked or simple replace the chip or order a chip from Kolbi?
Please let me know what are my options,
Thank you
Sammi says
Hi Arnold, we have friends who use an Iphone 6 from Verizon and they have been able to use a prepaid sim card. You may need to cut the chip (I forget if Iphone uses normal sim or nano), but they can set up the network when she gets her card but the phone needs to be unlocked.
Greg says
Thanks for the info. My daughter and her school are travelling Costa Rica tomorrow and I have been wondering how will I stay in contact. SIM purchase sounds simple enough. Hope they offer lots of data though because I am expecting a heap of facebook updates from her
yeison says
Hi Greg, just make sure she has an unlock phone, then she can put more credit that can use on date on almost every grocery store here.
Leonardo says
Hello friends, I’m from Costa Rica and I am working on a project in which we are evaluating the option of placing a shop at the airport, which would provide the rental services of mifi devices (mobile mini internet routers – hotspots) which will give to our customers an unlimited internet service up to 10 people with a single payment, so it would be helpful for families and people who want to have internet access wherever they go without having to have an unlocked phone or having to change SIM cards . The approximate cost would be $ 1.99 per day for unlimited internet.
I’d like to know your point of view on this project I’m undertaking and if you have suggestions about related services which could offer to make your stay more pleasant.
Greetings from Costa Rica.
Pura Vida!
yeison says
Price is good, what company are you planning to use (Kolbi/movistar/claro/japi/etc)?
Leonardo says
In this momment we are evaluating Kolbi, Claro, and Movistar, we are looking to have contracts with two companies (Kolbi/Claro) and Movistar to offer our customers both options and give them the best coverage area possible according to the place which they are thinking to visit.
Thanks for your reply.
yeison says
Great! Please let us know whenever you guys start providing your services. Good luck 🙂
Courtney says
Hello Leonardo,
When are you opening your shop? Is there one in LIB airport? Just hope you have one there in July.
Alan says
Please let us know if the mifi rental is already available. this is a great idea.
Recommendation
try offering devices that support dual sim. in that way the device can switch between networks base on best reception.
Base on my research Costa Rica data cell providers work in the following frequency. 2G GSM 850, 1800 | 3G UTMS 850, 1800 | 4G LTE 1800, 2600.
ATT operates in 850, 1900, 700, 1700, 1900, 2100, 2300. (Missing 1800 and 2600) (this does not mean that your ATT phone supports all these frequency’s)
T-mobile operates in 700, 1700, 2100
the problem with usa phones is that ATT and T-mobile do not work on all frequency’s so you may get 3G instead of 4G. the reason is simple your phone radio does not cover the frequency needed to get to the Costa Rica 4G.
reference information
wikipedia.org
EL says
Is good you guys have like 14 days or 30 days plan as well.. instead of usd1.99
Jane says
Thanks for the info regarding location of my pin for my Kolbi prepaid card!
Do you know why I can’t text to Canada?
iPhone 5S
Thanks!
Sammi says
Once you have a Costa Rican number, you need to add the country code and area code (if needed) because your number is Costa Rican.
Stephanie says
We are staying near the Sierpe River near Drake Bay, do you have any recommendations on the carrier with the best service in that area?
yeison says
Hi, Kolbi worked very well when we were there
Cirillo Bianchi says
Prepai card kolbi is useful also for gps navigation with googlemaps?
Sammi says
Yes, just make sure you put enough credit on there.
Kat says
How much credit would you recommend purchasing for 2 weeks of travel requiring constant GPS?
Sammi says
At the very least, around 10,000 ($20). You can always recharge it when you run out. I also recommend downloading the maps/route when you have Wi-Fi.
Brandi says
I’m really enjoying all the wonderful information you’ve made available, thank you! We will be visiting CR this summer, and I’m concerned about taking my cell phone with me and using a SIM card. On one hand, I’m concerned about my phone getting stolen, and am considering buying a cheap phone at the airport. On the other hand, if I bring my own smartphone we’ll be able to use the phone’s camera and not have to worry about bringing a separate camera, which would be another device I’d worry about getting stolen. Do you have any recommendations one way or the other? If it makes a difference, we’ll be in Heredia for a week, then Samara for a week.
Sammi says
You can use your smartphone, I use mine and pretty much everyone I know who visits does since it’s how most people take pictures now. Just use your common sense, don’t leave it out on the table at a restaurant, don’t leave it at the beach while you go swimming, etc. Always have an eye on it and keep your belongings close to you.
Seb says
Hi, i have a kolbi sim card with 2gb data. But i use 1.5gb. How can i get more data ? In store its just for recharged crédit to call ? I just need more data.. thx.
Sammi says
Hi, you just need to add more credit. You can do this at a supermarket at the cash register.
Steve says
My first trip to Costa Rica. I plan to use my unlocked iPhone and purchase a Kolbi SIM card at the kiosk at San Jose airport. I’m getting conflicting information. I would prefer to purchase the sim card with US Dollars (cash), or with a US credit card or do you have to use colones?
Sammi says
We always used colones to purchase the SIM card but we always bought it at the cell phone store. Keep in mind that when you recharge your card at the supermarket or wherever, you have to pay in colones. But at the airport, it might be different, they may take dollars (I’d assume they would).
Young says
Do you know which service has the best data service in Jaco? We’re going at the end of the month for a week and want to have the flexibility of a pre-paid SIM while there. Thanks!
Young
Sammi says
We both use Kolbi and it works great, I get service everywhere with it. I’m not sure the exact price of data (you can probably find the price on their website)
Linda says
Any recommendations on where to purchase a MoviStar SIM card for my iPhone6 before we head to Costa Rica? I’ve gone to their website but I am at a disadvantage not speaking much Spanish.
yeison says
Hello Linda!
Samantha used to have a moviStar Sim Card and the problem we had was that in some areas there was no signal, same happened to my sister. They are good companies but just if you go to the popular areas where more population live. I used Kolbi and I 99% of the times I get good reception. Let us know if you have questions of if there is something we can help.
Linda says
So, then do you know where in the U.S. or from Costa Rica you can order and have shipped to you?
yeison says
You don’t need to do that you can find them every where and is very easy to get it, you just have to bring your phone and a picture ID Kolbi even have a Kiosk at the airport. the sim card cost like $2 and then you can put as much money as you want.
Maria says
Hi,
I have$10 Kolbi SIM card for 2 weeks now. How do I find out how many minutes I have left?
Maria
Sammi says
Hi Maria, send a blank text to 1150 and they’ll send a text back with your balance
NickC says
That doesn’t work (at Sept 11, 2015). I received a message saying “Lo sentimos, codify invalido. Ahora podes consultar el saldo llamando al *888*1*1# “, which I believe means that messaging 1150 was invalid and that you must dial *888*1*1# for your credit amount. It then gets displayed to you (but not sent as a message)
PS. I wonder why nobody reads your answers to the questions asked before they go and ask exactly the same questions
Sammi says
Hi Nick, you need to type *1150# and you’ll get a message pop up of our balance (tu saldo). This is just for Kolbi, I believe the other companies have a different code.
Guy says
Where can I see the data plains and prices ?
Thanks !
Sammi says
Hi Guy, you should be able to see them on the website. Just Google “Kolbi ICE Costa Rica” or “Movistar CR” and they should have them on there.
Michael says
Flying into Liberia to spend a week on the Nicoye peninsula, was planning on getting a Kolbi sim, is there a kiosk at LIR?
Sammi says
Hi Michael, yes there is a sim card kiosok right before you leave the airport
Abbie says
OOPS! didn’t see this reply here regarding LIR and a Kolbi SIM! Glad I kept reading, AUG 2015 is current enough! 🙂
lora says
This is really helpful info. as we will be in CR in a few days. When you get a sim card in an iPhone (Verizon) do you lose access to your regular phone number since I understand you get a CR phone number? Also, how do you stop using the sim card at the end of the trip? Do we stop at the Kolbi stand both arriving and leaving San Jose?
thanks for the help!
yeison says
Hi Lora,
You need to have an unlock phone in order to use any Costa Rica Sim Card like Kolbi. Yes you will lose access to your regular phone because you are using a CR sim card (if you want to keep getting calls as you do in the US/Canada you should ask for roaming). At the end you just have to stop using it is a prepaid sim card, they have one stand at the airport but if it is close you can find the sim cards in many cell phone stores in Costa Rica. Have a nice trip
Stef says
Awesome. Thanks for the quick answer Sammi!
Sammi says
You’re welcome!
Stef says
When I go to Costa Rica, Internet is the important thing for me when it comes to buying a sim card as I want to talk to my boyfriend via Skype. I want to travel to Guanacaste as well, that is why I am not sure which sim card to buy. Should I get Kolbi with a better coverage but slower internet or movistar with worse coverage and faster internet? What do you think?
Sammi says
I would get Kolbi – I used to have Movistar and it didn’t work in a lot of places in Guanacaste. The speed difference is really not anything different, I’ve used both and in theory, Movistar is a bit faster but you can barely tell. I would rather get Kolbi since it has more coverage than to get Movistar and not even get a chance to use the internet since there’s no coverage
vanessa says
If i utilize kolbi sim card and unlock phone will i still be able to utilize wifi calling apps? I only intend to use sim card for local calls in costa rica but free wifi calling to msking calls to the usa.
Sammi says
Yes, once you have a sim card it acts like any other pre-paid card. As soon as you activate the data on your phone it will start deducting credit according to how much data you use. So you can use all the apps like normal including any calling apps like Whatsapp but just keep an eye on your credit because Kolbi data is more expensive and it can run out quick depending how much data you use.
Vanessa says
You mentioned kolbi data is expensive, is there another company you recommend to purchase SIM card through? And just if clarify if I only make calls using WiFi apps will it still deduct data from SIM card or carrier? ,I was under the impression it doesn’t do so, but please forgive me I’m really ignorant on this area.
Sammi says
It’s expensive in comparison to the other ones but if you’re only here for a short period of time and not making phone calls, it won’t make a huge difference. For example I use my phone data a good couple hours a day, make some short phone calls here and there and costs me about 5-8 dollars for about a week (it varies but I’m estimating this is about average). Yes, if you make calls using WIFI apps it will deduct credit from your sim card if you are using the data (carrier is the same thing because you are buying a prepaid sim card from a carrier). If you are using WIFI, obviously it will not deduct because you’re on WIFI.
sophia says
I see how much you are recommending Kolbi. However, I see that you said Movistar has much faster internet, which is what I really need to check my accounts while in Costa Rica, but I also want to use WAZE, and whatsapp while I am there and be able to make a few phone calls to confirm reservations for tours and ask questions. I have an iPhone 4s unlocked. What do you recommend? Are they available stores in Airport in San Jose?
Thanks,
Sophia
We arrive July 11 (Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, Uvita, Dominical, San Jose) areas of travel
Sammi says
Hi Sophia,
I’ve used both and both Internet is decent, there isn’t a whole lot of difference when it comes to speed. I liked Movistar when I first moved here because the data was a bit cheaper but Movistar didn’t work in a lot of areas in Playas del Coco where we lived so I switched to Kolbi. We recommend Kolbi because it’s the oldest and biggest so they have towers all over the country whereas the other ones do not. So if you want to be able to check your accounts without having to worry about not having service in some areas, Kolbi is better and honestly, the speed isn’t a huge difference. I’ve used WAZE and all my billion apps on both services and it wasn’t really any difference. There is a Kolbi kiosk at San Jose.
Sophia says
Thank you!! My last question, do they still have stands in the airport?
-Sophia
Sammi says
Yes, there is a Kolbi kiosk at San Jose.
Richard says
purchasing data for sim card. Will it allow me to use my phone using WAZE as a GPS in Costa Rica. Does WAZE have ability to put in GPS coordinates to find a location?
yeison says
You will be able to type the name of the place you go, lots of people use WAZE here and yes with a prepaid simcard you will be able to use it no problem
Dot Hazlin says
I will be travelling to Guanecaste (Tamarindo), staying for 3 months. If I bring an unlocked cell phone, what is the best suggestion for me to get a SIM card with an unlimited data plan? I want to use the SIM card & data to run internet, and I have a data usage as it is a business. Any thoughts are appreciated.
Dot
yeison says
Hi!
If you bring an unlocked phone I think hte best option is to get a unlimited data plan, I use the 3 MB plan and it works alright most of the times. In order to get the plan you need to go to any Kolbi office and talk to a sales agents make sure to bring your passport.
Now if I would’ve be you I will not “Trust” my work internet connection to my cell phone data, sometimes the system is not strong enough, I will also consider to get a portable hot spot we have one and it works great. you can find them also at a Kolbo store.
yeison says
Hi tatiana!
I recommend you to get a Kolbi Sim card you can find them every where, in regards to data here you cannot buy packages (for example 2 GB 3B etc), you will have to preload your sim card with money and as soon as you activate your data will start deducting how much you use from your balance. it will all depends of much you use.
Then the best app here is WAZE it works perfectly and you will not need to rent a GPS if you have that app in your phone. If you renting a car we have special and exclusive benefits for Mytanfeet readers you can take a look here: Costa Rica car rental discount
Timo says
Hi you two. The prepaid plans on kölbi’s site do seem to include data packages now. I hope I’m not mistaken 🙂
Looks like it’s about $16.5/€15 for 2 GB for 30 days.
Sammi says
Awesome! Thanks for the update.
Tatiana says
HI , I will be traveling to RC for 7 days arrival in San Jose , would like to use my unlock iphone 5 as a GPS , going to Monteverde , Arenal and Quesos . How much data should I buy or what kind of sim card should I buy , I was thinking Kolbi since it has the most coverage. The thing is I don’t know how much it takes data for GPS using google maps or any other mapping ?
Any help please?
Thanks
Paul Fitzgerald says
Does anyone know if there is a Kolbi Kiosk at LIR (Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport). I’m headed there next week and need a SIM. Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi Paul,
If my memory serves me correct, there is a sim card booth on the left hand side after you go through customs before you exit. But I am not 100% positive as my memory sometimes does not work all the time haha but I have an initial thought there is one. Whether they have Kolbi I’m not sure. Sorry I can’t give a definite answer but I am leaning towards there is a booth after customs.
Reid says
Liberia does not have a Kolbi Kiosk as of January-April
Sammi says
Thanks for the update!
Cliff Harvey says
Thanks to all for this informative and timely forum. If I show up at the Kolbi booth at the San jose international airport, can I also buy a cheap phone there, to use in Costa Rica? If so, how much would I expect to pay ? All I need is a basic cell phone, like a flip phone, not a smart phone ( But if they had a really cheap android, I’d take it).
The only phones I have now are Verizon USA with no SIM card to swap out.
Thanks.
yeison says
Hi Cliff,
You can also find very cheap phones I have seen basic phones as low as $30 or $40, if the Kolbi store does not have cheap options there are hundreds cell phones stores around the country where you can find those cheap phones and get a Kolbe Sim Card.
Happy travels 🙂
Janet says
If I get a cheap phone, should I try to look for a standard, micro or nano sized SIM slot? Do they usually sell standard and micro sized SIM cards at the Kolbi kiosk? It seems many people with smartphones needed to get the cards trimmed down to nano sizes.
Sammi says
Hi Janet, you can get all size cards. Yeison has a nano in his iPhone and they provide them. If they don’t, they can usually cut it for you
LVernon says
I will be traveling to San Jose, Costa Rica on the 17 of January. I currently use a ‘prepaid go phone’ from AT&T and have been told I will need to purchase a SIM card in San Jose as AT&T does not service Costa Rica. Is it more economical to purchase this at the airport or elsewhere? Also, will I need to have my card trimmed? Based on the readings above it sounds like Kolbi is the best option. I will be on a mission trip traveling through the forests and rural areas, will I still have access in such areas? Also, what will be my cost, per international call, in dollars. It was referenced in colones and I don’t know the conversion rate. Any advice is helpful, as I’m not technically challenged. Thank you for making yourself available for us.
yeison says
Hi !
Vernon I hope you have great time in CR, I think that Kolbi is the best option for you the cover the whole country. In regards to but the card It cost the same every where (Just make sure to ask for data so you can use any app like viber, Tango, skype or anything similar to talk to family back home). Make sure to ask if you “put money in your sim card” in the areas you will be I will say 99% of the places have places where you can put credit but I dont know how where you will be.
I dont know the cost per international cost it right now, and for conversion exchange Google can give you the exact exchange rate it changes every day. usually 515 colones to one USD.
Have fun in Costa Rica
Robert Tournay says
Hello Sammi,
Great post – thanks for the great information. I travel to Costa Rica several times per year with student groups from the US. I would like to buy a SIM card for use while down here, paying as I go. However, I would also like to keep the same phone number. Do they ever expire? Sometimes it might be several months (as many as six) between visits.
Robt
yeison says
Hi Robert,
According to Kolbi website a Sim Card without any use or “recharge” in 120 days will be Inactive, it can be inactive for that period and in order to be reactivated you just need to put some money in the number, but if it is more than 150 days without any activity the service will be eliminated.
If you want to keep the number you need to have an active line, I think you have two options get a prepaid card and every 119 days make a $1 “recharge” as far as I know you can do it on some sites online without having a Costa Rica bank account (they will charge you a fee), the second option is to get normal line the ones that you pay at the end and add an automatic payment with your credit card, this option is more expensive (at least $6 a month) but will have to remember to recharge your prepaid line.
Pura vida
Ed Lyon says
Robert, thanks for posting this information. I tired to find the requirements on the Kolbi web site but wasn’t successful. Can you please provide me with the link you referenced? Thanks.
Jonathan says
I am traveling to Costa Rica and I have an iPhone 5/5c how can I tether the data so I don’t have to pay roaming for data usage. Thanks.
Sammi says
Hi Jonathan,
Your iphone should come with the ability to tether internet already. I think it is somewhere in the wi-fi settings, I do not have an iphone so I don’t know but I’m sure you can find it on the Apple manual.
Doug says
Don’t lose the slip of paper with you Kolbi number or you can’t recharge the phone. Even with a prepaid card, you need the PIN, the password, plus the number. No one can help you except a Kobli dealer, and they aren’t in remote places like Montezuma.
The agent selling me the SIM told me I’d get 150 MB if data, plus some calls, plus some text. The data stopped when my phone showed 113 MB used and the phone and text stopped simultaneously. Couldn’t call anyone to find number.
Sammi says
Oh yes if you don’t have a Costa Rican bank account, you have to keep the paper with the pin. I just recharge mine through Yeison’s account but most tourists/foreigners won’t have a CR account so to recharge you have to keep all the information. Great tip!
They don’t give warnings when your account credit is low so you have to check it once in awhile to make sure you don’t just end up getting cut off. That’s happened to me a few times !
Patrick says
I purchased 2 Kolbi cards in July 2014. One from a cellphone accessories reseller for C2000 (colones), another from an ICE store for C1000. Both had C1000 of credit on them. The registration process is a clerical in that it takes 5-8 minutes of staring at a person keying in info into a screen and each time they got my name got mangled. There is no manual provided with the SIM therefore to get MOBILE INTERNET you will need to change the APN on your cellphone to “kolbi3g” and not expect one of those that appears (kolbinternet/MMS/whatnot) to work.
Jeffrey Roth says
Hi Sammi
This is very helpful. Will be at Liberia Airport and going to Guanacaste on Saturday for the week. Own a Samsung Galaxy S4. Do SIM Cards need to be cut for these? I understand from Verizon that these come unlocked.
Sammi says
Hey Jeffrey! I am not sure about Verizon since I have AT&T but I didn’t have to cut my sim card and I have a Samsung Galaxy 2. I’m not sure about the difference between Verizon and AT&T Samsung phones but I *think* you do not need to cut it. If it turns out you do, the people at the booth can cut it for you. Hope this helps!
Julie D says
Thanks so much. We are leaving soon for three weeks and this was very helpful! At the airport kiosque, is there someone to cut the card or is it only an automated booth? Thank you.
Sammi says
Hi Julie! There will be someone there manning the booth and they should be able to cut the card for you – they will probably charge you however so just keep that in mind but it’s worth it if you don’t have access to a nail file or a pair of small scissors. Hope you have a wonderful trip and feel free to ask us if you have any more questions ! 🙂
Jim Tilton says
just got back from Costa Rica. Purchased $5 sim card from Kolbi ICE to put in my iphone 5s. It worked great. Not sure how much data I got for $5 but in a week I used over 65 MB and it was still going. I had to pay $2 for them to cut the card down to Nano size.
Sammi says
Hi Jim! Yes if you have an iphone 5 or 5s you have to cut the card. Yeison normally cuts it himself but if you can’t do it the phone store should be able to do it for you. It’s so cheap to have a sim card here, 65 mb for $5 in a week is great! I usually put about 5000 colones on mine (Kolbi card) and it lasts me about a month including texts, minutes and around 5mb of data since I’m usually using Wi-Fi.
Karin says
Thank you for such clear explanations. I am not “techie” and I just want to my husband and my two children to be able to use our iphones during our trip to Costa Rica. Yours is the only site that I have found that explains phone use, SIM cards etc. in clear, comprehensible language…. I finally understand! Much appreciated!
Sammi says
Hi Karin! You are very welcome and I’m so glad to hear that the article was helpful. It can be kinda confusing sorting out what is a sim card and how it works. Luckily it is fairly easy to get one here in Costa Rica. Thanks for stopping by and hope you and your family have a great trip here! 🙂
Linda Bibb says
Roaming charges can be ridiculously expensive. Prepaid SIM cards are definitely the way to go. And if you have data included, it quickly pays for itself just by using the phone as a hotspot instead of paying for hotel internet.
Sammi says
Exactly! We always tether our internet in places that don’t have Wi-Fi and we don’t have to pay for hotel internet. I’ve had friends who came back from abroad and accidentally used roaming and their bill was something like $300! Insane.