Costa Rica eSIM
Costa Rica eSIM that is not roaming: the QR code comes seconds after payment, a local SIM to compare, and a phone check before you fly to San José or Liberia.
QR after payment
Refund if it does not work
Runs on LibertyCosta Rica eSIM plans and prices
One eSIM per order. The QR code appears on your order page seconds after payment; bookmark that page before you leave it. Full refund if it does not work.
Networks in our Costa Rica plans
AnyAt least 10 GB
7 days30 days
No plan matches these filters.
Short answer
The eSIM Americas Costa Rica eSIM runs on Liberty, a Costa Rican network, so your phone connects as a line in Costa Rica rather than roaming. The QR code arrives seconds after payment: install it at home and you are online when you land in San José or Liberia; flying on, the North America eSIM also covers Panama, Mexico, the United States and Canada.
Checked on 28 September 2026
Costa Rica’s networks
Liberty was Movistar until June 2022. Claro and Liberty won 5G spectrum in January 2025, and Kölbi, ICE’s brand, chose Ericsson in 2026 to build its 5G network. The Costa Rica eSIM runs on Liberty, as a Costa Rican line.
The brand of ICE, the Costa Rican Electricity Institute. It ran a 5G pilot for postpaid customers from August 2025.
Won 5G spectrum in the January 2025 auction, as did Liberty.
Liberty Our plan
Movistar until June 2022: Liberty Latin America bought it in 2021 and gave it its own name. Won 5G spectrum in January 2025.
Plans from US$8.99
Where you will travel
Signal thins out in the cloud forest, on the jungle coasts and in the mountains: save your maps before you set off.
- Monteverde
- Signal is spotty around Santa Elena and absent inside the Monteverde and Santa Elena reserves: save the trail map in town.
- Tortuguero
- Mobile coverage is limited to the village and some lodges, but most hotels have Wi-Fi.
- Corcovado
- There is no mobile service at the Sirena ranger station: download maps and tell family before you walk in.
- Chirripó
- There is no phone signal at the Base Crestones lodge, and its Wi-Fi depends on the weather and how many people use it.
Arriving in Costa Rica
A SIM from a shop in Costa Rica is registered with SUTEL, the regulator, when it is activated: visitors use their passport. Phones bought abroad are not blocked as long as their IMEI is valid and not duplicated. With the eSIM installed at home, you skip the counter.
Guides
Arenal: La Fortuna, the volcano park and getting there
Arenal Volcano and La Fortuna: getting there from San José, the national park's hours and card-only tickets, and the jeep-boat-jeep to Monteverde.
Costa Rica's Pacific coast: Manuel Antonio, Guanacaste and Osa
The Pacific coast from Guanacaste to Osa: Manuel Antonio tickets sold online only, rip currents and lifeguards, and Corcovado with a certified guide.
Monteverde: the cloud forest reserves and the road up
Monteverde and Santa Elena in the cloud forest: the two reserves and their hours, the rough roads up, and the jeep-boat-jeep from La Fortuna.
Online in three steps
01
Choose and pay
Pick a plan and pay by card. The total, tax included, is shown before you pay.
02
Scan the QR code
The QR code appears on your order page seconds after payment. Bookmark that page or save the QR code before you leave it.
03
Switch on when you land
Install on Wi-Fi before you fly. Choose the eSIM line for mobile data when you arrive.
Where are you going?
MexicoCancún, Mexico City and the Yucatán.From US$13.99
ColombiaCartagena, Medellín and the coffee region.From US$3.99- Costa RicaArenal, Monteverde and both coasts.From US$8.99
United StatesNew York, the Golden Gate and the national parks.From US$6.49
CanadaToronto, Vancouver and the Rocky Mountains.From US$13.99
PanamaPanama City, the canal and Bocas del Toro.From US$13.99
PeruLima, Cusco and the Sacred Valley.From US$12.99
ArgentinaBuenos Aires, Patagonia and Iguazú.From US$12.99
ChileAtacama and Torres del Paine.From US$12.99
BrazilRio, São Paulo and Iguaçu.From US$4.99
South AmericaOne eSIM for a multi-country trip.From US$12.99
eSIM, airport SIM or roaming?
Three ways to get online, side by side.
| eSIM Americas | SIM at the airport | Roaming with your home carrier | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Network | The network printed on the plan | Whichever counter is open | Your home carrier’s partner |
| How you get it | QR code online, before you fly | Queue after landing, passport often required | Already on your phone |
| Price | Fixed, shown before you pay | Set by the counter | Your carrier’s roaming rate |
| Keep your home number | Yes, on a phone with two lines | Only with a second SIM slot | Yes |
| Refund | Full refund if it does not work or is not delivered | Usually none | Not from us |
Airport and roaming rows describe the usual case. Each counter and carrier sets its own price.
Questions about eSIM in Costa Rica
What is the best eSIM for Costa Rica?
The Costa Rica eSIM on this page. It runs on Liberty, a Costa Rican network, so your phone connects as a line in Costa Rica. Choose the days of your trip and the data you need, and the QR code appears seconds after payment.
Is the Costa Rica eSIM a Costa Rican line?
Yes. The Costa Rica eSIM runs on Liberty, a Costa Rican network, so your phone connects as a line in Costa Rica, not roaming, and shows Liberty.
Do I have to register my phone in Costa Rica?
No. SUTEL, Costa Rica’s regulator, does not block a phone bought abroad as long as its IMEI is valid and not duplicated. What gets registered is a prepaid SIM from a Costa Rican shop, with your passport, when it is activated.
Do I need a Costa Rica SIM card?
No. The Costa Rica eSIM on this page is a line on Liberty that you install at home before you fly. A prepaid SIM card from a Costa Rican shop is registered with your passport when it is activated.
What if I travel on to Panama, Mexico or the United States?
Choose the North America eSIM on this page: one plan for Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, the United States and Canada. It roams on a partner network in each country, so turn on data roaming for the eSIM line.
When should I install the eSIM?
At home on Wi-Fi, before you fly. Keep the eSIM line switched off, then switch it on and choose it for mobile data when you land.
Can I keep my WhatsApp number?
Yes. Your usual SIM stays in your phone with your number for calls and texts, and WhatsApp keeps the same number while the eSIM carries your data.
What if the eSIM does not work?
You get a full refund if it does not work and we cannot fix it, or if it is not delivered. Write to contact@esimamericas.com with your order link.
Good to know
How your eSIM works on this trip, and where to find help.
The Costa Rica eSIM runs on Liberty, a Costa Rican network: your phone connects as a line in Costa Rica, not as a roaming visitor. Buy it on this page, install it on Wi-Fi before you fly and switch it on when you land in San José or Liberia.
Costa Rica's other networks are Kölbi (ICE) and Claro. We sell one local plan for Costa Rica and name its network before you pay, so you can check it on your phone. A Costa Rica SIM card from the airport means a queue after landing. You install this eSIM at home, before you fly.
You pay by card, and the QR code appears on your order page seconds after payment: bookmark that page or save the QR code before you leave it. Then you add the eSIM to your phone. When you land, choose the eSIM line for mobile data and keep your own number for calls and texts. Full refund if it does not work. The steps for iPhone and Android are in the help centre.
Travelling on to Panama, Mexico, the United States or Canada? The North America eSIM on this page covers Costa Rica and those four countries with one plan, roaming on a partner network in each.
The plan