Costa Rica eSIM
Latin America & CaribbeanGet a Costa Rica eSIM and connect the moment you land. Buy a prepaid data plan, scan the QR, and you are online in minutes, with no roaming bill and no local SIM to find. Pay in crypto with no ID to buy. Plans start at $2.99.
- Instant delivery to your dashboard
- Prepaid, no contract, no auto-charge
- Works on any eSIM-ready phone
- Paid in crypto, no card or ID to buy
Costa Rica eSIM at a glance
Live prices, updated September 2026- Price
- From $2.99
- Data plans
- 1 GB to Unlimited
- Validity
- 7 to 30 days
- Networks
- Kolbi, Claro
- 5G
- Yes, where available
- Setup
- Scan a QR, ~2 min
- Payment
- Crypto
- ID to buy
- None
Choose your plan
Prices are in USD and payable in crypto. No contract and no auto-renewal, and any balance you do not use stays on your account for next time.
Turning on roaming can cost $10 or more a day. A whole Costa Rica trip starts at $2.99.
See the plansWhy an eSIM for Costa Rica
Costa Rica lives by two words, Pura Vida, the pure life, and it shows: a tiny country crammed with rainforest and cloud forest, the perfect cone of the Arenal volcano, and more sloths, toucans, and monkeys than almost anywhere. Between the wildlife and the waves of two coasts, an eSIM keeps you online for maps, tour bookings, and translation the moment you land in San Jose.
Coverage is good in the towns and thins in the deep jungle, so the trick is planning for both. You buy the data before you fly, pay from your crypto balance with no ID, and keep your home number on its own SIM for calls and bank codes.
- Fast 4G and 5G in San Jose and the main tourist hubs.
- Honest about the deep rainforest and parks, where signal thins.
- Online on arrival at San Jose or Liberia.
- Pay in crypto with no ID, and keep your home number.
Is a Costa Rica eSIM right for you?
Whoever you are travelling as, the setup is the same: buy, scan, connect. Here is what it means for you.
Costa Rica eSIM vs a local SIM vs roaming
Coverage is a towns-and-hubs story here, good there, patchy in the deep jungle, on every option. Here is how the choices otherwise compare.
SimVala eSIM
- Ready before you flyYes
- ID to buyNo
- Online the moment you landYes
- Town and hub coverageFast
- Deep rainforest and parksThin, all networks
- Pay in cryptoYes
- Typical cost, 1 weekA few dollars
Costa Rican tourist SIM
- Ready before you flyNo, shop on arrival
- ID to buySometimes
- Online the moment you landAfter the shop
- Town and hub coverageFast
- Deep rainforest and parksThin, all networks
- Pay in cryptoNo
- Typical cost, 1 weekAround 5,000 to 10,000 CRC
Home roaming
- Ready before you flyYes, but pricey
- ID to buyNo
- Online the moment you landYes
- Town and hub coverageFast
- Deep rainforest and parksThin, all networks
- Pay in cryptoNo
- Typical cost, 1 weekOften 10+ dollars a day
Remote-jungle gaps are geography, not a provider difference. Kolbi reaches furthest into the parks. Costs are rough guides, not quotes.
Coverage and networks in Costa Rica
Depending on the plan, your eSIM connects to a major Costa Rican network such as Kolbi, Claro, or Liberty. Kolbi, run by the state utility ICE, has the widest reach, so coverage is good across San Jose, the towns, and the main tourist areas, and thins in the deep rainforest, the national parks, and the remote Osa Peninsula.
Expect strong eSIM coverage in San Jose, La Fortuna, Monteverde, with data across the rest of Costa Rica. Signal follows the local network, so it is strongest in cities and along main routes.
Coverage by area
Fast, strong coverage across the capital region and the main towns, with good 4G and 5G. This is where most of your data goes at the start and end of a trip.
Reliable across La Fortuna, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, and the beach towns of both coasts, with gaps on the winding roads between them.
Signal thins and can vanish under the canopy in the national parks and the remote Osa Peninsula, on any network. Download offline maps.
How much data do you need in Costa Rica?
Whether your Costa Rica trip is 7 days, 2 weeks, or a month, pick the data size to match. Not sure? Slide your trip length below and we will suggest a plan.
A Costa Rica trip leans on maps, tour and lodge bookings, translation from Spanish, and a stream of wildlife and beach photos to the cloud. For a one to two week trip, 5 to 10 GB suits most people, and you can top up any time. Remember data does not help where there is no signal.
Estimate your data for Costa Rica
Social, photos, some video
An estimate to guide you, not a limit. Wi-Fi at your hotel covers a lot, and you can top up any time, so it is fine to start smaller.
Typical usage per hour
Using an eSIM in Costa Rica's top cities
One Costa Rica eSIM covers all of these. Here is what to expect, city by city.
eSIM in San Jose
Fast 4G and 5G across the capital and Central Valley, from the center to the airport. Your eSIM keeps maps, ride-hailing, and translation live as you start and end most Costa Rica trips here.
eSIM in La Fortuna
Good coverage across the town at the foot of the Arenal volcano, the gateway to hot springs, waterfalls, and hanging bridges. It thins on trails deep in the rainforest, so download offline maps.
eSIM in Manuel Antonio
Reliable signal around the beach town and the edges of the famous national park, where sloths and monkeys live. Handy for tour bookings, though it drops under the canopy inside the park.
Yes, you can call and text in Costa Rica
Your eSIM is internet. So every calling and messaging app works, just like at home. No new apps to learn, nothing to set up.
Message anyone
WhatsApp, iMessage, Telegram all run over your data.
Call home for free
Voice and video on WhatsApp, FaceTime, or Messenger, no call charges.
Need a real number?
A data eSIM has no number of its own. Add a virtual number for codes and a local line.
Grab a Costa Rica number before you fly
Get login codes and a real line to give out, all in your dashboard. Paid in crypto, no ID.
Pay for your Costa Rica eSIM in crypto
This is where SimVala is different. There is no card and no ID to buy. Top up a balance with any of nine coins, then buy your Costa Rica plan from it. Monero is accepted for the strongest privacy, and your QR lands in your dashboard the moment payment confirms.
Bitcoin
Monero
Ethereum
Tether
USD Coin
Solana
BNB
TRON
PolygonPay by QR in one scan
No card details, ever. Just scan and send.
- 1. Pick your coin and amountWe show a payment address and a QR code.
- 2. Scan and send from your walletThe quote holds for 15 minutes, no fee maths.
- 3. Balance ready, buy your planYour eSIM QR lands in your dashboard right away.
Set up your Costa Rica eSIM in about two minutes
No SIM to pop out, nothing to post. It works the same on iPhone and Android. Here is all it takes.
- 1Buy your plan
Pick a plan above and pay from your crypto balance. A few taps and it is done.
- 2Open your QR code
The moment your order completes, your eSIM QR appears in your dashboard.
- 3Add the eSIM in Settings
iPhone: Settings, then Cellular, then Add eSIM. Android: Settings, then Network, then Add eSIM. Scan the QR.
- 4Turn it on and land online
Switch the line on when you land at San Jose or Liberia, and you are online in seconds.
This is your eSIM QR. You scan it once, and your Costa Rica line turns on. That is the whole install.
Will it work on your phone?
Most phones from the last few years support eSIM. Not sure? Scan your device in one tap.
Good to know
- •Coverage is good in San Jose, the towns, and the main tourist hubs like La Fortuna and Manuel Antonio, but thins in the deep rainforest and remote parks, on any network.
- •Kolbi, the state network, reaches the furthest, so it is the safest bet if you will spend a lot of time in the parks.
- •Roads are slow and winding, and offline maps are worth having for the mountain and jungle drives between regions.
- •The eSIM carries data. Keep your home SIM active for calls and bank codes.
Popular in Costa Rica
Why travellers choose SimVala
“Two weeks of Arenal, Monteverde, and the Pacific coast. Fast in the towns, and it held up around the lodges. Dropped under the canopy on hikes, exactly as the page said. Paid in crypto, no ID.”
“Great in San Jose and the beach towns. On a Corcovado trip it went quiet, so I had offline maps ready. Pura vida, no roaming bill, no surprises.”
“Surfed Tamarindo and Nosara for a couple weeks, topped up once in crypto. Swell forecasts and maps stayed live the whole time. Kept my Spanish number for bank codes.”
Visiting more of Latin America & the Caribbean?
If Costa Rica is one stop of a bigger trip, one regional plan covers the whole area on a single eSIM.
eSIM in Costa Rica: FAQ
Does my phone support eSIM?+
Most phones from the last few years do, including recent iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, and Google Pixel models.
How do I pay?+
In crypto only: Bitcoin, Monero, USDT, USDC, Solana, and more.
When does my plan start?+
Your plan validity begins when you install and activate the eSIM, not when you buy it.
Will an eSIM work in Costa Rica?+
Yes, as long as your phone supports eSIM and is carrier unlocked. The eSIM connects to a local network in Costa Rica and gives you data the moment you arrive.
How much data do I need in Costa Rica?+
It depends on what you do. Maps and messaging use very little, while video and hotspotting use much more. For a typical one to two week trip, 3 to 5 GB suits most travelers, and you can top up any time.
Can I keep my phone number in Costa Rica?+
Yes. Your home number stays on your physical SIM for calls and codes, while the eSIM carries local data. Both work at once on a dual-SIM phone.
Can I buy my eSIM before I travel?+
Yes, and you should. Buy and install it before you fly, then switch the line on when you land in Costa Rica. Your plan's days only start counting when you activate it, not when you buy.
Does the plan expire?+
Each plan runs for a set number of days once you activate it, shown on the plan. Any balance you have not spent stays on your account for your next trip, so nothing is wasted.
Can I use my eSIM as a personal hotspot?+
On most plans, yes, so you can share your connection with a laptop or a friend. Tethering uses more data, so pick a larger plan if you rely on it.
Will an eSIM work in the national parks and rainforest?+
Around the gateway towns and lodges, usually yes, but deep in the parks and under the rainforest canopy the signal thins or vanishes on any network, eSIM or local SIM. Download offline maps, and expect many eco-lodges to have wifi only. Kolbi reaches the furthest.
Is coverage good for a road trip between regions?+
In the towns and hubs, yes, but Costa Rica's roads are slow and winding through mountains and jungle, with gaps between regions. Download offline maps before the drives from, say, Arenal to Monteverde or the coast.
Do I need Spanish to get around?+
It helps, but English is widely spoken in the tourist areas. Keeping data live for a translation app and maps covers the rest, especially in smaller towns and with local guides.
Is there an unlimited data plan for Costa Rica?+
Yes, an Unlimited 30-day plan, good for a longer trip or heavy use. Sized plans are the cheaper pick if you use less, and you can top up any time. Remember no plan gives you signal where there is none.
More for Costa Rica
Ready for Costa Rica?
Pay in crypto, scan the QR, and land connected. No card, no ID to buy. Set it up before you fly and you are online the second you arrive.