Saint Lucia (St Lucia) – known for its beaches, lovely weather & stunning landscaped.
It is also the Caribbean nation with 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, Saint 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 Saint Lucian SIM card for 15 XCD (5.55 USD) from Digicel in their stores or from resellers. Flow hands out SIM cards for free, but be prepared to buy a plan on the spot. They are not sold at La Tourney-Hewanorra International Airport (UVF) nor Vigie-George F. L. Charles Airport (SLU).
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 Saint 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: 2nd of January 2022.
Table of Contents
Can You Buy a SIM Card in St Lucia?
You can buy a Saint Lucian SIM card from Digicel and Flow as a tourist. There is nothing preventing travelers from buying a SIM card in St Lucia.
You do have to comply with the SIM card registration regulations.
Moreover, your phone has to support the frequencies used in St Lucia.
Finally, your phone needs to be unlocked (SIM-lock free) to use a Saint Lucian SIM card.
Where Can You Buy a SIM Card in St Lucia?
You can get a Grenadian SIM card in the official stores of Digicel and Flow and from resellers. They are not available at La Tourney-Hewanorra International Airport (UVF) nor Vigie-George F. L. Charles Airport (SLU).
You can expect to pay the following for Saint 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 their 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 & 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– & 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 mobile 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 want to go with Flow St. Lucia.
It supports traditional American frequencies on 2G, 3G & 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 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 any mobile operator, 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 operators offering prepaid services:
- 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.
VoLTE & VoWiFi in St Lucia
Both VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G) – also known as HD Voice) and VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi – also known as WiFI calling) are not offered by the mobile operators in St Lucia (yet).
This means that when you make a call, your phone will downgrade to 3G (or 2G when 3G is not available) instead of staying connected to 4G/LTE.
This is also why you often cannot use mobile while calling if not connected to WiFi.
VoWiFi is, as the name implies, calling on a WiFi connection as opposed to on a cellular network.
5G NR in St Lucia
5G NR is not available in St Lucia as of 2022, and the Saint 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 the fastest speeds. Moreover, Digicel also has attractive plans (Prime Bundles) with dedicated data allowances for Prime apps, TikTok & YouTube (up to 45 GB/app).
Best eSIM in St Lucia
Unfortunately, none of the mobile operators offer eSIM (to prepaid customers) in St Lucia yet.
However, you can get the St Lucia (Lucnet) eSIM from Airalo with 1 GB of data valid for 7 days.
With this eSIM, you can skip St Lucia's SIM card registration scheme entirely and use it immediately upon arriving in St Lucia!
If you plan on visiting other neighboring Caribbean nations, consider the Island Hopper eSIM with 1 GB of data (7 days) in St Lucia and these other islands:
With the Island Hopper eSIM, you can save a lot of money by skipping the initial SIM card costs per country you visit – averaging 8 USD/country in the Caribbean!
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 criminal 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 St Lucia 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%.
While there is not much information about mobile data speeds in the country because not many people do speed tests there, I can mention something about speeds.
In the Caribbean, you can expect your speeds to range between 10 Mbps and 25 Mbps.
With reasonably priced SIM cards, close to excellent nationwide coverage, decent mobile download speeds, and low mobile data rates, you should have a smooth 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.
For up-to-date XCD:your currency (let's say 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 Euros, my main currency, when using Wise abroad when traveling compared to my debit and credit cards. Open a Wise account FREE!
Saint 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 & availability
- Recharge/top-up information
- Combo plans, data plans & 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 one of the two mobile operators in St Lucia.
Digicel, as a company, is active in many other Caribbean nations, Central America & 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 get a Digicel SIM card for 15 XCD in Digicel stores and partner stores. They are not sold at La Tourney-Hewanorra International Airport (UVF) nor Vigie-George F. L. Charles Airport (SLU).
You may have to dial *122# to activate your Digicel SIM card if your SIM card does not work upon purchase.
Dial *129# to see your Digicel phone number.
Dial *140# to access the Digicel menu.
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 Digicel stores and partner stores, kiosks, gas stations & 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 three data-featured plans:
- Freedom Plus LTE Plans (combo)
- Prepaid Prime Bundles (combo)
- Prepaid Prime Plus Bundles (combo)
All Digicel plans can be activated by dialing *140#.
Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.
Freedom Plus LTE Plans – Digicel St. Lucia
The Freedom Plus LTE Plans are combo bundles with data and minutes.
The data allowances can also be used 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#.
Prepaid Prime Bundles – Digicel St. Lucia
The Prepaid Prime Bundles are combo plans with data, data for select Digicel apps, minutes & SMS.
The following Prepaid Prime Bundles are available, which can be activated by dialing *140#:
| 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 | 50 minutes | N/A | 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 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
Prepaid Prime Bundles auto-renew. To disable auto-renewal, dial *140#.
Prepaid Prime Plus Bundles – Digicel St. Lucia
The Prime Jumbo Bundles are combo plans with data, data for select Digicel apps, minutes & SMS.
Unlike the Prepaid Prime Bundles, Prime Jumbo Bundles include TikTok and YouTube data allowances as well.
The following Prime Jumbo Bundles are available, which can be activated by dialing *140#:
| Price | Plan | 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 | TikTok Data | YouTube Data | Local Minutes | Local SMS | International Minutes | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 XCD | 1 Day Digicel Prime Bundle | 1 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB | Unlimited | N/A | N/A | 1 day |
| 15 XCD | 3 Day Digicel Prime Bundle | 1.5 GB | 3 GB | 3 GB | 3 GB | 3 GB | 3 GB | 3 GB | 3 GB | 3 GB | 3 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | N/A | 3 days |
| 35 XCD | 7 Day Digicel Prime Bundle | 4 GB | 7 GB | 7 GB | 7 GB | 7 GB | 7 GB | 7 GB | 7 GB | 7 GB | 7 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | N/A | 7 days |
| 140 XCD | Prime More | 20 GB | 30 GB | 30 GB | 30 GB | 30 GB | 30 GB | 30 GB | 30 GB | 30 GB | 30 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 150 minutes | 30 days |
| 240 XCD | Prime Extra | 40 GB | 45 GB | 45 GB | 45 GB | 45 GB | 45 GB | 45 GB | 45 GB | 45 GB | 45 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 250 minutes | 30 days |
| 315 XCD | Prime Max | 80 GB | 30 GB | 30 GB | 30 GB | 30 GB | 30 GB | 30 GB | 30 GB | 30 GB | 30 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 1000 minutes | 30 days |
Prepaid Prime Plus Bundles 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 one of the two mobile operators in St Lucia.
Flow is a brand by Cable & Wireless used throughout 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 compared to Digicel St. Lucia.
Below is Flow's coverage map:
SIM Card Price – Flow St. Lucia
You can get a Flow SIM card for free in Flow stores (but be prepared to top-up or buy a plan on the spot). They are not available at La Tourney-Hewanorra International Airport (UVF) nor Vigie-George F. L. Charles Airport (SLU).
© Flow
Dial *129# to access the Flow menu.
Dial *555# to see your Flow phone number.
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Flow St. Lucia
Flow top-up vouchers are sold in Flow stores and from Recharge Partners, including grocery stores, gas stations & bars.
To top up your Flow SIM card, 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# or *3733 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: Always On Plans (combo) & Data Plans (data-only).
Always On Plans – Flow St. Lucia
The Always On Plans are combo plans with data, minutes & SMS.
The following Always On Plans are available, which you can activate by dialing the Activation Code:
| 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 for Snapchat, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook & Twitter
Data Plans – Flow St. Lucia
The Data Plans are, as the name suggests, data-only bundles.
The following Data Plans are available. which can be activated by dialing the Activation Code:
| 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 Saint Lucian SIM card – you will be saving a lot of money when you do so.
However, for some, getting a Saint Lucian SIM card is not an option.
For example, your device may be SIM-locked, meaning that you cannot use any other SIM card other than the SIM card provided by your mobile 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 local mobile 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.
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 mobile 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 Saint 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:
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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