Planning a trip to Costa Rica and need reliable mobile connectivity? Choosing the right SIM card can make or break your travel experience, affecting everything from navigation and communication to sharing those perfect vacation moments. This comprehensive guide explores Claro Costa Rica’s SIM options, helping you stay connected affordably while exploring this country without the shock of expensive roaming charges.

claro costa rica sim cards

I. Quick Facts about Claro Costa Rica

  • Founded in 2011 after the merger of two previous companies.
  • Full name is Claro CR Telecomunicaciones S.A.
  • Provides mobile voice, text, and data services plus fixed home services.
  • Over 3 million mobile subscribers as of 2022.
  • Wide 4G LTE coverage reaching over 95% of the population.
  • Around 300 Claro stores plus many authorized dealers and retail partners.

Claro is part of the América Móvil group and uses the brand name Claro across Latin America. In Costa Rica, it has an extensive network and competitive rates, making it a solid choice for travelers.

Claro Costa Rica
Claro Costa Rica

II. Claro Connectivity Options for Travelers to Costa Rica

Claro has several options to get connected in Costa Rica:

  • Pre-Paid SIM Card – Buy at Claro stores, recharge as needed. Valid for 180 days.
  • Tourist SIM Card – Pre-loaded with voice, text, data. Valid for 15/30 days.
  • eSIM – Digital SIM activated online and downloaded to your phone. Flexible top-up.

Below, we’ll compare the prepaid and tourist SIMs in detail to help you choose the best option. eSIM will be covered separately.

III. Claro Coverage & Speed in Costa Rica

Claro is one of the mobile operators offering extensive coverage and fast connections in Costa Rica.

1. Claro Network Coverage in Costa Rica

Claro has excellent coverage across Costa Rica, including cities, beaches, rural areas, and national parks.

  • Overall Network Availability: With 97.7% overall availability, Claro delivers high dependability, and most users remain connected almost all the time, even indoors or on the move.
  • You’ll get a strong signal along the entire Pacific coast and at top tourist spots like Manuel Antonio, Jaco, Tamarindo, and Monteverde. The Caribbean side also has reliable coverage, including Limon, Cahuita, and Puerto Viejo.
  • Inland destinations like La Fortuna, Monteverde, and Rincon de la Vieja are covered along highways and key sites. You may find occasional dead zones in very remote area,s but overall connectivity is excellent with Claro.
Claro Network Coverage in Costa Rica
Claro Network Coverage

2. Claro Costa Rica Speed

In addition to wide coverage, Claro offers good 4G speeds, averaging 15-25 Mbps for downloads based on independent speed tests. This is fast enough for web browsing, streaming, video calls, social media, and more.

Speeds are fastest in major cities like San Jose where over 50 Mbps is possible. Rural areas see slower speeds around 5-15 Mbps, but still usable for basic needs. Overall, Claro provides reliable performance for tourist use.

IV. Best Claro Costa Rica SIM Cards for Tourists & Cost

Claro’s main tourist SIM card options are:

Plan Description Price (USD)
Basic 5 5GB of data, 100 minutes, 100 SMS $5
Essential 10 10GB of data, 200 minutes, 200 SMS $10
Select 15 15GB of data, unlimited minutes, unlimited SMS $14
Total 20 20GB of data, unlimited minutes, unlimited SMS, unlimited WhatsApp $20
Unlimited 30 Unlimited data, minutes and SMS, international roaming in Claro countries $30

The 30-day SIM triples the data to 3GB and call credits. It’s better value for longer stays up to one month in Costa Rica. But active users may need to top-up additional high-speed data during 30 days.

✨ Tips: If you’re planning to travel to Costa Rica in a few days, an eSIM plan will be a better option.

V. Where Can You Buy Claro Costa Rica SIM Cards?

Claro prepaid and tourist SIM cards can be purchased at:

  • Claro’s website: You can acquire a SIM card step-by-step on their eSIM page on the Claro website.
  • Claro shop – There are ~300 official stores across Costa Rica.
  • Major airports – SIMs are available at international airports, including San Jose, Liberia, Tamarindo, and Quepos.

When you buy, you'll need to show your passport and fill out registration papers. The standard prepaid SIM costs 2,000 CRC (~$3).

VI. Claro Costa Rica Call & SMS Rates

Here are the standard pay-as-you-go rates for calls and texts without an active recharge:

  • Calls to Claro numbers – 15 CRC/minute (~$0.025).
  • Calls to other Costa Rica mobiles – 50 CRC/minute (~$0.08).
  • SMS to any Costa Rica mobile – 15 CRC (~$0.025).
  • SMS international – 225 CRC (~$0.35).
  • Calls to USA/Canada – 150 CRC/minute (~$0.25).
  • Calls to Europe – 600 CRC/minute (~$1).

For reference, 500 CRC is about $0.80. International calls are expensive on PAYG. Getting a combo recharge or tourist SIM with included minutes is recommended for making calls.

VII. Useful USSD Codes for Claro Costa Rica SIM Card/eSIM

Claro uses standard USSD access codes in Costa Rica:

  • *123# – Check main balance
  • *321# – Check data balance
  • *325# – Check minutes balance
  • *111# – Customer service menu
  • *134# – 4G activation
  • *137*NB# – Set mobile data limit (replace NB with limit amount like 2GB)

USSD codes let you check balances and change settings directly from your phone without logging into an account. Dial like a regular number and follow prompts.

VIII. How to Top up Claro Costa Rica SIM Card

1. In Person Top-up

  • Go to any Claro store or authorized dealer.
  • Pay cash for top-up voucher/card of desired amount. Common amounts are 500 CRC, 1000 CRC, 5000 CRC.
  • Dial 103# to redeem.

2. Online Top-up

  • Login to MiClaro app or website with SIM number.
  • Choose top-up amount and pay via international card or PayPal.
  • Credit will be instantly added to your SIM.

You can also top-up Claro eSIM completely online through the app. Monitor your balances and add more data/minutes as required for uninterrupted service.

IX. Alternatives to Claro in Costa Rica

Besides Claro, some other main local mobile operators include:

  • Liberty: Large operator known for excellent nationwide coverage. Recommended option.
  • Kolbi: State-owned operator that also has good coverage across the country.
  • Costa Rica eSIM from costaricaesim.com: eSIM from costaricaesim.com provides a simple, convenient, and cost-effective SIM solution for tourists visiting Costa Rica compared to traditional SIM cards. Their flexibility, speed, and affordability make them one of the best eSIM alternatives for travelers.

X. FAQs about Claro Costa Rica SIM Cards

Does Claro offer 5G service in Costa Rica?

Not yet. As of 2023, Claro’s network is 4G LTE across the country. 5G coverage is still very limited. 4G speeds are fast enough for most tourist usage.

Can I use Claro Costa Rica SIM card in Central America or Nicaragua?

Claro has roaming agreements across Central/South America. But roaming data is very expensive (up to $12/MB!) so not recommended. Get local SIMs in each country you visit.

How to check Claro Costa Rica SIM card number?

Your new Claro number will be printed on your SIM card pack. You can also dial *123# to see the phone number displayed in the main menu.

How to contact Claro Costa Rica support?

Dial *611 from your Claro SIM for customer service. Other options are online chat via MiClaro app or website, or visit any Claro store. Limited English spoken.

How to monitor and limit mobile data usage?

Check data balances by dialing *321#. You can also enable low balance alerts and set a max limit through USSD codes mentioned above. The MiClaro app provides real-time usage too.

XII. Final Words

With wide coverage, fast 4G speeds, and affordable data rates, Claro is a reliable connectivity option for your trip.

Make sure to get the tourist SIM or prepaid SIM that suits your travel duration and data needs. Activating is quick and easy, after which you’ll have cellular service everywhere in Costa Rica.