Best eSIM for Costa Rica (2026): Plans, Prices & Coverage

Roafly is our top pick for Costa Rica because it combines ICE/Kölbi access with the lowest prices across the four fixed-data allowances compared below. That combination is particularly useful when your itinerary includes long drives, Monteverde or rural coastal accommodation, where the underlying network deserves as much attention as the number of gigabytes.

This guide compares Roafly, Airalo, Saily, Jetpac, Roamless and Holafly, with clear distinctions between fixed packages, pay-as-you-go and unlimited data. Network choice, validity and hotspot rules all count toward the recommendation.

Why Use an eSIM in Costa Rica?

Installing a travel eSIM before departure lets you arrange mobile data without building a SIM-shop visit into your arrival plans. Once you reach Costa Rica, you can connect to a supported network and use maps, messaging and booking apps where coverage is available.

• Prepare before landing: Install over a reliable internet connection and check the activation instructions.
• Keep your usual number available: Dual-SIM phones can retain the home line, although your carrier’s roaming charges still apply to its use.
• Know your spending: Prepaid packages give you a defined data allowance and validity period.

Costa Rica eSIM Plans Compared (2026 Data)

The table compares the same fixed-data allowances while keeping the local network visible. Holafly’s unlimited plans are listed separately within its row because they are priced by trip duration.

Price & Network Comparison Table

Prices are in USD before coupon codes, checked on September 1, 2026. Fixed packages shown last 30 days except Airalo’s 3 GB/7-day option. “Not disclosed” means no named Costa Rican operator was identified on the product page reviewed. Prices, network agreements and plan conditions can change.

Roafly has the lowest price at each fixed-data allowance in this comparison. Its ICE/Kölbi access strengthens that value proposition for a trip where coverage between destinations matters.

Provider-by-Provider Breakdown

1. Roafly Costa Rica eSIM — Best Overall Value

ICE/Kölbi access is one of the strongest reasons to choose Roafly for Costa Rica. It gives you a named network to evaluate before departure, backed by the coverage evidence discussed below, alongside competitive package prices.

The 10 GB/30-day plan costs $24.90, and hotspot use can draw from the full purchased allowance without a separate daily tethering quota. That flexibility helps when you need to share data with a laptop or another phone.

Roafly’s Costa Rica eSIM is data-only and starts its validity when it first connects to a supported network in Costa Rica. The smaller 1 GB/7-day option costs $4.90 if you only need a light-use arrival package.

2. Airalo Costa Rica — Liberty Network

Airalo names Liberty as its local network. Its 3 GB plan costs $19 for seven days, compared with Roafly’s $9.90 for 30 days, so the difference includes both price and validity.

At 20 GB, the price gap narrows to $0.60. Network preference becomes more important at that tier; Airalo’s small price premium alone is not the main reason behind our Roafly recommendation.

3. Saily Costa Rica

Saily’s 10 GB and 20 GB packages cost $36.99 and $47.99, respectively. The reviewed Costa Rica page does not name a local operator.

That is a practical transparency disadvantage: you cannot match the package to an operator’s coverage map before paying. Given the higher prices here, Roafly’s disclosed ICE/Kölbi access provides a clearer basis for planning a trip beyond the main towns.

4. Jetpac Costa Rica

Jetpac is the closest price alternative to Roafly at 3, 5 and 10 GB. However, its reviewed product page did not identify the Costa Rican network. That leaves a key coverage detail unavailable when you are deciding what to buy for your route.

Its 10 GB package costs $33. Roafly’s lower price and named ICE/Kölbi access make the stronger combined offer for this comparison.

5. Roamless Costa Rica

Roamless offers both fixed packages and pay-as-you-go service. The table uses its 30-day fixed packages, rather than converting PAYG usage into a package price.

It lists ICE/Kölbi and Movistar, the former name of Liberty. That is a meaningful disclosed network choice, including the Kölbi access relevant to this destination. The fixed packages nevertheless cost more than Roafly at every allowance shown. PAYG remains a different decision for people who prefer paying for usage rather than buying a set bundle.

6. Holafly Unlimited for Costa Rica

Holafly offers unlimited phone data on Claro/Liberty, with the seven- and 15-day prices shown above. Its Costa Rica offering includes up to 1 GB of hotspot sharing per day, so the unlimited allowance does not extend to unrestricted laptop tethering. 

Its fair-use explanation allows for temporary speed reductions by local operators. Unlimited can suit heavy use on the phone itself, but compare those conditions and the hotspot limit with how you actually plan to use data.

The Network Reality: Which Network Is Best in Costa Rica?

Your itinerary can turn network choice into the deciding factor. Good reception in a town does not tell you whether you will have usable data on the road to a remote lodge or along a mountain transfer.

ICE/Kölbi deserves particular attention for a Costa Rica road trip. Opensignal’s April 2026 assessment identifies Kölbi as the leader in Coverage Experience. That supports giving its network access substantial weight when choosing an eSIM for a journey across different parts of the country. Opensignal’s Costa Rica Mobile Network Experience Report

Speed is a separate measure: Claro led average 4G download speeds in SUTEL’s 2025 road-based measurements. Those results do not establish which network will reach a particular rural property. SUTEL’s 2025 mobile network evaluation

Roafly combines the Kölbi coverage argument with the lowest fixed-package prices in this shortlist. The national measurements describe the underlying networks, not a field test of Roafly or another travel eSIM. Signal can still disappear in remote terrain or inside national parks, so download offline maps and ask remote accommodation which operator works on-site.

Check Costa Rica Mobile Operators and Coverage: Kölbi vs Claro vs Liberty for the fuller network comparison.

What to Look For in a Costa Rica eSIM

• Named local network: Check the operator behind the package, especially if your route includes rural stays or long drives.
• Enough validity: Seven days of data will not cover a two-week trip, even if unused gigabytes remain.
• Hotspot terms: Shared data may have its own daily cap. Roafly supports hotspot across the purchased allowance.
• Phone compatibility: Confirm your phone is unlocked and supports eSIM. Read Will My Phone Work in Costa Rica? for device and roaming considerations.
• Plan conditions: Read the Fair Usage Policy explanation when comparing unlimited offers with fixed allowances.

Which Plan Matches Your Travel Style?

• Light use with WiFi available: Roafly’s 3 GB package can suit messaging, occasional browsing and navigation with maps downloaded in advance.
• Road trips with regular mobile use: Compare 5 GB and 10 GB for booking changes, photo uploads and travel apps. Choose according to usage rather than trip length alone.
• More sharing or laptop use: Consider 20 GB when hotspot sessions and uploads will take a larger share of your allowance. Regular video meetings can require substantially more data than light travel use.

All four Roafly options above last 30 days. The allowance changes how much you can use; it does not improve the underlying signal.

Alternatives: Local SIM Cards & Airport Wi-Fi

Local SIM cards remain worth considering if your phone cannot use eSIM or you need a Costa Rican number. Check current buying options in Costa Rica Airport SIM Cards: SJO vs LIR before relying on an airport purchase.

WiFi can help with installation and larger downloads, but it does not provide mobile data between stops. The broader How to Get Internet in Costa Rica: SIM Cards, eSIM, Airport & WiFi Guide compares those alternatives in more detail.

Final Recommendation: The Best eSIM for Costa Rica

Roafly is our best overall choice among the providers compared here. Its advantage combines lower fixed-package prices, clearly disclosed ICE/Kölbi access and hotspot use across the purchased allowance.

That network access is a central part of the recommendation for Costa Rica: trips involving mountain roads and rural accommodation deserve particular attention to coverage. Roafly lets you prioritize Kölbi while keeping the package cost below the other fixed-data options in this comparison.

Disclosure: Roafly publishes this guide and is included in the comparison.