The best eSIM for Colombia
A country of coffee, culture, and colorful cities. Here is the plan we would pick today, the live pricing for every plan we track, and the practical things to know before you fly.
The lowest price-per-gigabyte we currently track for Colombia. A solid fit for most one-to-two-week trips with maps, messaging, and the occasional photo upload.
| Provider | Data | Days | Price | $/GB | Get |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55GB | 30 | $29.99 | $0.55 | Get → | |
| 35GB | 30 | $19.99 | $0.57 | Get → | |
| 15GB | 30 | $10.99 | $0.73 | Get → | |
| 3.5GB | 7 | $3.99 | $1.14 | Get → | |
| 100GB | 180 | $164.49 | $1.64 | Get → | |
| 20GB | 30 | $36.89 | $1.84 | Get → | |
| 20GB | 30 | $40.00 | $2.00 | Get → | |
| 100GB | 30 | $215.00 | $2.15 | Get → | |
| 50GB | 90 | $109.49 | $2.19 | Get → | |
| 50GB | 30 | $124.50 | $2.49 | Get → | |
| 10GB | 30 | $25.00 | $2.50 | Get → | |
| 10GB | 30 | $26.99 | $2.70 | Get → | |
| 20GB | 30 | $55.50 | $2.77 | Get → | |
| 5GB | 30 | $15.00 | $3.00 | Get → | |
| 3GB | PAYG | $10.35 | $3.45 | Get → |
Prices are live and may change. Google Fi is excluded from the value ranking because it is a full phone plan rather than a travel data plan.
Claro, Movistar and Tigo all run dense 4G/5G across central Bogotá, Chapinero, La Candelaria and the Zona T. Claro has the widest 5G availability nationally and is the standard partner for most travel eSIM providers.
El Poblado, Laureles, downtown and the cable car barrios are all fully covered. The Medellín Metro (the only urban metro in Colombia) keeps signal on every station and across most of the line.
The walled old city, Getsemaní, Bocagrande and the road out to Barú are all well covered by Claro and Movistar. The drive to Santa Marta keeps signal along the main coast highway.
The three Eje Cafetero capitals and the main highway connecting them are fully covered. Coffee-farm side roads and the Cocora Valley have signal at the start of the wax-palm trail; the deeper valley hike thins out.
The Tayrona park entrance and El Zaino visitor area are covered. The walk to Cabo San Juan and the more remote beaches drops to no signal once you are past the first kilometre of trail.
Leticia town on the Amazon and La Macarena (Caño Cristales gateway) have functional coverage. Once you enter the jungle or fly to the river lodges, expect to be offline; carry offline maps and copies of your guide's contact details.
Bogotá
- Arriving
- El Dorado International (BOG) is about 15 km west of the centre. There is no rail link (the Bogotá metro is under construction), so the transfer is the TransMilenio BRT, an airport bus or a taxi, Uber, DiDi or InDriver. All terminals have full 5G from Claro, Movistar and Tigo. Have data live on arrival so the ride apps and navigation work in the sprawling, high-altitude city.
- On the subway and rail
- Bogotá has no metro yet (Line 1 is under construction), so the backbone is the TransMilenio bus rapid transit, the articulated red buses running in dedicated lanes with signal throughout, plus the SITP feeder buses. Uber, DiDi, InDriver and Cabify all operate and need data. The funicular and cable car up Monserrate hold signal at the summit shrine.
- Free public WiFi
- The malls leave WiFi open: Andino, Centro Andino, Gran Estación and Unicentro. Cafes across the Zona G and the Zona T, and the Gold Museum, offer WiFi. BOG airport has free terminal WiFi. Hotels provide guest WiFi as standard, so connectivity is easy across the tourist districts.
- Coverage in the city
- Claro has the widest 5G footprint across Bogotá and is the standard partner for most travel eSIM providers, with Movistar and Tigo present. La Candelaria historic centre, Chapinero, the Zona T and Zona Rosa, and Usaquén are all densely covered. Monserrate has signal at the top. The ride apps and TransMilenio routes hold data across the metro.
- If you prefer a local SIM
- Claro, Movistar and Tigo sell prepaid SIMs at BOG and in the malls. Colombia requires SIM registration with a passport or local cédula at the point of sale. Tourist data is affordable. The eSIM route is the simplest path for a short stay and is supported by all the major carriers.
Cartagena
- Arriving
- Rafael Núñez International (CTG) is just 3 km from the centre, so a taxi to the walled Old City or Bocagrande is quick. All terminals have full 4G/5G from Claro, Movistar and Tigo. Have data ready on arrival so maps and the ride apps work; the short hop into the historic centre takes only a few minutes.
- On the subway and rail
- Cartagena runs the Transcaribe bus rapid transit and plenty of taxis; there is no metro. The walled Old City and Getsemaní are compact and walkable. Boats to the Rosario Islands leave from the port and the Bocagrande marina. Coverage holds across the historic centre and the beach districts; the island boats lose signal once offshore.
- Free public WiFi
- Hotels and cafes across the walled city and Getsemaní, the Caribe Plaza and Mall Plaza centres and the port all provide WiFi. The larger restaurants offer guest WiFi. CTG airport has free terminal WiFi. Connectivity is easy in the tourist core, with a working eSIM covering the island day trips.
- Coverage in the city
- Claro, Movistar and Tigo all cover the walled Old City, Getsemaní, Bocagrande, the Castillo San Felipe and the Clock Tower. The historic centre is densely covered. Boats out to the Rosario Islands and Barú lose signal a few kilometres offshore; the island resorts have basic coverage at the main buildings only.
- If you prefer a local SIM
- Claro, Movistar and Tigo sell prepaid SIMs at CTG and in the malls. Colombian passport registration applies as it does nationwide. Tourist data is affordable. The eSIM route is the cleanest option for a short Cartagena beach trip combined with Bogotá or the coast.
Grab an eSIM before you arrive in Colombia to skip local SIM queues. Most urban areas offer 4G or better, while rural regions can slow down, so keep offline maps handy. Activating the eSIM in advance ensures you are connected the moment you clear customs.
Colombia has invested heavily in mobile infrastructure and offers good connectivity across its major cities. Claro, Movistar, and Tigo provide 4G LTE in Bogota, Medellin, Cartagena, Cali, and along main intercity routes. Bogota and Medellin have particularly strong coverage, supporting data-heavy usage for ride-hailing, navigation, and streaming.
The Caribbean coast tourist areas - Cartagena, Santa Marta, and Tayrona National Park entrance - maintain functional coverage. However, Colombia's diverse geography means remote areas like the Ciudad Perdida trek, parts of the Amazon basin, and rural Pacific coast communities have limited or no signal. The coffee region (Zona Cafetera) around Salento and Manizales has decent coverage in towns but can be patchy on rural coffee farm roads.
- Bogota and Medellin have excellent 4G - data is essential for TransMilenio and Metro apps
- Cartagena's Old City and tourist areas have strong, reliable coverage
- Download offline maps before the Ciudad Perdida trek or Amazon excursions
- Claro has the widest geographic coverage across Colombia
- Ride-hailing apps (InDriver, DiDi) are widely used and require data
Average Data Cost
~$0.75-$3/GB
Network Quality
4G LTE in all major cities. Good coverage on main highways. Gaps in remote regions.
eSIM Availability
eSIM supported by major carriers. Tourist eSIMs available.
Major Carriers
Recommended Providers for Colombia
Plans for Colombia
From $3.99
Plans for Colombia
From $4.00
Plans for Colombia
From $4.50
Plans for Colombia
From $3.45
Pay-as-you-go: $3.45/GB
Plans for Colombia
From $4.99
Plans for Colombia
From $6.99
Plans for Colombia
From $10.00
Pay-as-you-go: $10.00/GB
- 1
Buy and install at home on WiFi.
Installation is not the same as activation. You can install the Colombia eSIM days ahead and only switch it on after you land, which avoids burning days of validity in transit.
- 2
Screenshot your current APN before you swap.
If you ever need to switch back to your home line quickly, that screenshot saves a support call from a foreign airport.
- 3
Decide on your dual-SIM strategy.
Keep your home line on for SMS-based bank logins, two-factor codes, and emergency calls. Set the travel eSIM as the data line only. Most modern phones can do both simultaneously.
- 4
Disable iMessage on the travel eSIM line.
Otherwise iMessage will try to re-activate against the new line on arrival and you will spend the first ten minutes troubleshooting it instead of finding the taxi rank.
- 5
Download offline maps for Colombia.
Google Maps and Apple Maps both support offline regions. Pull them down on home WiFi so a flaky activation never leaves you without a route from the airport. Our offline maps guide walks through it step by step.
- 6
Activate at the airport, not before.
Once the validity timer starts it does not pause. A 15-day plan you turn on the morning of departure burns a full day of validity before you even land.
We are building this section from real, verified traveler submissions rather than stock testimonials, so it stays empty until we have notes we can stand behind. If you have used an eSIM in Colombia recently, a one-paragraph note on what worked (and what did not) helps the next traveler.
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Pricing on this page is pulled live from our database and refreshed every four hours. Coverage notes are sourced from carrier roaming agreements and updated when carriers change partners. Provider rankings are determined by price-per-gigabyte and plan flexibility, not by who pays the largest commission.






