Saint Lucia (St Lucia) – known for its beaches, lovely weather, and stunning landscaped. It is also the Caribbean nation that has the most mountains.
The nation is a popular stop for cruise ships. And that is understandable, as there is so much to see and do in this country.
From hiking on the Gros Piton to swimming and snorkeling on Anse Chastanet Beach. And of course, you will explore Marigot Bay.
You may not even have time to do all of that when you arrive in St Lucia by cruise ship – that is fine. Come back another time as a standalone trip, as you certainly do not want to miss out.
While it is inevitable that you will share plenty of photos and videos of St Lucia online, you should know that international roaming can be expensive.
Luckily, St Lucian SIM cards are inexpensive (and you can even get one for free) – so is the cost of mobile data on this island nation.
You can get a St Lucian SIM card for 15 XCD (5.55 USD) from Digicel. Flow hands out SIM cards for free. A plan with 3 GB of data valid for 7 days will cost you 25 XCD (9.25 USD).
There are no roaming plans that can beat these prices. Unless you can roam for free in St Lucia, of course, but do not count on that.
Before you decide to get yourself a free SIM card from Flow, there are quite some things to know about St Lucian SIM cards.
In this guide, I will tell you everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in St Lucia. Let's do this.
Original publication: 12th of March 2020. Last updated: 25th of October 2021.
Table of Contents
Can You Buy a SIM Card in St Lucia?
You can purchase a St Lucian SIM card regardless of your residence or visitor status, meaning that tourists are also allowed to buy a SIM card in St Lucia.
You do need to ensure your SIM card is registered in your name, have a phone that supports St Lucia's frequencies, and have an unlocked device (SIM-lock-free).
Where Can You Buy a SIM Card in St Lucia?
You can get a St Lucian SIM card in the official stores of Digicel and Flow and partner stores.
It is not possible to buy a SIM card at Hewanorra International Airport nor at George F. L. Charles Airport (Vigie Airport).
You can expect to pay the following for St Lucian SIM cards:
- Digicel St. Lucia: 25 XCD
- Flow St. Lucia: Free
Can You Use Your Phone in St Lucia?
St Lucia uses GSM for its cellular communications, meaning that you need a GSM-capable phone to use your phone in the country. Fortunately, there is about a 99% chance your phone supports GSM.
Besides that, you need to be aware of the ITU regions to determine whether your phone will work in other parts of the world.
Although there are 3 ITU regions, you only need to know these two terms: American Frequencies and European Frequencies.
Africa, Asia (including the Middle East), Europe, and Oceania (ITU Regions 1 & 3) typically use European Frequencies, meaning phones bought in those regions can be used in countries using European Frequencies without issues.
The Americas (North-, Central, and South America + the Caribbean), ITU Region 2, use American Frequencies, which are different from the European Frequencies.
St Lucia uses a mix of American Frequencies and European Frequencies for 2G and 3G, depending on the operator. 4G/LTE is exclusively on American Frequencies.
If you bought your phone in the Americas (ITU region 2) and have a low/medium-end device (without Tri-Band or Quad-Band) support, you would want to go with Flow St Lucia. It supports traditional American Frequencies on 2G, 3G, and 4G/LTE, meaning that you can take full advantage of its network.
If you purchased 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 would want to go with Digicel St Lucia. It supports traditional European Frequencies on 2G and 3G, but you will not be able to use its 4G/LTE network.
Suppose you have a medium/high-end device with Tri-Band or Quad-Band support. In that case, you can go with either Flow St Lucia or Digicel St Lucia, as your phone will support both American Frequencies and European Frequencies, even on 4G/LTE.
Mobile Operators, Networks & Frequencies in St Lucia
St Lucia has two mobile network operators:
- Digicel St. Lucia
- Flow St. Lucia
The following frequencies are used in St Lucia:
- 2G: 850 MHz, 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
- 3G: 850 MHz, 1900 MHz & 2100 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 13 & Band 17)
You can learn more about frequencies in the video below.
To check whether your phone will work in St Lucia, check out this page by Will My Phone Work (may be outdated or inaccurate at times).
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 St Lucia
5G is not available in St Lucia as of 2021, and the St Lucian government has not made any indications of when they will auction 5G licenses.
Best SIM Card St Lucia
If you want to buy the best SIM card in St Lucia, I recommend going with Digicel. It has the best coverage and has attractive plans. Flow can faster since the introduction of LTE-A, reaching speeds up to 200 Mbps. However, its 4G/LTE availability is lacking, let alone its LTE-A availability.
SIM Card Registration St Lucia
SIM card registration, with the use of your passport information, is mandatory in St Lucia. This will be done at the point of sale.
St Lucia Mobile Internet Prices & Insights
Mobile data in St Lucia has always been quite affordable compared to other countries and territories in the region.
It was not uncommon to spend at least 10 USD or 20 USD on just 1 GB of data in the Caribbean. However, those prices have vanished over the years with the improvement of telecommunications infrastructure throughout the region.
So, how expensive is mobile data in St Lucia?
The average price for 1 GB of data in Grenada is 2.62 USD, below the Caribbean average of 4.44 USD. The world average is 4.07 USD.
Compared to 2019's figures, the average cost of 1 GB of data has gone down by 45.9%.
In terms of speeds, you should not have high hopes when in St Lucia. Even though speeds may be advertised as reaching up to 100 Mbps with Digicel and even 200 Mbps with Flow, you will rarely hit those speeds – if at all.
Instead, speeds will hover around 10 Mbps to 30 Mbps. Not blazing fast, that is for sure, but St Lucia is an island nation. There are plenty of other island nations where the cost of data is criminally high, and the speeds are to cry for.
Overall, with low costs for SIM cards and data, extensive nationwide coverage, and decent speeds, you should have a great network experience in St Lucia.
Currency in St Lucia
St Lucia uses the East Caribbean Dollar with the symbol XCD (which will be used throughout this guide). However, prices are often listed as ECD, EC$, or $. For example, 25 XCD = ECD/EC$/$ 25.
XCD is pegged 2.70:1 to the Us Dollar (USD), meaning that 2.70 XCD is 1 USD. 27.10 XCD would be 10 USD. 270 is 100 USD, etc. 1 XCD is 0.37 USD, 10 XCD is 3.70 USD, 100 XCD is 37 USD – you know the drill.
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 Euros, my main currency, when using Wise abroad when traveling compared to my debit and credit cards. Open a Wise account FREE!
St Lucian Prepaid SIM Cards
Below, I will guide you through Digicel St. Lucia & Flow St. Lucia 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 St Lucia has to offer to us.
Digicel St. Lucia
Digicel St. Lucia, just Digicel, is the more popular operator in St Lucia. It entered St Lucia in 2003 when Flow used to have a monopoly in St Lucia. Since then, Digicel has managed to get a market share of more than 70%, while Flow lost popularity. Digicel as a company is active in many other Caribbean nations, Central America, and Oceania.
Digicel uses the following frequencies:
- 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
- 3G: 2100 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 17)
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 St. Lucia
Digicel has the best coverage in St Lucia.
Its 4G/LTE availability is high throughout St Lucia, except for in the mountains in the center of St Lucia.
Below is Digicel's coverage map:
SIM Card Price – Digicel St. Lucia
You can buy a Digicel SIM card for 15 XCD in Digicel stores and partner stores.
You may have to dial *122# to activate your SIM card if your SIM card does not work upon purchase.
Dial *129# to see your Digicel phone number.
Digicel SIM cards get deactivated if there has been no activity for 120 days (no top-up for 120 days or no activity for 120 days).
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Digicel St. Lucia
Digicel top-up vouchers are sold in denominations of 5 XCD to 250 XCD in Digicel stores and partner stores and many other establishments, such as kiosks, gas stations, and grocery stores.
To top up your Digicel SIM card, dial *125# and follow the instructions.
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 #120# or *140# to check your Digicel balance.
You can also top up and check your balance on the Digicel app (Android/iOS).
Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Digicel St. Lucia
Digicel has two data-featured plans: Prime Bundles (combo) & Freedom Plus LTE Plans (combo).
Prime Bundles – Digicel St. Lucia
Digicel has the new Prime Bundles, which are bundles with data, data for select Digicel apps, minutes, and SMS.
The following Prime Bundles are available, which you can activate by dialing *140# or *246#:
| Price | Bundle | Any Use Data | Listen More (Music) Data | Listen More (Radio) Data | Watch More Data | Play More Data | Share More Data | Know More Data | Store More Data | On-Net Minutes | Off-Net Minutes | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 XCD | 1 Day Digicel Prime Bundle | 1 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB | 250 minutes | 50 minutes | 1 day |
| 10 XCD | 3 Day Digicel Prime Bundle | 1 GB | 3 GB | 3 GB | 3 GB | 3 GB | 3 GB | 3 GB | 3 GB | 250 minutes | 50 minutes | 3 days |
| 30 XCD | 7 Day Digicel Prime Bundle | 4 GB | 7 GB | 7 GB | 7 GB | 7 GB | 7 GB | 7 GB | 7 GB | 350 minutes | 150 minutes | 7 days |
| 120 XCD | 30 Day Prime Bundle | 12 GB | 30 GB | 30 GB | 30 GB | 30 GB | 30 GB | 30 GB | 30 GB | 1000 minutes | 400 minutes | 30 days |
You also get unlimited Do More data, which is for the MyDigicel App
You can download any Prime Bundle app by visiting the links below:
- Listen More (Music) with D'Music
- Listen More (Radio) with GoLoud
- Watch More with PlayGo
- Play More with Sports Max
- Share More with Bip
- Know More with Loop
- Store More with Billo
Freedom Plus LTE Plans – Digicel St. Lucia
The Freedom Plus LTE Plans are combo bundles with data and minutes. They also offer free roaming in the lower OECS – Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (Dominica, Grenada & Saint Vincent and the Grenadines).
The following Freedom Plus LTE Plans are available, which you can activate by dialing *140#:
| Price | Plan | Data | On-Minutes | Local Minutes | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.99 XCD | Freedom Plus LTE 1 Day | 1 GB | 50 minutes | N/A | 1 day |
| 7.99 XCD | Freedom Plus LTE 3 Days | 1 GB | 250 minutes | N/A | 3 days |
| 19.99 XCD | Freedom Plus LTE 5 Days | 1.5 GB | 300 minutes | N/A | 5 days |
| 26.50 XCD | Freedom Plus LTE 7 Days | 3 GB | N/A | 350 minutes | 7 days |
| 95 XCD | Freedom Plus LTE 30 Days | 10 GB | N/A | 1000 minutes | 30 days |
Freedom Plus LTE Plans auto-renew. To disable auto-renewal, dial *140#.
APN/Internet Settings – Digicel St. Lucia
- Name: Digicel
- APN: internet.oecs
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
Flow St. Lucia
Flow St. Lucia, just Flow, is the incumbent provider in St Lucia. Since Digicel entered St Lucia, Flow has lost its monopoly and popularity. However, that does not make Flow bad. As of 2019, they offer LTE-A, which can reach speeds up to 200 Mbps. Flow as a company is active in many English-speaking countries in the Caribbean.
Flow uses the following frequencies:
- 2G: 850 MHz
- 3G: 850 MHz & 1900 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 13)
This is what you will learn about Flow:
* Coverage
* How to Get a Flow SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plan & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings
Coverage – Flow St. Lucia
Flow has extensive coverage throughout St Lucia.
However, its 4G/LTE availability is lacking.
Below is Flow's coverage map:
SIM Card Price – Flow St. Lucia
You can get a Flow SIM card for free in Flow stores with no strings attached.
Dial *129# to access the Flow menu and to see your Flow phone number.
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Flow St. Lucia
Flow top-up vouchers, available in values between 5 XCD to 200 XCD, are sold in Flow stores and Mobile Recharge Partners throughout St Lucia, including grocery stores, gas stations, and bars.
To top up your Flow, dial *129# and follow the instructions.
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 #120# to check your Flow balance.
You can also top up and check your balance on the Flow app (Android/iOS).
Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Flow St. Lucia
Flow has two data-featured plans: Prepaid Plans (combo) & Data Plans (data-only).
Prepaid Plans – Flow St. Lucia
The Prepaid Plans are combo plans with data, unlimited SWIFT data (Snapchat, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook & Twitter), minutes, and SMS.
The following Prepaid Plans are available:
| Price | Plan | Data | SWIFT Data 1 | Local Minutes | Local SMS | Validity | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.50 XCD | Prepaid 1-Day Plan | 1 GB | Unlimited | 25 minutes | 25 SMS | 1 day | *244*0# |
| 12 XCD | Prepaid 3-Day Plan | 1 GB | Unlimited | 200 minutes | 200 SMS | 3 days | *244*1# |
| 25 XCD | Prepaid 7-Day Plan | 3 GB | Unlimited | 350 minutes | 350 SMS | 7 days | *244*2# |
| 95 XCD | Prepaid 30-Day Plan | 10 GB | Unlimited | 1000 minutes | 1000 SMS | 30 days | *244*3# |
1 Snapchat, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook & Twitter
Data Plans – Flow St. Lucia
The Data Plans are data-only bundles.
The following Data Plans are available:
| Price | Data | Validity | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.99 XCD | 100 MB | 1 Day | *146*100# |
| 7.99 XCD | 250 MB | 3 Days | *146*250# |
| 14.99 XCD | 500 MB | 7 Days | *146*507# |
| 23.99 XCD | 1 GB | 7 Days | *146*1007# |
| 24.99 XCD | 500 MB | 14 Days | *146*514# |
| 32.99 XCD | 1 GB | 14 Days | *146*1014# |
| 39.99 XCD | 1 GB | 30 Days | *146*1000# |
| 79.99 XCD | 3 GB | 30 Days | *146*3000# |
| 119.99 XCD | 5 GB | 30 Days | *146*5000# |
APN/Internet Settings – Flow St. Lucia
- Name: Flow Internet
- APN: ppinternet
Note: do not use just “internet” as a prepaid customer. That APN is reserved for postpaid customers. Leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
Other Ways to Stay Connected When Traveling in St Lucia
I would highly encourage anyone visiting St Lucia to get themselves a St Lucian SIM card – you will be saving a lot of money when you do so.
However, for some, getting a St Lucian SIM card is not an option. For example, your device may be SIM-locked, meaning that you cannot use any SIM card other than the SIM card provided by your operator.
There are other ways to stay online while in St Lucia, but they may not be cheap.
However, these methods may be more expensive than getting a SIM card from the two local operators.
International Roaming
International roaming is the most convenient way to stay connected when traveling in other countries because you do not have to buy a new SIM card, have to deal with SIM card registration regulations, nor have multiple phone numbers to deal with.
However, international roaming has proven to be expensive in many cases, especially compared to buying local SIM cards. That is why many travelers are not fond of international roaming.
International roaming has its pros and cons. However, it is important to know how it works. This in-depth guide explains it all.
Find out whether your mobile operator has attractive roaming rates for St Lucia here.
Using an International SIM Card or Travel SIM Card
International SIM cards are SIM cards made for the traveler in mind. Using them is often cheaper than international roaming. However, they are almost always more expensive than using a local SIM card.
There are many other advantages and disadvantages of getting international SIM cards, which you can learn about here.
Using a Mobile Hotspot (Pocket WIFI)
Mobile hotspots, or pocket WIFI, are small devices that connect to the local operators of the country you are visiting. Mobile hotspots are ideal for families or those traveling in a large group, as they allow you to connect multiple devices to one hotspot without the need of each traveler having to buy a SIM card.
You can either buy a mobile hotspot or rent one.
Using Free WIFI Networks
Using free WIFI connections is the cheapest way to stay connected because they are free. The major downside of trying to use WIFI hotspots is that you will have to locate them, and they are not available on every corner in St Lucia.
Make sure to protect your internet traffic with a VPN so that hackers cannot steal your personal data.
The Preferred Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in St Lucia
Getting a SIM card from Digicel would do you well when considering a St Lucian SIM card.
Local Prepaid SIM Cards in Other Caribbean Countries
Visiting other countries in the Caribbean? Check out my Caribbean SIM card buying guide, covering other Caribbean nations, such as:
- Saint Barthelemy
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Martin
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Sint Eustatius
- Sint Maarten
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Turks and Caicos Islands
Going to other places around the world? Then you should also check out my sim card buying guides for other destinations around the world.
Next Steps to Enhance Your Travel Experiences
Looking for the next steps to enhance your phone travel experiences? Here is what to do:
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