El Salvador – known for being the land of volcanoes. The country has to deal with volcanic activity and earthquakes frequently.
Somehow, its flag does not feature a volcano – perhaps they have too many bad memories of it.
But you as a visitor can have fantastic memories of El Salvador if you plan your trip right.
Besides being known as the land of volcanoes, El Salvador is also a surfer's paradise. It has many beaches with perfect conditions for surfing.
But the country is also full of history. El Tazumal is a Mayan ruins complex with a museum attached.
Lake Ilopango is a beautiful lake… in a volcanic crater.
And Ruta de las Flores is simply a beautiful flower-lined path going through colonial towns.
Honestly, there is no need to be bored in El Salvador. Especially if you like volcanoes – there are plenty of them.
But before you start posting 261 photos of volcanoes on social media, be aware that international roaming can be expensive. Like, really pricey.
Luckily, you can avoid international roaming rates by using local SIM cards, like one from El Salvador.
This way, you can enjoy local rates – almost always cheaper than roaming.
But how expensive are SIM cards in El Salvador?
You can get a Salvadoran SIM card for as little as 1 USD from the four mobile operators (Claro, Movistar, Tigo & Digicel). Tigo also sells other starter packs up to 5 USD. SIM cards are sold at El/San Salvador International Airport.
1 USD for a SIM card? That is nothing!
And I can already tell you that the mobile data rates in this country are low too!
But before you get too excited already, I still have to go over some things.
In this guide, I will tell you everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in El Salvador. Let's go.
Original publication: 10th of January 2020. Last updated: 14th of March 2023.
Table of Contents
Can You Buy a SIM Card in El Salvador?
Anyone living in or visiting El Salvador can buy a Salvadoran SIM card from the mobile network operators (Claro, Movistar, Tigo & Digicel) in their stores or from resellers without any restrictions.
You do have to comply with the SIM card registration regulations.
Moreover, you need a phone that supports the frequencies used in the country (preferably all of them to have the most optimal experience while in El Salvador).
Furthermore, you need to have a SIM-lock-free device.
Where Can You Buy a SIM Card in El Salvador?
You can get a Salvadoran SIM card in Claro, Movistar, Tigo & Digicel stores and from authorized dealers, including grocery stores. It is also possible to buy SIM cards at El/San Salvador International Airport (Saint Oscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez).
You can expect to pay the following for Salvadoran SIM cards:
- Claro El Salvador: 1 USD
- Movistar El Salvador: 1 USD
- Tigo El Salvador: 1 USD, 2 USD, 3.25 USD & 5 USD
- Digicel El Salvador: 1 USD
TIP: Check out my SIM card prices lookup tool for a detailed overview of SIM card starter pack benefits (for Salvadoran SIM cards and SIM cards worldwide).
Can You Use Your Phone in El Salvador?
El Salvador uses GSM for its cellular communications, meaning that you need a GSM-capable phone to use your phone in the country. CMDA-phones will not work in El Salvador, but there is about a 99% chance you have a GSM phone anyway.
You also need to be aware of the ITU Regions to determine whether your phone will work in other parts of the world.
Although there are three ITU Regions, you only need to know these two terms: American Frequencies and European Frequencies.
El Salvador uses American Frequencies, which are used in the Americas (North-, Central, and South America + the Caribbean – ITU Region 2). Phones sold in the Americas typically have no issues when using their phone in other ITU Region 2 countries.
In Africa, Asia (including the Middle East), Europe, and Oceania (ITU Regions 1 & 3), they typically use European Frequencies, meaning phones bought in those regions can be used in countries using European Frequencies without issues.
If you purchased your phone in the Americas (ITU Region 2), you should not experience any issues with using your phone in El Salvador.
If you bought your phone in Africa, Asia, Europe, or Oceania (ITU Regions 1 & 3) and have a low/medium-end device without Tri-Band or Quad-Band support, you want to go with Digicel El Salvador. It supports traditional European frequencies on 2G and 3G.
If you have a medium/high-end device with Tri-Band or Quad-Band support, you can go with any operator because your phone will support both American and European frequencies – also on 4G/LTE.
Mobile Operators, Networks & Frequencies in El Salvador
El Salvador has four mobile network operators offering prepaid services easily accessible to travelers:
- Claro El Salvador
- Movistar El Salvador
- Tigo El Salvador
- Digicel El Salvador
The following frequencies are used in El Salvador:
- 2G: 850 MHz, 900 MHz & 1900 MHz
- 3G: 850 MHz, 900 MHz & 1900 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 850 MHz (Band 5), 1700 MHz (Band 4) & 1900 MHz (Band 2)
You can learn more about frequencies in the video below.
To check whether your phone will work in El Salvador, check out this page by Kimovil or this one by Will My Phone Work (outdated, unfortunately, but extremely user-friendly – useful for phones launched in or before 2019. It does not check for 5G NR compatibility).
Again, make sure your phone is unlocked. Otherwise, you will not be able to use any SIM card except the one from your home operator (meaning you have to roam internationally or buy another unlocked phone that does support the frequencies listed above).
If you want to learn how international roaming works, this guide explains it in-depth. If you wonder why it is often so expensive to roam, this article explains the hidden reason they do not want you to know.
5G NR in El Salvador
5G NR is not available in El Salvador as of 2022, and the Salvadoran government has not made any indications of when they will auction 5G licenses.
Best SIM Card in El Salvador
If you want to buy the best SIM card in El Salvador, I recommend going with Claro. It has the best coverage and the fastest speeds.
Best eSIM in El Salvador
Unfortunately, none of the mobile operators offer eSIM to prepaid customer in El Salvador yet.
Note that the Salvadoran mobile operators require your identification (passport) for (future) eSIMs and physical SIM cards (will be discussed later).
Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for El Salvador (without personal detail capturing), you can get the El Salvador (Cerrocom) eSIM from Airalo.
You have these four options:
- El Salvador/Cerrocom 1 GB eSIM for 7 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
- El Salvador/Cerrocom 2 GB eSIM for 15 days
- El Salvador/Cerrocom 3 GB eSIM for 30 days
- El Salvador/Cerrocom 5 GB eSIM for 30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in March based on data up to the 13th of March (2023 data only)
The Airalo links will automatically get you the available Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers – a code is unnecessary.
For an in-depth analysis of the El Salvador Corrocom eSIMs (covering pros and cons as well), check out my El Salvador eSIMs Compared guide.
- Check out my Airalo eSIM reviews
Or you can get El Salvador eSIMs from Holafly:
Use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for exclusive deals when getting Holafly eSIMs, AND get an additional 5% off!
For an in-depth analysis of the Holafly El Salvador eSIMs (covering pros and cons as well), check out my El Salvador eSIMs Compared guide.
- Check out my Holafly reviews
Finally, you also get El Salvador eSIMs from Nomad.
Use code ADU123 for the best deals available when getting Nomad eSIMs (on the site or their apps) and get 3 USD/2.85 EUR/2.45 GBP/4.10 CAD off (even on top of current promotions)!
For an in-depth analysis of the Nomad El Salvador eSIMs (covering pros and cons as well), check out my El Salvador eSIMs Compared guide.
- Check out my Nomad reviews
With these eSIMs, you can skip El Salvador's SIM card registration scheme entirely and use it immediately upon arriving in El Salvador!
- Find out about the best local eSIMs, local travel eSIMs & regional travel eSIMs for every country (lookup tool)
TIP: check out my Best El Salvador eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for El Salvador, including ones not mentioned above.
Airalo introduced an eSIM for Latin America (Central- and South America): Latamlink. The Latamlink is following the popular Eurolink eSIM for 39 European countries and the fairly new Asialink eSIM for 14 Asian countries.
The Latamlink eSIM comes in four variants: 1 GB/7 days, 2 GB/15 days, 3 GB/30 days – most popular with PTW readers & 5 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers to be used in El Salvador and 18 other Latin American countries:
Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in March based on data up to the 13th of March (2023 data only)
- Argentina
- Belize
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- French Guiana
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Mexico
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
With the Latamlink eSIM, you can save a lot of money by skipping the initial SIM card costs per country you visit in Latin America!
Holafly also has an eSIM covering most of Central- and South America (although the eSIM is called South America eSIM).
But honestly, the Latamlink eSIM is superior (but you can consider the Holafly Central America eSIM if you want 6 GB of data instead in 13 countries – just do not forget about code PHONETRAVELWIZ if you go with Holafly).
TIP: Check out my eSIM lookup tool for an overview of local mobile operators offering eSIMs to prepaid customers and travel eSIMs I use and love (for eSIMs in El Salvador and eSIMs worldwide) and my Best El Salvador eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for El Salvador.
Best International/Travel SIM Card for El Salvador
If you want to buy the best international/travel SIM card for El Salvador, I recommend going with SimCorner's 12 GB El Salvador Travel SIM card for 30 days. Consider SimCorner's South America Travel SIM card, also with 12 GB, valid for 30 days in El Salvador and (Central+) South America, including Guatemala & Nicaragua.
SimCorner's South America SIM card can, in addition to the aforementioned countries, also be used in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru, Puerto Rico & Uruguay.
- Check out my SimCorner reviews
You can also get the SimCorner International Travel SIM card (new: also available as an eSIM) 6 GB of data valid for 15 days to be used in El Salvador and 100+ countries, including the ones mentioned above and Canada, Mexico & the United States.
You can use the Simcorner International Travel SIM card in the following countries:
- Åland Islands
- Albania
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Cambodia
- Canada
- Chad
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Congo, the Republic of (Brazzaville)
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Estonia
- Faroe Islands
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- Gabon
- Germany
- Ghana
- Greece
- Guam
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kenya
- Kuwait
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macau
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Malta
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Myanmar
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Nigeria
- North Macedonia
- Northern Cyprus
- Norway
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Puerto Rico
- Qatar
- Romania
- Russia
- San Marino
- Saudi Arabia
- Serbia
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Svalbard and Jan Mayen
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Tonga
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vatican City
- Vietnam
Instead of spending between 5 USD to 15 USD for SIM cards in each country, get a SimCorner travel SIM card covering numerous countries for just one price!
Use discount code PHONETRAVELWIZ for extra savings!
SIM Card Registration in El Salvador
SIM card registration, with the use of your passport information, is mandatory in El Salvador. This will be done at the point of purchase.
El Salvador Mobile Speeds, Mobile Internet Prices & Insights
Mobile data is relatively cheap in Latin America.
At least, when looking at it from a global perspective and if you do not have a local wage.
Even then, the prices in this region are lower than the worldwide average.
What about El Salvador, then?
The average price for 1 GB of data in El Salvador is 4.49 USD, below the Central American average of 2.40 USD. The world average is 4.07 USD.
This makes El Salvador the Central American country with the second-lowest mobile data rates in the region.
And compared to 2019's figures, the average has decreased by 70.8%.
Let's talk about speeds. How fast are mobile data speeds in El Salvador?
El Salvador's average mobile download speed is around 20 Mbps, about half the global average.
If you think these are slow figures, then you are right – they are slow.
But, mobile download speeds are not the fastest in Central America.
Currently, Costa Rica represents the region with an average download speed of 33 Mbps – still much slower than the global average.
On the other hand, Panama is the slowest, with an average of about 20 Mbps.
So, it could be (slightly) worse in El Salvador.
Luckily, SIM cards are affordable, and the cost of mobile data is also low.
There is nationwide coverage, but the speeds are on the slow end.
Overall, you should have a good network experience in El Salvador.
Currency in El Salvador
El Salvador uses the US Dollar with the symbol USD (which will be used throughout this article).
Prices in El Salvador are listed in just $.
For up-to-date USD:your currency (let's say EUR – Euro) exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
If your credit/debit card charges you foreign exchange fees, get yourself a Wise Borderless Account and Debit Card.
Their fees are MUCH lower than banks and credit card companies charge you (and Wise is transparent about their fees, unlike banks).
I have saved literal THOUSANDS of Australian Dollars and Euros, my main currencies, when using Wise abroad when traveling compared to my debit and credit cards.
Salvadoran Prepaid SIM Cards
Below, I will guide you through Claro El Salvador, Movistar El Salvador, Tigo El Salvador & Digicel El Salvador, and go through:
- Background information
- Mobile coverage
- SIM card types, prices, and availability
- Recharge/top-up information
- Combo plans, data plans, and special packs (such as social media packs)
With that being said, let’s see what El Salvador has to offer.
Claro El Salvador
Claro El Salvador, just Claro, is the largest mobile network operator in El Salvador.
Claro, as a company, is active in Central America and South America.
This is what you will learn about Claro:
* Coverage
* How to Get a Claro SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings
Coverage – Claro El Salvador
Claro has the best coverage in El Salvador.
Although its 4G/LTE coverage is not as extensive as Tigo El Salvador's.
Below is Claro's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
However, click here to see Claro's official coverage map.
SIM Card Price – Claro El Salvador
You can buy a Claro SIM card for 1 USD in Claro stores and from resellers, like grocery stores, phone shops, and kiosks. It is also possible to get SIM cards at El/San Salvador International Airport.
Dial *222# to see your Claro phone number.
- Find out how much SIM cards cost in every country, including data-only SIM cards and tourist SIM cards, offered by each mobile operator + information about starter benefits (lookup tool)
Claro has no eSIMs.
Note that the Salvadoran mobile operators require your identification (passport) for (future) eSIMs and physical SIM cards.
Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for El Salvador (without personal detail capturing), you can get the El Salvador (Cerrocom) eSIM from Airalo (1 GB/7 days – most popular with PTW readers, 2 GB/15 days – very popular with PTW readers, 3 GB/30 days & 5 GB/30 days).
The Airalo links will automatically get you the available Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers – a code is unnecessary.
- Check out my Airalo eSIM reviews
Or you can get El Salvador eSIMs from Holafly:
Use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for exclusive deals when getting Holafly eSIMs, AND get an additional 5% off!
- Check out my Holafly reviews
Finally, you also get El Salvador eSIMs from Nomad (from 1 GB/7 days to 5 GB/30 days).
Use code ADU123 for the best deals available when getting Nomad eSIMs (on the site or their apps) and get 3 USD/2.85 EUR/2.45 GBP/4.10 CAD off (even on top of current promotions)!
- Check out my Nomad reviews
Airalo introduced an eSIM for Latin America (Central- and South America): Latamlink. The Latamlink is following the popular Eurolink eSIM for 39 European countries and the fairly new Asialink eSIM for 14 Asian countries.
The Latamlink eSIM comes in four variants: 1 GB/7 days, 2 GB/15 days, 3 GB/30 days – most popular with PTW readers & 5 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers to be used in El Salvador and 18 other Latin American countries:
Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in March based on data up to the 13th of March (2023 data only)
With the Latamlink eSIM, you can save a lot of money by skipping the initial SIM card costs per country you visit in Latin America!
TIP: check out my Best El Salvador eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for El Salvador, including ones not mentioned above.
- Find out about the best local eSIMs, local travel eSIMs & regional travel eSIMs for every country (lookup tool)
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Claro El Salvador
Claro top-up vouchers are sold in Claro stores, grocery stores, corner shops, and electronics shops throughout El Salvador.
To top up your Claro SIM card, dial *106*VoucherCode#.
For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *106*123456#.
You can also tell the salesperson how much credit you want, your phone number, pay, and they will top up your SIM card with the POS system.
You can also recharge online (1/2) with (international) debit and credit cards.
Text SALDO to 72536 or CONSUMO to 4777 to check your Claro balance.
You can also top up and check your balance on the Mi Claro (My Claro) app (Android/iOS).
Plans, Packages, Bundles & Offers – Claro El Salvador
Claro has one data-featured plan, which is the Superpack de Internet (Internet Superpacks). It is a combo plan with data, minutes, and SMS.
Below are the Superpack de Internet, which you can activate by dialing *555# and following the sequence of the options:
| Price | Plan | Data | Social Media Data | On-Net Minutes | Local Minutes | On-Net SMS | Validity | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.50 USD | 200 MB | 200 MB | Unlimited 1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1 day | *555# – 1 – 2 |
| 1 USD | 500 MB | 500 MB | Unlimited 2 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1 day | *555# – 1 – 2 |
| 1 USD | Superpack Express $1 | 1 GB | Unlimited 3 | Unlimited | 10 minutes 4 | Unlimited | 2 days | *555# – 1 – 1 |
| 1 USD | Superpack Xtreme 2 Días | 1 GB | 2 GB 7 + Unlimited 5 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 2 days | *555# – 2 – 1 |
| 2 USD | 1 GB | 1 GB | Unlimited 2 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 5 days | *555# – 1 – 2 |
| 2 USD | Superpack Xtreme 4 Días | 2 GB | 5 GB 7 + Unlimited 5 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 4 days | *555# – 2 – 1 |
| 2 USD | Superpack Express $2 | 2 GB | 500 MB 8 + Unlimited 3 | Unlimited | 20 minutes 4 | Unlimited | 4 days | *555# – 1 – 1 |
| 2 USD | 2 GB | 2 GB | Unlimited 2 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 7 days | *555# – 1 – 2 |
| 2 USD | 3 GB | 3 GB | Unlimited 6 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 3 days | *555# – 1 – 2 |
| 4 USD | Superpack Express $4 | 3 GB | 2 GB 9 + Unlimited 3 | Unlimited | 40 minutes 4 | Unlimited | 8 days | *555# – 1 – 1 |
| 4 USD | Superpack Xtreme 8 Días | 3 GB | 6 GB 10 + Unlimited 5 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 8 days | *555# – 2 – 1 |
| 5 USD | Paquete Sin Vigencia 1 GB | 1 GB | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | No expiry | *555# – 2 – 1 |
| 5 USD | 5 GB | 5 GB | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 10 days | *555# – 1 – 2 |
| 7 USD | Paquete Sin Vigencia 2 GB | 2 GB | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | No expiry | *555# – 2 – 1 |
| 7 USD | Superpack Express $7 | 4 GB | 2 GB 9 + Unlimited 3 | Unlimited | 50 minutes 4 | Unlimited | 16 days | *555# – 1 – 1 |
| 10 USD | Paquete Sin Vigencia 3 GB | 3 GB | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | No expiry | *555# – 2 – 1 |
| 10 USD | Superpack Express $10 | 5 GB | 2 GB 9 + Unlimited 3 | Unlimited | 60 minutes 4 | Unlimited | 30 days | *555# – 1 – 1 |
| 10 USD | 9 GB | 9 GB | Unlimited 2 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 20 days | *555# – 1 – 2 |
| 15 USD | 12 GB | 12 GB | Unlimited 2 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 30 days | *555# – 1 – 2 |
1 Instagram & WhatsApp
2 Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram & WhatsApp
3 Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Twitter & WhatsApp
4 also to Canada & United States
5 WhatsApp
6 Instagram
7 Instagram, TikTok & Twitch
8 YouTube
9 Spotify & YouTube
10 Instagram, TikTok, Twitch & YouTube
APN/Internet Settings – Claro El Salvador
- Name: Internet Claro
- APN: internet.ideasclaro
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
Movistar El Salvador
Movistar El Salvador, just Movistar, is the second-largest mobile operator in El Salvador.
Movistar, as a brand, is active in Central America and South America.
Movistar uses the following frequencies:
- 2G: 850 MHz
- 3G: 850 MHz & 1900 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 1900 MHz (Band 2)
This is what you will learn about Movistar:
* Coverage
* How to Get a Movistar SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings
Coverage – Movistar El Salvador
Movistar has great coverage throughout El Salvador.
Its 4G/LTE coverage is still mostly concentrated around urban areas.
Below is Movistar's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
However, click here to see Movistar's official coverage map.
SIM Card Price – Movistar El Salvador
You can buy a Movistar SIM card for 1 USD in Movistar stores and from resellers, like grocery stores, phone shops, and kiosks. It is also possible to get SIM cards at El/San Salvador International Airport.
- Find out how much SIM cards cost in every country, including data-only SIM cards and tourist SIM cards, offered by each mobile operator + information about starter benefits (lookup tool)
Movistar has no eSIMs.
Note that the Salvadoran mobile operators require your identification (passport) for (future) eSIMs and physical SIM cards.
Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for El Salvador (without personal detail capturing), you can get the El Salvador (Cerrocom) eSIM from Airalo (1 GB/7 days – most popular with PTW readers, 2 GB/15 days – very popular with PTW readers, 3 GB/30 days & 5 GB/30 days).
The Airalo links will automatically get you the available Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers – a code is unnecessary.
- Check out my Airalo eSIM reviews
Or you can get El Salvador eSIMs from Holafly:
Use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for exclusive deals when getting Holafly eSIMs, AND get an additional 5% off!
- Check out my Holafly reviews
Finally, you also get El Salvador eSIMs from Nomad (from 1 GB/7 days to 5 GB/30 days).
Use code ADU123 for the best deals available when getting Nomad eSIMs (on the site or their apps) and get 3 USD/2.85 EUR/2.45 GBP/4.10 CAD off (even on top of current promotions)!
- Check out my Nomad reviews
Airalo introduced an eSIM for Latin America (Central- and South America): Latamlink. The Latamlink is following the popular Eurolink eSIM for 39 European countries and the fairly new Asialink eSIM for 14 Asian countries.
The Latamlink eSIM comes in four variants: 1 GB/7 days, 2 GB/15 days, 3 GB/30 days – most popular with PTW readers & 5 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers to be used in El Salvador and 18 other Latin American countries:
Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in March based on data up to the 13th of March (2023 data only)
With the Latamlink eSIM, you can save a lot of money by skipping the initial SIM card costs per country you visit in Latin America!
TIP: check out my Best El Salvador eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for El Salvador, including ones not mentioned above.
- Find out about the best local eSIMs, local travel eSIMs & regional travel eSIMs for every country (lookup tool)
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Movistar El Salvador
Movistar top-up vouchers are sold in denominations of 1.60 USD, 2.60 USD & 5.25 USD in Movistar stores, grocery stores, corner shops, and electronics shops throughout El Salvador.
Movistar top-up credit has no expiry. Moreover, each top-up includes unlimited WhatsApp data for 30 days.
The following online and eTop-Up options are available:
| Online Top-Up | Validity |
|---|---|
| 0.50 USD | No expiry |
| 1 USD | No expiry |
| 1.50 USD | No expiry |
| 2 USD | No expiry |
| 2.50 USD | No expiry |
| 3 USD | No expiry |
| 4 USD | No expiry |
| 15 USD | No expiry |
| 20 USD | No expiry |
To top up your Movistar SIM card, dial *701*VoucherCode*1#.
For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *701*123456*1#.
You can also tell the salesperson how much credit you want, your phone number, pay, and they will top up your SIM card with the POS system.
Dial *555 or text SALDO to 700 to check your Movistar balance.
You can also top up and check your balance on the Mi Movistar El Salvador (My Movistar El Salvador) app (Android/iOS).
Plans, Packages, Bundles & Offers – Movistar El Salvador
Movistar has two data-featured plans: Paquetes #ConTodo/Packages #WithEverything (combo) & Paquetes Sin Vegencia/Packages Without Validity (data-only).
Paquetes #ConTodo (Packages #WithEverything) – Movistar El Salvador
The Paquetes #ConTodo (Packages #WithEverything) are combo plans with data and minutes.
The following Paquetes #ConTodo are available by dialing *700#:
| Price | Data | Social Media Data | On-Net Minutes | Local Minutes | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 USD | 600 MB | N/A | Unlimited 1 | N/A | 2 days |
| 2 USD | 3 GB | N/A | Unlimited 1 | 20 minutes | 5 days |
| 3 USD | Unlimited 3 | Unlimited 2 | Unlimited 1 | N/A | 4 days |
| 4 USD | 6 GB | Unlimited 2 | Unlimited 1 | 50 minutes | 10 days |
| 5 USD | Unlimited 3 | N/A | Unlimited 1 | N/A | 7 days |
| 7 USD | 10 GB | Unlimited 2 | Unlimited 1 | 80 minutes | 15 days |
| 10 USD | 8 GB | Unlimited 2 | Unlimited 1 | 100 minutes | 30 days |
1 also to Canada & United States
2 Facebook, Pinterest, Spotify, Twitter, Waze & WhatsApp
3 unlimited on 4G/LTE, 5 GB on 3G
Unused allowances will roll over when you renew your plan.
Paquetes Sin Vegencia (Packages Without Validity) – Movistar El Salvador
The Paquetes Sin Vegencia (Packages Without Validity) are data-only plans with no expiry.
Paquetes Sin Vegencia can be activated by texting the Activation Code to 700:
| Price | Data | Validity | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 USD | 50 MB | No expiry | INTER1 |
| 5 USD | 500 MB | No expiry | INTER5 |
| 10 USD | 1 GB | No expiry | INTER10 |
APN/Internet Settings – Movistar El Salvador
- Name: Movistar Internet
- APN: internet.movistar.sv
- Username: movistarsv
- Password: movistarsv
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
Tigo El Salvador
Tigo El Salvador, just Tigo, is the third-largest mobile operator in El Salvador.
Tigo, as a company, is active in Central America and South America.
Tigo uses the following frequencies:
- 2G: 850 MHz
- 3G: 850 MHz & 1900 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 850 MHz (Band 5), 1700 MHz (Band 4) & 1900 MHz (Band 2)
This is what you will learn about Tigo:
* Coverage
* How to Get a Tigo SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings
Coverage – Tigo El Salvador
Tigo has great coverage in El Salvador. It also has the best 4G/LTE reception.
Its 4G/LTE coverage is rather extensive.
Below is Tigo's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
However, click here to see Tigo's official coverage map.
SIM Card Price – Tigo El Salvador
You can buy a Tigo SIM card for 1 USD to 5 USD, depending on the starter SIM card, in Tigo stores and from resellers, like grocery stores, phone shops, and kiosks. It is also possible to get SIM cards at El/San Salvador International Airport.
Dial *627# to see your Tigo phone number.
Dial *123# or *611# to access the Tigo menu.
- Find out how much SIM cards cost in every country, including data-only SIM cards and tourist SIM cards, offered by each mobile operator + information about starter benefits (lookup tool)
Tigo has no eSIMs.
Note that the Salvadoran mobile operators require your identification (passport) for (future) eSIMs and physical SIM cards.
Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for El Salvador (without personal detail capturing), you can get the El Salvador (Cerrocom) eSIM from Airalo (1 GB/7 days – most popular with PTW readers, 2 GB/15 days – very popular with PTW readers, 3 GB/30 days & 5 GB/30 days).
The Airalo links will automatically get you the available Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers – a code is unnecessary.
- Check out my Airalo eSIM reviews
Or you can get El Salvador eSIMs from Holafly:
Use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for exclusive deals when getting Holafly eSIMs, AND get an additional 5% off!
- Check out my Holafly reviews
Finally, you also get El Salvador eSIMs from Nomad (from 1 GB/7 days to 5 GB/30 days).
Use code ADU123 for the best deals available when getting Nomad eSIMs (on the site or their apps) and get 3 USD/2.85 EUR/2.45 GBP/4.10 CAD off (even on top of current promotions)!
- Check out my Nomad reviews
Airalo introduced an eSIM for Latin America (Central- and South America): Latamlink. The Latamlink is following the popular Eurolink eSIM for 39 European countries and the fairly new Asialink eSIM for 14 Asian countries.
The Latamlink eSIM comes in four variants: 1 GB/7 days, 2 GB/15 days, 3 GB/30 days – most popular with PTW readers & 5 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers to be used in El Salvador and 18 other Latin American countries:
Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in March based on data up to the 13th of March (2023 data only)
With the Latamlink eSIM, you can save a lot of money by skipping the initial SIM card costs per country you visit in Latin America!
TIP: check out my Best El Salvador eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for El Salvador, including ones not mentioned above.
- Find out about the best local eSIMs, local travel eSIMs & regional travel eSIMs for every country (lookup tool)
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Tigo El Salvador
Tigo top-up vouchers are sold in denominations of 0.50 USD to 7 USD in Tigo stores, grocery stores, corner shops, and electronics shops throughout El Salvador.
The following top-up options are available:
- 0.50 USD
- 1 USD
- 2 USD
- 4 USD
- 7 USD
The following online and eTop-up options are available:
- 0.50 USD
- 1 USD
- 1.50 USD
- 2 USD
- 3 USD
- 5 USD
- 10 USD
- 15 USD
- 20 USD
- 40 USD
To top up your Tigo SIM card, text the Voucher Code to 404.
For example, if your voucher code is 123456, text 123456 to 404.
You can also tell the salesperson how much credit you want, your phone number, pay, and they will top up your SIM card with the POS system.
Dial *725# your Tigo balance.
You can also top up and check your balance on the Mi Tigo El Salvador (My Tigo El Salvador) app (Android/iOS).
Plans, Packages, Bundles & Offers – Tigo El Salvador
Tigo has three data-featured plans:
- Paquetes Todo Includio/All Inclusive Packages (combo)
- Tigo USA (combo)
- Paquetes de Nevagacion/Data Packages (as the name implies)
Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.
Paquetes Todo Includio (All Inclusive Packages) – Tigo El Salvador
The Paquetes Todo Includio (All Inclusive Packages) are combo plans with data and minutes.
Paquetes Todo Includio can be activated by dialing *123#, *404#, or *611#:
| Price | Data | Social Media Data 1 | On-Net Minutes | Off-Net/International Minutes 3 | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 USD | 1 GB | “Unlimited”, 512 MB 2 | Unlimited | 10 minutes | 2 days |
| 2 USD | 2 GB | “Unlimited”, 1 GB + 512 MB 4 | Unlimited | 20 minutes | 4 days |
| 4 USD | 4 GB | “Unlimited”, 1.5 GB + 1 GB 4 | Unlimited | 40 minutes | 8 days |
| 7 USD | 4 GB | “Unlimited”, 12 GB + 1 GB 4 | Unlimited | 50 minutes | 16 days |
| 10 USD | 5 GB | “Unlimited”, 15 GB + 1 GB 4 | Unlimited | 60 minutes | 30 days |
1 Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, WhatsApp & YouTube
2 without YouTube
3 Canada & United States
Tigo USA – Tigo El Salvador
The Tigo USA plans are combo plans with data and minutes.
Although aimed at friends and family living in the United States recharging on someone in El Salvador's behalf, anyone can purchase Tigo USA plans.
Tigo USA can be activated online:
| Price | Data | Social Media Data 1 | Local Minutes | International Minutes 2 | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 USD | 7 GB | Unlimited | 50 minutes | Unlimited | 8 days |
| 7 USD | 10 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited 3 | Unlimited | 7 days |
| 10 USD | 10 GB | Unlimited | 100 minutes | Unlimited | 16 days |
| 12 USD | 20 GB | Unlimited | 240 minutes | Unlimited | 16 days |
| 15 USD | 20 GB | Unlimited | 300 minutes | Unlimited | 20 days |
| 20 USD | 20 GB | Unlimited | 200 minutes | Unlimited | 30 days |
1 Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, WhatsApp & YouTube
2 Canada & United States
3 on-net minutes only
Paquetes de Nevagacion (Data Packages) – Tigo El Salvador
The Paquetes de Nevagacion (Data Packages) are data-only plans.
Paquetes de Nevagacion can be activated by dialing *123#, *404#, or *611#:
| Price | Data | Social Media Data 1 | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 USD | 2 GB | “Unlimited”, 512 MB | 1 day |
| 2 USD | 4 GB | “Unlimited”, 1 GB | 3 days |
| 4 USD | 6 GB | “Unlimited”, 1.5 GB | 7 days |
| 7 USD | 8 GB | “Unlimited”, 12 GB | 14 days |
| 12 USD | 10 GB | “Unlimited”, 15 GB | 30 days |
1 Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & WhatsApp
APN/Internet Settings – Tigo El Salvador
- Name: Internet Tigo
- APN: internet.tigo.sv
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
Digicel El Salvador
Digicel El Salvador, just Digicel, is the smallest mobile operator in El Salvador.
In the past, it used to be a budget option due to its low prices compared to its competitors, but this competitive advantage has vanished over the years.
Quite frankly, it is the worst option out there. But it is still the cheapest option.
Digicel as a company is active in the Caribbean, Central America & Oceania.
Digicel uses the following frequencies:
This is what you will learn about Digicel:
* Coverage
* How to Get a Digicel SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings
Coverage – Digicel El Salvador
Digicel has decent coverage throughout El Salvador. However, it has the worst coverage in the country.
Its 4G/LTE reception is close to non-existent.
Below is Digicel's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
SIM Card Price – Digicel El Salvador
You can buy a Digicel SIM card for 1 USD in Digicel stores and from resellers, like grocery stores, phone shops, and kiosks. It is also possible to get SIM cards at El/San Salvador International Airport.
Dial *129# to see your Digicel phone number.
- Find out how much SIM cards cost in every country, including data-only SIM cards and tourist SIM cards, offered by each mobile operator + information about starter benefits (lookup tool)
Digicel has no eSIMs.
Note that the Salvadoran mobile operators require your identification (passport) for (future) eSIMs and physical SIM cards.
Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for El Salvador (without personal detail capturing), you can get the El Salvador (Cerrocom) eSIM from Airalo (1 GB/7 days – most popular with PTW readers, 2 GB/15 days – very popular with PTW readers, 3 GB/30 days & 5 GB/30 days).
The Airalo links will automatically get you the available Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers – a code is unnecessary.
- Check out my Airalo eSIM reviews
Or you can get El Salvador eSIMs from Holafly:
Use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for exclusive deals when getting Holafly eSIMs, AND get an additional 5% off!
- Check out my Holafly reviews
Finally, you also get El Salvador eSIMs from Nomad (from 1 GB/7 days to 5 GB/30 days).
Use code ADU123 for the best deals available when getting Nomad eSIMs (on the site or their apps) and get 3 USD/2.85 EUR/2.45 GBP/4.10 CAD off (even on top of current promotions)!
- Check out my Nomad reviews
Airalo introduced an eSIM for Latin America (Central- and South America): Latamlink. The Latamlink is following the popular Eurolink eSIM for 39 European countries and the fairly new Asialink eSIM for 14 Asian countries.
The Latamlink eSIM comes in four variants: 1 GB/7 days, 2 GB/15 days, 3 GB/30 days – most popular with PTW readers & 5 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers to be used in El Salvador and 18 other Latin American countries:
Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in March based on data up to the 13th of March (2023 data only)
With the Latamlink eSIM, you can save a lot of money by skipping the initial SIM card costs per country you visit in Latin America!
TIP: check out my Best El Salvador eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for El Salvador, including ones not mentioned above.
- Find out about the best local eSIMs, local travel eSIMs & regional travel eSIMs for every country (lookup tool)
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Digicel El Salvador
Digicel top-up vouchers are sold in Digicel stores, grocery stores, corner shops, and electronics shops throughout El Salvador.
To top up your Digicel SIM card, dial *100 and select option 1.
If you have a DigiAhorro top-up voucher, you dial *123*VoucherCode*PackageCode#.
For example, if your voucher code is 123456 and the package code (shown on the back of the voucher) is 60, you would dial *123*123456*60#.
You can also tell the salesperson how much credit you want, your phone number, pay, and they will top up your SIM card with the POS system.
You can also recharge online with (international) debit and credit cards.
Dial *100, *120#, or *444# to check your Digicel balance.
You can also top up and check your balance on the Digicel app (Android/iOS).
Plans, Packages, Bundles & Offers – Digicel El Salvador
Digicel has one data-featured plan, which is the Chivo Paquete (Chivo Packages). It includes data and minutes.
You can activate Chiva Paquetes by dialing *444#:
| Price | Plan | Data | Social Media Data | WhatsApp Data | On-Net Minutes | Off-Net/International Minutes 1 | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 USD | Chivo 2 Días | 2 GB | Unlimited 2 | Unlimited (5 days) | Unlimited | 10 minutes | 2 days |
| 2 USD | Chivo 4 Días | 4 GB | N/A | Unlimited (6 days) | Unlimited | 20 minutes | 4 days |
| 3.50 USD | Chivo 8 Días | 6 GB | Unlimited 3 | Unlimited (7 days) | Unlimited | 50 minutes | 8 days |
| 5 USD | Paquete Chivo 7 Días | 7 GB | Unlimited 2 | Unlimited (7 days) | Unlimited | 50/125 minutes | 7 days |
| 5.50 USD | Chivo 15 Días | 6 GB | Unlimited 3 | Unlimited (15 days) | Unlimited | 70 minutes | 15 days |
| 7 USD | Paquete Chivo 10 Días | 9 GB | Unlimited 3 | Unlimited (10 days) | Unlimited | 75/150 minutes | 10 days |
| 9 USD | Chivo 30 Días | 8 GB | Unlimited 2, 3 | Unlimited (30 days) | Unlimited | 90 minutes | 30 days |
| 10 USD | Paquete Chivo 15 Días | 12 GB | Unlimited 2, 3 | Unlimited (15 days) | Unlimited | 100/250 minutes | 15 days |
| 15 USD | Paquete Chivo 21 Días | 15 GB | Unlimited 2, 3 | Unlimited (21 days) | Unlimited | 150/400 minutes | 21 days |
| 20 USD | Paquete Chivo 30 Días | 25 GB | Unlimited 2, 3 | Unlimited (30 days) | Unlimited | 150/600 minutes | 30 days |
1 Canada & United States
2 BiP
3 Facebook, Instagram & Twitter
APN/Internet Settings – Digicel El Salvador
Most phones will automatically retrieve the correct APN settings when inserting a SIM card – the same counts for Digicel El Salvador SIM cards.
If that does not automatically happen, you can dial *100, select option 3, and select option 2 to download the APN settings.
- Name: Digicel
- APN: web.digicelsv.com
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
The Preferred Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in El Salvador
Getting a SIM card from Claro would do you well when considering an Salvadoran SIM card.
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