The best eSIM for Costa Rica (2026): prices and coverage
Costa Rica is a country you travel with your phone in your hand: routes up to volcanoes, bookings made from the airport on the way into San José, change of plans when it rains in Monteverde. The detail many travellers overlook is that Costa Rica is outside the European Union, so European «roam like at home» rules don’t apply there and many European plans charge for roaming. It’s worth checking before you fly and, if it doesn’t suit you, arriving with an eSIM already set up and a fixed price in euros.
Why use an eSIM in Costa Rica
An eSIM is a digital SIM: you buy it online, install it on your phone over wifi and there’s nothing to swap over or any shop to find when you arrive. For a trip to Costa Rica it has three practical advantages:
- A fixed price in euros: you choose data and days before you leave and you know exactly what you’re paying, with no roaming surprises on next month’s bill.
- Ready before you fly: install it over wifi at home and you’re connected when you land, with no queues or paperwork involving your passport.
- Your usual line untouched: your number stays on your phone in case you need it, while data runs through the eSIM.
Generally speaking, for a holiday it usually works out better value than your operator’s roaming, especially if you use maps and messaging every day.
Roam2Go plans for Costa Rica: prices and durations
These are some of the data plans by GB and days available for Costa Rica:
| Data | Days | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 500 MB | 1 | 1.95 € |
| 1 GB | 7 | 5.00 € |
| 3 GB | 7 | 6.95 € |
| 2 GB | 15 | 11.50 € |
| 5 GB | 15 | 11.95 € |
| 10 GB | 30 | 13.76 € |
| 25 GB | 30 | 24.50 € |
| 30 GB | 30 | 50.95 € |
Roam2Go prices updated on 8 October 2026. They may change; always check the product page before buying.
The product page has more combinations of data and days than the ones shown here, so if none of these quite fits, have a look there.
Data plans by GB and days
These are the most straightforward option: you choose an amount of data and a validity period. For a ten-day trip with normal use (maps, WhatsApp, social media, the odd search for accommodation), a 5 GB plan for 15 days at 11.95 € is usually enough. If you work on the road, send photos and videos every day or share a lot of content, 25 GB for 30 days at 24.50 € gives you more room. It all depends on how you use it: video and video calls are what eat up the most data.
Unlimited durations
For Costa Rica there are also unlimited plans, with durations of 3, 5, 7, 10, 15 and 30 days. They work like this: each day you get an allowance of high-speed data and, once it’s used up, the connection carries on at reduced speed until the allowance renews the next day; the connection isn’t cut off. With the daily allowance you can browse, use maps and messaging and watch videos; if you do use it all up one day, what’s left is enough for messaging, email and maps. The shorter durations work well for weekend breaks or stopovers of a few days, and the 15- and 30-day ones for longer road trips. If you want the entry option or to compare durations, the updated prices are on the product page.
How to choose your eSIM for Costa Rica without overthinking it:
- Check before you fly whether your European plan charges for roaming outside the EU: Costa Rica isn’t covered by «roam like at home».
- Normal use and a short trip: 1 GB / 7 days for 5.00 € or 3 GB / 7 days for 6.95 €.
- Two weeks on the road: 5 GB / 15 days for 11.95 € is a comfortable middle ground.
- A full month or remote working: 10 GB / 30 days for 13.76 € or 25 GB / 30 days for 24.50 €.
- Always choose a duration that’s the same length as your trip or longer, and install the eSIM over wifi before you leave.
You can see all the durations and prices on the Costa Rica eSIM page and buy yours in a couple of minutes.
Coverage: what to expect
The eSIM connects to local networks, not to a network of its own. In practice, that means the connection is usually good in San José, at the airport, in the tourist areas on the Pacific and Caribbean coasts and along the main roads. Inside national parks, in stretches of jungle, in mountain areas and on isolated beaches, though, it can be patchy or there may be no signal at all, just as with any local line.
Two tips that save headaches: download maps of the area before you leave your accommodation and keep your bookings and tickets offline. On the product page you’ll find information about the supported networks and technologies.
How to activate it and what to do with your usual line
The process is simple: you buy the eSIM, receive the QR code by email, install it over wifi at home and leave it ready to go. Activation usually happens when you connect to a local network on arrival. If you’d like step-by-step instructions for your phone, we have guides on how to activate an eSIM on iPhone and how to activate it on Android.
About your usual number: data should always run through the eSIM. Only keep your regular line active if you want to receive calls or texts, and with data roaming turned off on that line. Bear in mind that, in destinations outside the EU such as Costa Rica, voice and SMS roaming is usually switched off by default (if you want it, you need to ask your provider) and, if you do have it enabled, you can be charged both for the calls you make and the ones you receive, as well as for texts. To talk to people back home, the most practical option is to use internet calls through your eSIM data.
If you’re still unsure which format to go for, here’s a comparison of eSIM vs physical SIM. And once you’ve made up your mind, get it sorted before you pack: choose your plan for Costa Rica and arrive connected.
Frequently asked questions
How much do data eSIMs for Costa Rica cost?+
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