The page the eSIM brands would rather not exist
Kölbi and the coverage gap
Kölbi reaches parts of Costa Rica that Claro and Liberty do not. Almost every travel eSIM sold for this country names Claro or Liberty. That gap is the most useful thing to understand before you book.
Why Kölbi matters more than the brand comparisons
three networks, one map
Costa Rica has three national mobile operators. Understanding how they differ is worth more than any price comparison on this site, because a cheap plan on the wrong network is worth nothing at all.
Kölbi (ICE)
Widest coverage · one travel eSIM names itBuilt out alongside decades of state rural electrification, which is why it reaches valleys with no commercial case. Opensignal ranked it the leader in Coverage Experience for Costa Rica in April 2026. Visitors reach it with the kölbi SIM Turista from a shop, or through Sim Local, the only travel eSIM we found that names it.
Claro
Fastest averages · solid on the main roadsLed average 4G download speeds in SUTEL's 2025 road-based measurements, with 5G in larger towns. Holafly, Yesim and HelloRoam name it. Reliable along the Interamericana, in the Central Valley and in the tourist centres.
Liberty (ex-Movistar)
Strong in cities and resorts · thin in the deep ruralAiralo and Ubigi name it as their network, Holafly lists it, and Yesim lists it as Telefónica, its old owner. Behind many Costa Rica eSIM complaints. Excellent in San José, Jacó, Tamarindo and Liberia. Frequently absent on the Pacific south, in Sarapiquí and toward Manzanillo.
The takeaway is not that travel eSIMs are bad. For most itineraries they are exactly right, and cheaper and easier than a shop visit. The takeaway is that a Claro or Liberty eSIM cannot buy you Kölbi, so if your route needs Kölbi, a bigger plan on the wrong network will not fix it.
Is there a Kölbi eSIM you can actually buy?
the honest answer
Two different things get called a "Kölbi eSIM", and neither is quite what a visitor hopes for.
Kölbi's own eSIM. Kölbi supports eSIM on its lines, but the eSIM product it advertises on kolbi.cr, "kölbi eSIM Global por Airalo", is for Kölbi customers travelling abroad, not for visitors arriving. Travelers who try to buy a Kölbi line online from outside the country report payment forms that expect a Costa Rican card and verification that expects a cédula. We have not completed that purchase ourselves and we are not going to claim we have.
A travel eSIM on Kölbi. Sim Local's Costa Rica plans list "Kölbi ICE" as the network: 10GB for $31.25 over 30 days, or unlimited at 5GB a day for $35.25 a week, checked 2026. It is the only travel eSIM we found that names Kölbi. We earn nothing from it, we have not tested it on the Osa roads, and its page does not say how it reaches Kölbi, so treat it as a lead worth checking rather than a recommendation.
The sure route is still a physical chip bought in a shop after you land. Kölbi is then a second line, not a replacement for your travel eSIM: you land connected on the eSIM you installed at home, and you pick up the chip when you reach a town with a shop, before you head into the areas that need it.
Where to actually buy a Kölbi SIM
and where you cannot
Where you can buy one, ranked by how likely you are to walk out with a working phone.
| Where you are going | Network to prefer | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Near the airports | ||
| City Mall, Alajuela | 5 min from SJO | Kölbi, Claro and Liberty all have storefronts inside. The single most reliable stop for an SJO arrival. |
| Downtown Liberia | 10–15 min from LIR | Kölbi, Claro and Liberty shops in the town centre. Worth the detour if you are heading anywhere rural in Guanacaste. |
| Around the country | ||
| ICE offices | most larger towns | White, blue and yellow buildings, also where locals pay utility bills, so the queue can be long. Staff will set the SIM up for you. |
| La Fortuna (Arenal) | Kölbi storefront | Downtown, across from the Cruz Roja. Convenient if Arenal is your first stop before heading north. |
| Huacas, Guanacaste | Kölbi storefront | On the road toward Tamarindo, Flamingo and the northern beaches. |
| Limón | Kölbi storefront | Across from the Correos de Costa Rica office. The last easy stop before the southern Caribbean coast. |
| Last resort | ||
| Supermarkets (Más x Menos and similar) | chip only | They sell the physical chip at the checkout and will not help you set it up. Instructions are in Spanish. Fine if you know what you are doing, frustrating if not. |
Bring your passport and ask for the SIM Turista. Postpaid (postpago) requires a cédula or DIMEX residency card, so it is not open to visitors. Shop locations from operator store locators and traveler reports, 2026.
What a Kölbi SIM costs
colones and dollars
| Item | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Prepaid chip | ₡500–1,000 (≈$1–2) | The SIM itself, plus a Costa Rican +506 number |
| kölbi SIM Turista | ₡12,095 (≈$24) | 30 days: 5GB of data, 5GB more for WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and Waze, 100 national minutes and 30 SMS. Tax included. |
| Ad-hoc top-up | ₡5,000–10,000 (≈$10–20) | Pay-as-you-go balance. Lasts a long time on light use. |
| Where to top up | — | Almost any supermarket or mini-super. Ask for Kölbi at the register. Dial *888# for Kölbi's self-service menu, where your balance and plan live. |
SIM Turista price and contents from kolbi.cr, checked 2026; after the plan runs out, Kölbi bills extra use at half its normal prepaid rate. Dollar figures are approximate. Exchange rates move; the colón figures are the ones that will still be right when the dollar ones are not.
So the full Kölbi route costs about $25 to $26 all in. That is roughly what Yesim charges for 10GB ($25.20) and less than Airalo's 10GB at $34.00. The cost is not money, it is a shop visit with your passport and, at an ICE office, possibly a queue.
The two-SIM setup most Costa Rica road trips want
about $58 total
- Install a travel eSIM at home. Airalo 10GB at $34.00 or Yesim at $25.20. You land connected, order a ride, and reach your first hotel without a shop visit.
- Buy the Kölbi chip on day one or two, in Alajuela, Liberia, La Fortuna or wherever your route first passes a shop. Passport, about $25, ten minutes.
- Run both lines. The eSIM is your default because it is already paid for. The Kölbi chip is the one you switch to when the bars vanish.
- Switch by hand when it matters. Before the Osa, Sarapiquí, Tortuguero or the road past Manzanillo, make Kölbi the data line. The setup guide covers dual-line switching on iPhone and Android.
If that sounds like a lot of fuss for one country, it is worth being clear about who actually needs it. On a Guanacaste resort week, an Arenal-and-Manuel-Antonio loop, or any trip that stays on paved roads and in towns, a travel eSIM alone is genuinely fine and the Kölbi chip is a waste of an hour. The two-SIM setup is for self-drivers going south of Uvita, anyone staying in the Osa or Sarapiquí, and remote workers who cannot afford a dead afternoon.
Who needs Kölbi and who does not
be honest with yourself
You want a Kölbi chip if
You are self-driving south of Uvita, to Ojochal, Drake Bay or the Osa Peninsula.
You are staying in Sarapiquí, Tortuguero or past Puerto Viejo toward Manzanillo.
You are working remotely from a rural rental and a lost afternoon has a cost.
You want a +506 number for local bookings and would rather not pay Airalo for one.
Skip it if
You are on a Guanacaste or Papagayo resort week with a shuttle and wifi.
Your route is San José, Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio and back, all on pavement.
You are here for under five days. The shop visit will eat more of your trip than the coverage is worth.
You are not renting a car. Tour buses stick to covered roads.
Kölbi questions
answered straight
Can I buy a Kölbi eSIM online before my trip?
Probably not a Kölbi line. The eSIM kolbi.cr advertises, "kölbi eSIM Global por Airalo", is for Kölbi customers going abroad, and travelers report that buying a Kölbi line from outside the country expects a Costa Rican card or ID. The closest thing is Sim Local, a travel eSIM whose Costa Rica page names "Kölbi ICE", checked 2026.
Which travel eSIM uses the Kölbi network?
Sim Local is the only one we found that names it: its Costa Rica plans list "Kölbi ICE", from $31.25 for 10GB, checked 2026. Airalo and Ubigi name Liberty, HelloRoam names Claro, Holafly and Yesim name Claro and Liberty (Yesim as Telefónica), and Saily and GigSky show no network. We earn nothing from Sim Local and have not tested it.
Is Kölbi really better than Claro and Liberty?
Better at coverage, not at speed. Opensignal ranked Kölbi first for Coverage Experience in Costa Rica in April 2026, while SUTEL's 2025 road tests put Claro ahead on average 4G download speed. In San José that makes Claro the nicer network. On the road to Drake Bay, coverage is the only metric that exists.
How much data does the kölbi SIM Turista include?
5GB of data plus 5GB reserved for WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and Waze, 100 minutes of national calls and 30 SMS, for 30 days, at ₡12,095 including tax, about $24 (kolbi.cr, checked 2026). The app allowance is genuinely useful in Costa Rica because WhatsApp is how almost every booking and driver communicates.
Do I need a Kölbi SIM if I already have an eSIM?
Only if your eSIM names Claro or Liberty and your route runs through Kölbi-only areas: the Osa, Sarapiquí, Tortuguero, the far southern Caribbean and some back roads on the Nicoya Peninsula. For the Central Valley, Guanacaste, Arenal, Monteverde town and Manuel Antonio, your eSIM is enough.
Can I keep the Kölbi number after my trip?
Prepaid lines stay active as long as there is balance and periodic use, so it may still work if you return within a few months. It is not something to rely on. If you come back annually, top it up before it lapses and you keep the number.
Land connected, then decide
Install a travel eSIM before you fly so the airport and the first night are covered, and pick up a Kölbi chip only if your route actually needs it. Airalo names Liberty as its network, which makes that decision checkable.
See Airalo's Costa Rica plansSources & freshness: kölbi SIM Turista price, contents and conditions from kolbi.cr, checked 2026; "kölbi eSIM Global por Airalo" from kolbi.cr. Sim Local network and prices from simlocal.com Costa Rica plan pages; other brands' networks from their own Costa Rica pages, all checked 2026. Shop locations from operator store locators, 2026. Coverage ranking from Opensignal's Costa Rica Mobile Network Experience report, April 2026; speed ranking from SUTEL's 2025 road-based evaluation. Airport desk status and online-purchase reports from traveler forums, 2026.