Colombia SIM Card for Tourists: Prices, Registration & Where to Buy

Claro, Movistar and Tigo offer prepaid options for visitors who want mobile data and domestic calls. Local packages can offer substantial data allowances at low prices, but the advertised package price may exclude the physical SIM or a seller’s activation charge.

Roafly suits trips where mobile data, advance setup and keeping your existing SIM matter more than getting a Colombian number. The other important distinction is registration: putting a local line in your name and registering your phone’s IMEI are separate tasks.

Colombia prepaid SIM prices at a glance

These options serve different trip lengths and needs. Compare the purchase conditions alongside the allowance, particularly if you plan to share data with a laptop.

Prices and terms checked on 14 October 2026 using Claro, Movistar, Tigo and Roafly product information. Local prices are in Colombian pesos; Roafly prices are in US dollars. Physical SIM and activation charges are not included unless explicitly stated. Promotions and package terms can change.

The local offers are useful benchmarks, not a promise of the final amount charged at every counter. Before paying, get one total covering the SIM, selected package and any service charge.

Local SIM or Roafly eSIM?

Local prepaid makes sense when you need a Colombian number, domestic calls or a large data allowance. Staff-assisted purchase can also be useful if your phone lacks eSIM support.

Roafly offers a simpler data setup before departure. Its Colombia eSIM uses Claro and supports hotspot sharing across the purchased allowance, with top-ups available.

The two packages above suit different usage patterns:

• 5 GB: Maps, messaging, bookings and occasional browsing, with Wi-Fi handling larger downloads.

• 10 GB: More frequent mobile use, several destinations or occasional laptop tethering. It doubles the allowance for $5 more.

Both last 30 days. Neither includes a Colombian phone number, regular calls or SMS, so a local line remains the better fit when those services are essential.

If you are still comparing travel-data options, our guide to the best eSIMs for Colombia covers provider and plan differences in more detail.

Which local operator should you choose?

Claro: a practical short-stay prepaid option

Claro’s seven-day bundle is worth considering when you want a local line for a relatively short visit. The package in the table includes national calls and SMS alongside its general data allowance.

Pay attention to the exact package name. Claro sells several “Todo Incluido” combinations, including versions with social-app benefits and additional subscriptions.

• The selected 10 GB package does not include a separate social-app allowance.

• WhatsApp and other apps therefore use its general data balance.

• Its seven-day validity matters more than the headline allowance if your trip lasts longer.

Ask for the package you actually want and have the seller identify any added service before activation. A bundle containing entertainment subscriptions is a different offer, even when its data allowance looks similar.

Movistar: generous digital offers, with a separate hotspot limit

Movistar’s digital packages can provide a large allowance for a longer visit. The selected offer triples the underlying 10 GB allowance, but that promotion is tied to the purchase channel.

The important limitation for remote work is tethering: the 30 GB package allows sharing up to 2.5 GB with other devices. Someone using a laptop can reach that limit while substantial phone data remains.

Its online package purchase supports payment by credit card, PSE or existing prepaid balance. Adding a package to an activated line is separate from obtaining and registering the SIM itself.

Tigo: distinguish ordinary prepaid from its tourist eSIM

Tigo’s standard prepaid offer and passport-based tourist eSIM solve different problems.

The ordinary package has a base allowance of 10 GB. The advertised double-data benefit applies to new lines or port-ins obtained through the digital channel, so it should not be assumed to accompany every shop purchase.

The separate Tigo tourist eSIM provides an online route specifically identified for visitors with passports. It includes a month of service and domestic voice calling.

Its unlimited-data label does not establish unrestricted hotspot use or a particular speed policy. Those details should be confirmed before buying it for sustained laptop use.

Where to buy a SIM card in Colombia

Official stores and authorized retailers

For help registering a passport and checking an imported handset, an official operator store is a sensible starting point. In Bogotá, Medellín or Cartagena, use the operator’s current store finder to choose a convenient branch.

Bring your passport and unlocked phone, and ask for a new prepaid line rather than a monthly billed plan. Useful phrases include:

• “Una SIM prepago con un número nuevo.” A prepaid SIM with a new number.

• “¿El precio incluye la SIM y la activación?” Does the price include the SIM and activation?

• “¿Pueden registrar la línea con mi pasaporte?” Can you register the line with my passport?

• “¿Mi equipo necesita registro de IMEI?” Does my phone need IMEI registration?

Keep the receipt and the SIM packaging until the service is working correctly.

Airport purchases

If you buy from an airport seller, ask which operator supplies the line and what the complete purchase includes. The package prices above are reference prices, not verified airport-counter totals.

Airport convenience may matter after a flight, but the useful comparison is the complete activated package. Establish the data allowance, expiry and registration arrangements before paying.

Buying online

Online purchase can mean ordering a physical SIM, buying a local eSIM or adding a package to an existing number. These are different processes.

Tigo has a dedicated tourist eSIM route. Ordinary domestic checkout pages may follow a different identity or delivery process, so a cheap online offer alone does not prove that a visitor can complete it with a foreign passport.

Passport registration and IMEI: two different steps

Register the mobile line in your own name

Colombia’s prepaid registration rules explicitly address foreign visitors using passports. Operators collect identification details before activating prepaid service.

The required information includes:

• Document type and number.

• Document issue date.

• Your name and surname where these cannot be obtained through the operator’s validation tools.

The rules provide for operators to register passport holders’ information and use available methods for subsequent validation. A Colombian national identity card is therefore not the only document contemplated by the registration framework.

Your line should be registered to you. Operators may not register prepaid lines to distributors merely because those businesses bought the SIMs for resale.

Check your phone’s IMEI separately

Registering the SIM does not necessarily register the handset. Imported phones used with local service can also require IMEI registration and confirmation that the model is approved for use in Colombia.

The IMEI is the device identifier, normally available by dialing *#06#. Registration may require proof of purchase, payment evidence or a declaration of ownership.

Under the rules for unregistered IMEIs, an operator identifies the unregistered device, notifies the user and allows 20 calendar days from notification for registration before blacklisting it as unregistered.

That is not a universal 30-day allowance starting when you enter Colombia. If a registration message arrives, act on its stated deadline instead of waiting until the end of your trip.

Test the service before leaving

Use a short check at the counter:

1. Confirm that the line has been activated with your details.

2. Turn off Wi-Fi and open a webpage using mobile data.

3. Check the package balance and expiry.

4. Make a domestic test call if calling is part of your purchase.

5. Ask whether any handset-registration step remains outstanding.

This catches an incomplete activation while the person who handled the purchase is still available to help.

Top-ups, coverage and using your allowance

Adding credit and buying a package are not always the same action. With Movistar, for example, you can load prepaid balance and then use it to purchase a specific bundle.

Keep the activation confirmation so you know when the package expires. If your trip extends beyond that date, arrange the next package rather than assuming unused data keeps the line connected.

Coverage also deserves a route-based check. A stay centered on Bogotá or Medellín presents different needs from countryside accommodation, mountain roads or remote excursions.

Use the operator’s coverage map for your actual stops and download essential maps before leaving reliable connectivity. The network name alone cannot establish service at every hotel, trail or stretch of road.

Questions tourists often ask

Can I keep my existing WhatsApp number?

Yes. You can continue using WhatsApp with your existing registered number while a Colombian SIM or Roafly eSIM supplies the internet connection.

Changing the SIM used for mobile data does not require changing your WhatsApp number. Keep access to your original number if you may need to verify the account again.

Will a Colombian prepaid package work in another country?

The domestic allowances compared here should be treated as Colombia-only unless the exact package includes international roaming. Crossing into Ecuador, Peru or another destination requires a separate check of roaming eligibility and charges.

Do not assume that an operator using the same brand in several countries makes those networks part of one domestic package.

Do I need an unlocked phone?

Yes. A carrier-locked phone may reject another operator’s physical SIM or eSIM. Check the lock status with your home carrier before traveling.

An eSIM purchase also requires compatibility with the specific handset model and regional version. A phone’s marketing name alone may not identify its SIM capabilities.

Which option fits your trip?

Choose local prepaid when a Colombian number, domestic calls or a large allowance justifies the purchase and registration steps. Compare the final activated cost, not only the package advertised online.

Roafly’s 5 GB and 10 GB packages suit visitors who want Claro data, advance setup and hotspot sharing without obtaining a local number. Whichever route you take, match the validity to your trip and deal with any registration message promptly.

Roafly publishes this guide and provides the travel eSIM plans discussed above.