Cost Comparison
Roaming vs eSIM in Costa Rica: Every Carrier Rate Compared (2026)
AT&T charges $10/day for Costa Rica roaming. Verizon charges $10/day. A travel eSIM on Kolbi's 4G LTE network costs $51 for 10 days — 49% less than either carrier. Below is every rate, side by side.
Roaming costs by carrier
AT&T in Costa Rica
Plan
International Day Pass
Daily rate
$10/day
7-day cost
$70
14-day cost
$140
AT&T charges $10 for each calendar day your phone uses data in Costa Rica — not each 24-hour window. Arriving after midnight and leaving before midnight the next day costs two full day-pass charges on the same trip.
Verizon in Costa Rica
Plan
TravelPass
Daily rate
$10/day
7-day cost
$70
14-day cost
$140
Verizon's day pass covers data and calls to the US. Texts to local Costa Rica numbers are billed separately at $0.25-$0.50 per SMS in some plan tiers. Verify before sending local contact messages abroad.
T-Mobile in Costa Rica
Plan
Magenta (high-speed add-on)
Daily rate
$15/day
7-day cost
$105
14-day cost
$210
T-Mobile does not require you to enable the $15/day Costa Rica pass manually. Your phone connects to Kolbi automatically on landing. The charge appears unless data roaming is switched off before the plane door opens.
Xfinity Mobile in Costa Rica
Plan
International Pass
Daily rate
$10/day
7-day cost
$70
14-day cost
$140
Xfinity Mobile does not require you to enable the $10/day Costa Rica pass manually. Your phone connects to Kolbi automatically on landing. The charge appears unless data roaming is switched off before the plane door opens.
eSIM costs by provider
Metered plans (1GB-20GB)
| Tier | Price | Per GB |
|---|---|---|
| 1GB | $6.99 | $6.99 |
| 3GB | $9.90 | $3.30 |
| 5GB | $26.99 | $5.40 |
| 10GB | $31.49 | $3.15 |
| 20GB | $51 | $2.55 |
Unlimited daily plans
| Days | Price | Per Day | Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 days | $7.26 | $7.26 | 4% |
| 3 days | $20.87 | $6.96 | 8% |
| 7 days | $48.69 | $6.96 | 8% |
| 14 days | $94.20 | $6.73 | 11% |
| 30 days | $185.98 | $6.20 | 18% |
Network access
eSIM plans in Costa Rica connect to Kolbi's 4G LTE network — the same towers that carrier roaming uses. Kolbi is the sole operator, so both roaming and eSIM deliver identical coverage.
Side-by-side comparison
7-day trip comparison
| Option | Cost | Data | Speed | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | $70 | Plan data | LTE | Kolbi |
| Verizon | $70 | Plan data | LTE | Kolbi |
| T-Mobile | $105 | Throttled | 256kbps* | Kolbi |
| Xfinity Mobile | $70 | 200 MB/day | LTE | Kolbi |
| eSIM (20GB) | $51 | 20GB | 4G LTE | Kolbi |
| eSIM (Unlimited) | $52.92 | Unlimited | 4G LTE | Kolbi |
14-day trip comparison
| Option | Cost | Data | Speed | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | $140 | Plan data | LTE | Kolbi |
| Verizon | $140 | Plan data | LTE | Kolbi |
| T-Mobile | $210 | Throttled | 256kbps* | Kolbi |
| Xfinity Mobile | $140 | 200 MB/day | LTE | Kolbi |
| eSIM (20GB) | $51 | 20GB | 4G LTE | Kolbi |
| eSIM (Unlimited) | $105.84 | Unlimited | 4G LTE | Kolbi |
Per-day rate breakdown
AT&T charges $10/day. A 20GB eSIM spread across 10 days costs $5.10/day — 2x cheaper on the same Kolbi 4G LTE network.
Hidden charges
Auto-enrollment and day-one billing
AT&T and Verizon roaming passes activate automatically when your phone connects to Kolbi's network in Costa Rica. Calendar-day billing means arriving at 11:30 PM and leaving before midnight the next day counts as two full day charges. A single background app refresh on landing triggers the first charge.
Speed throttling and data caps
T-Mobile's free international data runs at 256 Kbps — too slow for Google Maps, Instagram, or video calls. Xfinity Mobile caps high-speed data at 200 MB per day before throttling. AT&T and Verizon do not publish their throttling thresholds, but users report speed reductions on sustained high-bandwidth use.
Voicemail and background app charges
Checking voicemail abroad is treated as an inbound international call. If the day pass has not yet activated, that single voicemail retrieval triggers the full daily charge. Background app sync, push notifications, and automatic app updates all count toward data usage and can activate the daily pass without your knowledge.
Carrier rate analysis for Costa Rica
AT&T International Day Pass
Some travel insurance policies cover data charges from bill shock. AT&T pay-per-use at $2.05/MB in Costa Rica can reach hundreds of dollars from a single app sync. Day Pass caps the damage at $10/day but still costs $100 over 10 days. An eSIM at $51 eliminates bill shock entirely: fixed price, no overages, no claims needed. Prevention costs less than insurance.
Verizon TravelPass
Verizon TravelPass resets at midnight local time in Costa Rica, not at midnight in your home time zone. A background email sync at 11:58 PM costs $10 for that calendar day. Another sync at 12:02 AM costs another $10 for the next day. Four minutes of background activity: $20. Over 10 days, these midnight roll-overs can inflate the bill by $10-$20. An eSIM at $51 does not bill by calendar day.
T-Mobile International
T-Mobile Prepaid plans do not include Simple Global (the free international data program). Prepaid customers in Costa Rica get no free data at any speed. International add-ons for Prepaid cost more than postpaid upgrades and cover fewer destinations. T-Mobile Prepaid customers should purchase a 20GB eSIM at $51 before departure. The eSIM provides full 4G LTE on Kolbi without depending on any T-Mobile international program.
Vodafone Roaming Passport
Vodafone Roaming Passport for Costa Rica: GBP6/day. 7 days: GBP42. 10 days: GBP60. This is Vodafone's rest-of-world rate. EU destinations may be included at no extra charge depending on your plan, but Costa Rica falls under the paid roaming zone. A 20GB eSIM on Kolbi: $51 (USD). The eSIM is priced in USD, removing GBP exchange rate uncertainty.
EE Roam Abroad
EE Roam Abroad for Costa Rica: GBP6/day. 7 days: GBP42. 10 days: GBP60. EU destinations are included on most EE plans post-2021 contract renewals. Costa Rica carries the rest-of-world zone rate. A 20GB eSIM on Kolbi: $51 (USD). The eSIM removes currency conversion uncertainty entirely.
Xfinity Mobile International Pass
Xfinity Mobile charges $10/day in Costa Rica but caps high-speed data at 200 MB/day. AT&T charges $10/day with no published daily cap. Verizon charges $10/day with no published daily cap. Xfinity is the most restrictive: same daily price as AT&T, but 200 MB of usable speed vs AT&T's full plan allowance. A 20GB eSIM at $51 has no daily cap and costs $49 less for 10 days.
Three UK Go Roam
Three UK customers on plans started before June 2022 may still have free Go Roam. Customers on plans started after June 2022 pay £2/day in Go Roam destinations and £5/day elsewhere. Costa Rica roaming cost depends entirely on when your Three contract started. A travel eSIM at $51 on Kolbi costs the same regardless of when you signed up. No plan-date lookup required.
MVNO roaming comparison
US MVNOs and international roaming in Costa Rica: Cricket (AT&T): $10/day Day Pass, $100 for 10 days. Mint Mobile (T-Mobile): no international plan, pay-per-use only. Visible (Verizon): no international roaming at all. Boost: limited add-on packs, 100-500 MB per pack. US Mobile: day-rate international plans, $3-$8/day. Travel eSIM on Kolbi: $51 for 20GB. For MVNO customers, the travel eSIM is not optional — it is often the only affordable path to mobile data in Costa Rica.
Rate summary
AT&T (International Day Pass): AT&T International Day Pass costs 96% more than an eSIM for Costa Rica.
Verizon (TravelPass): Verizon TravelPass costs 96% more than an eSIM for Costa Rica.
T-Mobile (Magenta (high-speed add-on)): T-Mobile's paid high-speed tier costs more than AT&T and more than an eSIM.
Bill shock scenarios
Scenario: your boss calls a video meeting while you are in Costa Rica. A 5-minute FaceTime or Zoom call at standard quality uses 75 MB. On AT&T pay-per-use: $153.75. A 30-minute call: $922.5. One half-hour video call without a roaming plan costs more than a 20GB eSIM at $51 that covers the entire 10-day trip. AT&T Day Pass caps the damage at $10/day, but the eSIM is still cheaper over any trip longer than one day.
How to switch to an eSIM
Setting up dual-SIM for Costa Rica (works with any US carrier): Your phone runs two SIMs simultaneously: the home carrier SIM and the travel eSIM. Home SIM role: calls and texts only. Data roaming OFF. WiFi Calling ON. eSIM role: all mobile data on Kolbi's 4G LTE network at $51 for 20GB. How they work together: incoming calls arrive on your US number via WiFi Calling routed over the eSIM's data connection. iMessage and WhatsApp stay tied to your home number. Maps, browsers, and apps use the eSIM's data. AT&T/Verizon/T-Mobile cannot bill roaming charges when data roaming is disabled on their SIM.
Is eSIM cheaper than roaming in Costa Rica?
AT&T and Verizon both charge $10/day for data in Costa Rica, totaling $100 over 10 days. A travel eSIM on the same Kolbi 4G LTE network costs $51 for 20GB. The eSIM is 49% less expensive with identical network performance. Verified May 2026.
Should I use eSIM or roaming in Costa Rica?
Use an eSIM. Both eSIM and carrier roaming connect to Kolbi's 4G LTE towers in Costa Rica. The difference is price: $51 (eSIM) vs $100 (AT&T roaming). Same signal, same speeds, $49 less. Verified May 2026.
Does T-Mobile work in Costa Rica?
Yes, T-Mobile connects to Kolbi in Costa Rica, but free international data runs at 256 Kbps. That is 2G-equivalent speed. Upgrading to high-speed costs $15/day. A travel eSIM at $51 for 20GB provides full 4G LTE speed on the same Kolbi towers. Verified May 2026.
What is the best way to get data in Costa Rica?
Costa Rica data options compared: eSIM $51 (20GB, Kolbi 4G LTE, instant setup). AT&T roaming $100 ($10/day, same Kolbi towers). T-Mobile free at 256 Kbps (unusable for navigation). Costa Rica has good public WiFi, but cellular data provides reliable coverage everywhere. Verified May 2026.
Our verdict for Costa Rica
When carrier roaming makes sense
Carrier roaming makes sense for 1-day layovers where the $10 charge is less than the effort of installing an eSIM. Travelers who need voice calling to local Costa Rica numbers may also prefer their carrier plan, since eSIM data plans do not include voice service.
When an eSIM wins
For any trip longer than 2 days, an eSIM saves money over carrier roaming in Costa Rica. Families and groups save even more because carrier charges multiply per person. Countries with airport SIM queues make eSIM especially valuable — install before departure, activate on landing.
Bottom line for Costa Rica
For a 10-day trip to Costa Rica, an eSIM saves $49 vs AT&T and delivers the same 4G LTE connection on Kolbi's network.
Costa Rica connectivity details
Local network infrastructure
Costa Rica has 1 mobile network. Primary carriers: Kolbi, Claro CR, Movistar CR. Both carrier roaming and eSIM connect to these same networks.
Download speeds and 5G
Average download speed: 25 Mbps. Costa Rica operates on 4G LTE. Both roaming and eSIM get the same speeds.
Quick tip
Costa Rica requires passport-based SIM registration for physical SIMs. A travel eSIM bypasses this requirement entirely — no paperwork, no waiting.
Good to know
Claro is the only mobile network in Costa Rica. Your carrier roaming plan and a travel eSIM both connect to the same towers. The signal quality is identical; only the cost differs.
Frequently asked questions
- Is roaming or eSIM better for Costa Rica?
- For trips longer than 2 days, an eSIM is cheaper than carrier roaming in Costa Rica. AT&T charges $10/day while an eSIM costs $51 total for a 10-day trip. Both use Kolbi's 4G LTE network — the only difference is the price.
- What hidden charges does AT&T have for Costa Rica roaming?
- AT&T's International Day Pass auto-activates when your phone connects to Kolbi's network in Costa Rica. Calendar-day billing means arriving at 11 PM costs a full $10. Background app sync, voicemail retrieval, and notifications can trigger the daily charge on days you intended to stay offline.
- Do eSIMs use the same network as carrier roaming in Costa Rica?
- Both eSIM and carrier roaming connect to Kolbi's 4G LTE towers in Costa Rica. The network, coverage area, and download speeds are identical. The difference is pricing: carriers charge $10-$15/day while eSIMs charge a flat rate for the entire trip.
- Is T-Mobile roaming really free in Costa Rica?
- T-Mobile Magenta includes free data in Costa Rica, but speed is throttled to 256 Kbps. That is too slow for maps, video calls, or photo uploads. The high-speed add-on costs $15/day — more expensive than most eSIM plans.
- Can I use eSIM and keep my carrier number in Costa Rica?
- Dual-SIM phones (most models since 2019) run both your carrier SIM and the travel eSIM simultaneously. Your home number stays active for calls and texts over WiFi. The eSIM handles all data on Kolbi's 4G LTE network in Costa Rica.
- What speed does carrier roaming get in Costa Rica?
- Carrier roaming in Costa Rica connects to Kolbi's 4G LTE network — the same towers and speeds that an eSIM uses. AT&T and Verizon offer LTE speeds through their day pass. T-Mobile's free tier is capped at 256 Kbps unless you pay for the high-speed add-on.
- Does Verizon auto-charge for roaming in Costa Rica?
- Verizon TravelPass activates automatically when your phone connects abroad in Costa Rica. A single background data transfer triggers the $10/day charge. The only way to avoid it is to disable data roaming in your phone settings before landing.
- How much does carrier roaming cost in Costa Rica?
- If you land in Costa Rica without activating a roaming plan, AT&T bills $2.05 per megabyte. A 10-second Google Maps load at 1.5 MB costs $3.08. Ten minutes of casual app use: $30–$60. AT&T's day pass caps the damage at $10/day. A travel eSIM on Kolbi at $6.99 for 1GB is the only option with a fixed, predictable total cost from day one.
- Is T-Mobile's free international data fast enough in Costa Rica?
- No. To use Costa Rica as a normal traveler — ride-hailing, mapping, messaging with photos — you need at minimum 1 Mbps. T-Mobile's free tier delivers 256 Kbps, which is one-quarter of that floor. The high-speed add-on costs $15/day. A travel eSIM connects to Kolbi's 4G LTE network at $2.55/GB — the same towers, real speeds, no daily charge trigger.
- How is my roaming bill calculated in Costa Rica?
- Carriers bill Costa Rica roaming two ways. AT&T and Verizon use per-day billing at $10/day — the charge triggers even if a background app syncs at 11:59 PM. Without a day pass, AT&T bills $2.05 per MB ($2,099/GB). T-Mobile provides free data at 256 Kbps but charges $15/day for usable speed. An eSIM plan at 1GB for $6.99 is a one-time purchase with no per-day triggers and no usage surprises.
- How do I track data usage on my travel eSIM in Costa Rica?
- Three methods for monitoring eSIM data in Costa Rica. First: your eSIM provider's app shows real-time usage against the plan purchased at $2.55/GB. Second: iPhone Settings > Cellular > [eSIM name] shows bytes sent and received — reset the counter when your plan activates. Third: Android Settings > Network > Data usage lets you set a data warning threshold. AT&T International Day Pass at $10/day does not break out per-day data usage by country in the MyAT&T app. The eSIM provider app on Kolbi's network is the most accurate real-time tracker. Rates checked June 2026.
- Is carrier roaming worth it in Costa Rica?
- No. AT&T and Verizon both charge $10/day in Costa Rica — that is $70 for one week. A travel eSIM on Kolbi's 4G LTE network starts at $2.55/GB. For a 7-day trip averaging 1.5 GB of data per day, the eSIM costs roughly $26.78 total versus $70 for carrier roaming. The eSIM uses the same tower infrastructure — the only difference is price.