Central America – known for beaches, weather & Mayan pyramids.
The region is also host to well-reserved colonial sites.
And let's not forget about the natural wonders.
Many travelers visit Central America because it is a relatively affordable travel destination.
Especially compared to North America and the Caribbean.
But South America may be cheaper than Central America.
While your intention of visiting this region will differ from other travelers, you probably want to stay connected.
Else you would not have clicked on this guide 😏.
But as you probably know, international roaming can be expensive – also in Central America.
That is why you should get a local SIM card per Central American nation you visit to save the most money.
And unlike in North America and the Caribbean, you can get SIM cards for just 1 USD or 2 USD – aka pocket change.
Moreover, the cost of mobile data is low in Central America too.
So, what are your options in Central America? Which SIM card is the best? How much do they cost? And what plans are available?
This guide will answer all these questions for every individual Central American country.
Yes, this is the ultimate guide to buying a SIM card in Central America. Let's do this.
Original publication: 17th of November 2019. Last updated: 15th of January 2024.
Table of Contents
Best Prepaid SIM Cards in Central America
With only seven countries in Central America, it is quite easy to summarize which SIM card is the best for a particular country.
This is mainly because two mobile operators, Claro and Tigo, are active in almost all Central American countries.
So, which SIM cards are the best in Central America?
In Guatemala, Honduras & Nicaragua, Tigo (sometimes formerly Movistar) is the best. In Belize, Digi (formerly DigiCell) and Smart! are both fine. Go with Claro in El Salvador (and Costa Rica, but Kölbi will be better than Claro). In Panama, +móvil (Cable & Wireless) will rock (but Digicel is faster).
Okay, that is all you need to know. You can close this guide (lmao – no, but it is quite an impressive summary, right?).
For your convenience, there is a table of the best SIM cards in all Central American countries:
| Country | Recommended SIM Card(s) |
|---|---|
| Belize | Digi Belize (formerly DigiCell) & Smart! Belize |
| Costa Rica | Kölbi Costa Rica & Claro Costa Rica |
| El Salvador | Claro El Salvador |
| Guatemala | Tigo Guatemala |
| Honduras | Tigo Honduras |
| Nicaragua | Tigo Nicaragua (formerly Movistar) |
| Panama | +móvil (Cable & Wireless) & Digicel Panama |
Why are the mobile operators mentioned above the best in the stated countries?
You will have to read along to find out – imagine if you closed the guide already; you would have missed out on the golden nuggets 🤪.
Best eSIMs in Central America
Unfortunately, none of the Central American mobile operators offer eSIMs at all – not even to postpaid customers.
Moreover, there is no eSIM covering all of Central America (or the Americas in general, unlike Africa, Asia, the Caribbean & Europe).
But I do have eSIM recommendations for every country from Airalo (most affordable in every Central American country) or Nomad (more data and longer validity in most countries in the region).
Why should you get an eSIM instead of a Central American local SIM card?
Most Central American countries require some sort of SIM card registration when buying a local SIM card, which requires capturing your personal details.
And in some countries, the bureaucratic hassle of obtaining a SIM card may be a reason enough to avoid the inconveniences and just purchase an eSIM on an app.
Below are the eSIMs I recommend:
| Country | Airalo eSIMs | Nomad eSIMs |
|---|---|---|
| Belize | Belize/Cho! – 1 GB/7 days | N/A |
| Costa Rica | Costa Rica/Hot Telecom – 1 GB/7 days, 3 GB/30 days & 5 GB/30 days | Available, but much more expensive than Airalo |
| El Salvador | El Salvador/Cerrocom – 1 GB/7 days | Truphone – 1 GB/7 days, 3 GB/30 days & 5 GB/30 days |
| Guatemala | Guatemala/Tikal Mobile – 1 GB/7 days & 3 GB/30 days | Truphone – 1 GB/7 days, 3 GB/30 days & 5 GB/30 days |
| Honduras | Honduras/Honnet – 1 GB/7 days | Truphone – 1 GB/7 days, 3 GB/30 days & 5 GB/30 days |
| Nicaragua | Nicaragua/Nicarcell – 1 GB/7 days | Truphone – 1 GB/7 days, 3 GB/30 days & 5 GB/30 days |
| Panama | Panama/Pancell Digital – 1 GB/7 days & 3 GB/30 days | Truphone – 1 GB/7 days, 3 GB/30 days & 5 GB/30 days |
Use code ADU123 for the best deals available when getting Nomad eSIMs (on the site or their apps).
SIM Card Prices in Central America
Earlier, we learned that mobile data rates are low in Central America.
Fortunately, the same can be said about SIM card prices in the region.
So, how much do SIM cards cost in Central America?
It is hard to say because various currencies are used throughout Central America.
But I will give it a try:
You can get a Central American SIM card for between 1 USD (in El Salvador and Honduras (24.75 HNL) to 7.55 USD (186.89 GTQ in Guatemala). However, you will often spend around 1.50 USD per SIM card per country (but the average is 4.80 USD). Tourist SIM cards are available too, at much higher prices (up to 50 USD (!), especially at airports.
HNL? GTQ? What do those symbols mean?
Those are just the ISO 4217 symbols for the currencies used in Honduras (Honduran Lempira) and Guatemala (Guatemalan Quetzal).
So, why not convert everything into US Dollars/Euros/(British) Pound Sterling/*insert your currency here*?
Currencies fluctuate every day – even every 15 minutes. Unfortunately, I do not have the time to keep track of all currency changes.
Instead, I want to keep track of SIM card offerings worldwide 🤓.
Worry not, Wise has a nifty tool keeping track of currencies worldwide in real-time.
So if you want to know how much 100 GTQ is in US Dollars, Euros, or (British) Pound Sterling, simply select the currencies on the Wise currency converter tool.
Moreover, 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!
With that out of the way, let's see how much SIM cards cost throughout Central America:
By the way: mobile operators marked in bold are the recommended mobile operators for said country.
| Country | Operator 1 | SIM Card Price | Operator 2 | SIM Card Price | Operator 3 | SIM Card Price | Operator 4 | SIM Card Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belize | Digi Belize (formerly DigiCell) | 22.50 BZD with 10 BZD credit and 1 GB (10 days) | Tourist SIM card: 20 USD (40 BZD) with 5 BZD credit, 4 GB, 300 local minutes & 300 local SMS for 14 days | Smart! Belize | 15 BZD (with 10 BZD credit and 1 GB during promotions) | Tourist SIM cards: 20 BZD with 11 BZD credit, unlimited data & 25 local SMS for 24 hours | 45 BZD with 35 BZD credit, unlimited data & 130 SMS for 7 days | ||||
| Costa Rica | Kölbi Costa Rica | 1000 CRC with 6000 CRC credit (2000 CRC/month over 3 months – valid for 7 days each month) and unlimited WhatsApp data for 12 months if you recharge at least 3000 CRC | Movistar Costa Rica | 1500 CRC | Claro Costa Rica | 790 CRC with 50 MB, unlimited WhatsApp data, 20 local minutes & 10 local SMS | 1500 CRC with 1500 CRC credit | ||
| El Salvador | Claro El Salvador | 1 USD | Movistar El Salvador | 1 USD | Tigo El Salvador | 1 USD to 5 USD | Digicel El Salvador | 1 USD |
| Guatemala | Claro Guatemala (including Movistar & Tuenti) | 10 GTQ (Kit Gama Básica) with 150 GTQ credit (7 days), 250 MB (30 days) & 300 SMS (30 days) | 10 GTQ (Kit Gama Smartphones 4G LTE) with 10 GTQ credit, 10 GB (15 days) & unlimited social media data (Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram & WhatsApp – 15 days) | 199 GTQ (15 GB Llamadas Ilimitada) with 15 GB and unlimited social media (Deezer, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, Uber, Waze & WhatsApp) unlimited local minutes & unlimited local SMS all for 30 days | Tigo Guatemala | 10 GTQ with 100 GTQ credit, 200 MB & unlimited WhatsApp data for 3 days if you recharge at least 25 GTQ | ||||
| Honduras | Tigo Honduras | 50 HNL with 1 GB, unlimited WhatsApp texting, unlimited on-net minutes & 150 minutes to Canada and the United States for 5 days | Claro Honduras | 25 HNL with 200 MB and 75 local minutes for 7 days | ||||
| Nicaragua | Claro Nicaragua | 50 NIO with 1 GB (2 days)/2 GB (7 days) and unlimited Facebook, Facebook Messenger & WhatsApp data (2 days/7 days) | Tigo Nicaragua (formerly Movistar) | 50 NIO with 375 MB and unlimited WhatsApp for 2 days (if you text SUPERCHIP to 7000) | ||||
| Panama | +móvil (Cable & Wireless) | 5 PAB with 1 GB and unlimited on-net minutes for 7 days | 15 PAB with 3 GB, unlimited WeChat and WhatsApp & unlimited on-net minutes for 30 days | Claro Panama | free, but a plan purchase is required (1 PAB to 15 PAB) | Digicel Panama | free, but a plan purchase is required (5 PAB, 10 PAB, or 20 PAB) | Tigo Panama (formerly Movistar) | free, but a plan purchase is required (3 PAB, 5 PAB, or 10 PAB) |
VoLTE & VoWiFi in Central America
Both VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G) – also known as HD Voice) and VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi – also known as WiFi calling) are available in Central America.
However, both features do not exist in most Central American nations.
Below is a (short) list of countries with VoLTE and VoWiFi, and which mobile operator offers the features:
- Panama: +móvil (Cable & Wireless) & Digicel Panama (VoLTE & VoWiFi)
5G NR in Central America
5G NR is not available in Central America as of 2022, and none of the Central American governments have not made any indications of when they will auction 5G licenses.
Honestly, some Central American countries are still working on providing nationwide 4G/LTE coverage, so do not expect 5G NR to launch, or be extensive, anytime soon.
Mobile Data Prices in Central America
Central America is known for being a relatively affordable travel destination.
Sure, it may not be as cheap as South Asia or Southeast Asia, but it could be worse (like in North America or the Caribbean).
What is also quite cheap in the region are mobile data rates (if you are used to higher prices, like in Canada).
In fact, it is quite common to pay only 1 USD or 2 USD for a data plan featuring 1 GB of data.
And the more data you buy, the lower the effective price per GB becomes.
So, how much does mobile data cost in Central America?
1 GB, on average, costs 2.40 USD in Central America. The world average is 4.07 USD.
Cable.co.uk classifies Mexico as Central America. This is why the image above says 8 in Total number of countries in region. However, I use the World Population Review/Wikipedia definition of Central America, which excludes Mexico.
But in most countries, you will pay (much) less than that, so you will be in good hands in Central America.
So, how much can you expect to pay for 1 GB of data in each Central American nation?
I will show you in the table below:
| Country | Average Price of 1 GB |
|---|---|
| Belize | 2.97 USD |
| Costa Rica | 2.39 USD |
| El Salvador | 1.33 USD |
| Guatemala | 1.94 USD (median) |
| Honduras | 1.56 USD |
| Nicaragua | 0.94 USD |
| Panama | 4.49 USD |
Central American Prepaid SIM Cards
I will be covering seven countries in this guide.
While I would love it if you read this whole guide, it has more than 8k words.
Moreover, you may not even visit all these countries, so I do not blame you for just wanting to focus on the country you will go to.
Therefore, I created this index so that you can jump to the country you are interested in (instead of having to scroll for ages).
If you are done reading about a country and want to read another one, you can easily do so by jumping back to the index.
There will be a Jump back to the Index button at the end of each country section.
In this guide, I will:
- introduce you to the mobile operators in each country
- give my SIM card recommendation(s) for each country
- give you eSIM recommendations
- show you the coverage map(s) of the recommended mobile operator(s)
- tell you how much SIM cards cost and where to get them
- explain where to get top-up vouchers, how to top-up & how to check your balance
- give you the recommended plan(s) by the recommended mobile operator(s)
- provide a short recap of what you need to know about SIM cards in the country
With that being said, let's see what Central America has to offer to us
Belize Prepaid SIM Cards
In Belize, you have two mobile operators offering prepaid services:
- Digi by Belize Telemedia Limited/BTL (formerly DigiCell)
- Smart! by Speednet
Recommended Prepaid SIM Cards in Belize
I recommend going with Digi Belize (formerly DigiCell) or Smart! Belize. Digi has the best coverage and fastest speeds. If you do not mind sacrificing speed and coverage for lower prices, go with Smart!.
Recommended eSIM in Belize
I recommend going with the Belize (Cho!) eSIM from Airalo with 1 GB of data valid for 7 days.
Coverage Maps of the Recommended Mobile Operators in Belize
Below are Digi Belize (formerly DigiCell) or Smart! Belize's coverage maps produced by Speedtest:
Prepaid SIM Card Prices & Availability in Belize
You can get a Belizean SIM card for 15 BZD (7.40 USD) from Smart! or 22.50 BZD (11.15 USD) from Digi (formerly DigiCell) in their stores. Tourist SIM cards are sold from 20 BZD (10 USD) to 43 BZD (21.50 USD). SIM cards are not Belize City-Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (BZE).
Short-term visitors and travelers can also take advantage of the Digi Tourist SIM card or Smart! Tourist SIM cards.
The Digi Tourist SIM card costs 20 USD (or 40 BZD) and features 5 BZD credit, 4 GB of data, 300 local minutes & 300 local SMS – all valid for 14 days.
The thing is… this offer vanished from the Digi website when I updated this guide in April 2022.
If you know whether this offer is still available or not, let me know.
The Smart! Tourist SIM cards cost 20 BZD or 45 BZD. Below is an overview:
| Price | Credit | Data | Local SMS | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 BZD | 11 BZD | Unlimited | 25 SMS | 24 hours |
| 45 BZD | 35 BZD | Unlimited | 130 SMS | 7 days |
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check in Belize
Digi Belize (formerly DigiCell) and Smart! Belize top-up vouchers are sold in Digi stores and Smart! stores, kiosks, gas stations & grocery stores.
To top up your Digi SIM card, dial *100# and follow the instructions. For ePIN, dial *200.
For Smart!, call 120 and enter the VoucherCode.
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.
Recharging online with international debit and credit cards is possible for Digi and Smart!.
Checking your balance can be done by dialing *201#, call 100, or text bal to 100 with Digi. For Smart!, call 122.
Recommended Prepaid Plans in Belize
Digi Belize (formerly DigiCell) has five data-featured plans. But the PrePaid Data Plans are recommended.
They are, as the name suggests, data bundles.
The following PrePaid Data Plans are available, which can be activated by dialing *100#:
| Price | Plan | Data | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BZD | XS Plan | 130 MB | 6 hours |
| 2.50 BZD | S Plan | 330 MB | 1 day |
| 5 BZD | M Plan | 680 MB | 3 days |
| 12 BZD | L Plan | 1700 MB | 7 days |
| 20 BZD | L+ Plan | 3000 MB | 15 days |
| 35 BZD | XL Plan | 5500 MB | 30 days |
| 45 BZD | XXL Plan | 7500 MB | 30 days |
| 69 BZD | Work From Home Data Plan | 25 600 MB | 30 days |
Smart! Belize has only one data-featured plan: Mobile Data. It is, as the name suggests, a data bundle.
The following Mobile Data are available, which can be activated by calling the Activation Code:
| Price | Data | Validity | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.25 BZD | 165 MB | 24 hours | 638 |
| 2 BZD | 340 MB | 24 hours | 638 |
| 4 BZD | 680 MB | 3 days | 638 |
| 7 BZD | 1250 MB | 3 days | 638 |
| 14 BZD | 2500 MB | 7 days | 3282 |
| 25 BZD | 4500 MB | 15 days | 3282 |
| 40 BZD | 7200 MB | 30 days | 3282 |
| 60 BZD | 11 000 MB | 30 days | 3282 |
| 110 BZD | 20 500 MB | 40 days | 3282 |
| 160 BZD | 32 000 MB | 40 days | 3282 |
Recap of the Best Prepaid SIM Cards in Belize
- Both Digi Belize (formerly DigiCell) and Smart! Belize are recommended
- Belizean SIM cards cost 15 BZD (Smart!) or 22.50 BZD (Digi)
- Digi has the Digi Tourist SIM card for tourists costing 20 USD (40 BZD). Smart! has two Smart! Tourist SIM cards cost 20 BZD or 45 BZD
- Unfortunately, SIM cards are not sold at Belize City-Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (BZE)
- Topping up can be done in Digi and Smart! stores, through top-up partners & online
- Digi's PrePaid Data Plans range from 1 BZD to 69 BZD. Smart's Mobile Data plans range from 1.25 BZD to 160 BZD
- Read my Belize SIM Card Buying Guide for (much) more about Belizean SIM cards
Jump back to the Country Index. | Jump back to the Table of Contents.
Costa Rica Prepaid SIM Cards
In Costa Rica, you have three mobile operators offering prepaid services:
- Kölbi Costa Rica by Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE)
- Movistar Costa Rica
- Claro Costa Rica
Recommended Prepaid SIM Cards in Costa Rica
I recommend going with Kölbi Costa Rica or Claro Costa Rica. Kölbi has the fastest speeds and the best 4G/LTE coverage experience. Claro has the best overall network performance and is the better option in select rural locations.
Recommended eSIM in Costa Rica
I recommend going with the Costa Rica (Hot Telecom) eSIMs from Airalo.
You have the following three options:
- Costa Rica/Hot Telecom 1 GB eSIM for 7 days
- Costa Rica/Hot Telecom 3 GB eSIM for 30 days
- Costa Rica/Hot Telecom 5 GB eSIM for 30 days
Coverage Maps of the Recommended Mobile Operators in Costa Rica
Below are Kölbi Costa Rica and Claro Costa Rica's coverage maps produced by Speedtest:
If you want to see the coverage maps of Movistar Costa Rica, head to my Costa Rica SIM Card Buying Guide.
Prepaid SIM Card Prices & Availability in Costa Rica
You can get a Costa Rican SIM card for 790 CRC (1.50 USD) or 1500 CRC (2.80 USD) from Claro, 1000 CRC (1.85 USD) from Kölbi, or 1500 CRC from Movistar in their stores. SIM cards are also sold at Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) but not at Liberia-Guanacaste Airport (LIR) anymore.
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check in Costa Rica
Kölbi Costa Rica and Claro Costa Rica top-up vouchers are sold in Kölbi stores and Claro stores, kiosks, gas stations & grocery stores.
To top up your Kölbi SIM card, dial *888# and follow the instructions.
For Claro, dial *10 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.
Recharging online with international debit and credit cards is possible for Kölbi and Claro.
Checking your balance can be done by dialing *888# with Kölbi. For Claro, dial *30.
Recommended Prepaid Plans in Costa Rica
Kölbi Costa Rica has four data-featured plans. But the Planes Dominio Prepago (Prepaid Domain Plans) are recommended.
They are combo bundles with data, minutes & SMS.
The following Planes Dominio Prepago are available, which can be activated by dialing *888#:
| Price | Plan | Data | Social Data | Local Minutes | Local SMS | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5040 CRC | Dominio Prepago 1 | 2 GB | 3 GB 1 | 35 minutes | 30 SMS | 30 days |
| 8065 CRC | Dominio Prepago 2 | 4 GB | 3 GB 1 | 50 minutes | 30 SMS | 30 days |
| 12 095 CRC | Dominio Prepago 3 | 5 GB | 5 GB 2 | 100 minutes | 30 SMS | 30 days |
1 for WhatsApp
2 for Facebook, Instagram, Waze & WhatsApp
Claro Costa Rica has two data-featured plans. But the Paquetes Prepago M@s (Prepaid M@s Packages) are recommended.
They are combo bundles with data, minutes & SMS.
The following Mobile Data are available, which can be activated by texting the Activation Code to 111 or by dialing *555#:
| Price | Plan | Data | Social Data 1 | Local/International Minutes 2 | Local SMS | Validity | Activation Code | Deactivation Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 CRC | Paquete M@s 3 | 300 MB | 500 MB | 10 minutes | 20 SMS | 3 days | planmas3 | finplanmas3 |
| 2000 CRC | Paquete M@s 7 | 1 GB | 500 MB | 20 minutes | 50 SMS | 7 days | planmas7 | finplanmas7 |
| 3000 CRC | Paquete M@s 10 | 2 GB | 500 MB | 30 minutes | 100 SMS | 10 days | planmas10 | finplanmas10 |
| 4500 CRC | Paquete M@s 15 | 3 GB | 700 MB | 45 minutes | 200 SMS | 15 days | planmas15 | finplanmas15 |
| 6000 CRC | Paquete M@s 15+ | 4 GB | 700 MB | 70 minutes | 200 SMS | 15 days | planmas15p | finplanmas15p |
| 10 000 CRC | Paquete M@s 30 | 5 GB | 700 MB | 85 minutes | 300 SMS | 30 days | planmas30 | finplanmas30 |
1 for Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter & Waze – WhatsApp data is unlimited
2 to Canada, Central America, Panama & the United States
Paquetes Prepago M@s auto-renew. To disable auto-renewal, text the Deactivation Code to 111. The plans can also be deactivated on the app.
Recap of the Best Prepaid SIM Cards in Costa Rica
- Both Kölbi Costa Rica and Claro Costa Rica are recommended
- Costa Rican SIM cards cost 790 CRC/1500 CRC (Claro), 1000 CRC (Kölbi), or 1500 CRC (Movistar)
- SIM cards are also sold at Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) but not at Liberia-Guanacaste Airport (LIR)
- Topping up can be done in Kölbi and Claro stores, through top-up partners & online
- Kölbi's Planes Dominio Prepago (combo) range from 5040 CRC to 12 095 CRC. Claro's Paquetes Prepago M@s (combo) range from 1000 CRC to 10 000 CRC
- Read my Costa Rica SIM Card Buying Guide for (much) more about Costa Rican SIM cards
Jump back to the Country Index. | Jump back to the Table of Contents.
El Salvador Prepaid SIM Cards
In El Salvador, you have four mobile operators offering prepaid services:
- Claro El Salvador
- Movistar El Salvador
- Tigo El Salvador
- Digicel El Salvador
Recommended Prepaid SIM Cards in El Salvador
I recommend going with Claro El Salvador. It has the best (overall) coverage and the fastest speeds – even though Tigo El Salvador has the most extensive 4G/LTE coverage.
Recommended eSIM in El Salvador
I recommend going with the El Salvador (Cerrocom) eSIM from Airalo with 1 GB of data from Airalo valid for 7 days.
If you need more data or a longer validity, you can get El Salvador eSIMs from Nomad.
Use code ADU123 for the best deals available when getting Nomad eSIMs (on the site or their apps).
Coverage Maps of the Recommended Mobile Operators in El Salvador
Below is El Salvador's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
If you want to see the coverage maps of the other mobile operators, head to my El Salvador SIM Card Buying Guide.
Prepaid SIM Card Prices & Availability in El Salvador
You can get a Salvadoran SIM card for 1 USD from Claro El Salvador, Movistar El Salvador, Tigo El Salvador & Digicel El Salvador in their stores or resellers, like convenience stores. SIM cards are also sold at San/El Salvador International Airport Saint Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez (SAL).
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check in El Salvador
Claro El Salvador (recommended option) top-up vouchers are sold in Claro stores, kiosks, gas stations & grocery stores.
To top up your Claro SIM card, dial *106*VoucherCode#.
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.
Checking your balance can be done by texting SALDO to 72536 or CONSUMO to 4777 with Claro.
Recommended Prepaid Plans in El Salvador
Claro has only one data-featured plan: Superpack de Internet (Internet Superpacks).
They are combo bundles with data, minutes & SMS.
The following Superpack de Internet are available, which can be activated 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 for Instagram & WhatsApp
2 for Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram & WhatsApp
3 for Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Twitter & WhatsApp
4 also to Canada & the United States
5 for WhatsApp
6 for Instagram
7 for Instagram, TikTok & Twitch
8 forYouTube
9 for Spotify & YouTube
10 for Instagram, TikTok, Twitch & YouTube
Recap of the Best Prepaid SIM Cards in El Salvador
- Claro El Salvador is recommended
- While Tigo El Salvador has the best extensive 4G/LTE coverage, Claro is still significantly faster (1.5x faster).
- Salvadoran SIM cards cost 1 USD (Claro, Movistar, Tigo & Digicel)
- SIM cards are also sold at San/El Salvador International Airport Saint Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez (SAL)
- Topping up can be done in Claro (and Movistar, Tigo & Digicel) stores, through top-up partners & online
- Claro's Superpack de Internet (combo) range from 0.50 USD to 15 USD.
- Read my El Salvador SIM Card Buying Guide for (much) more about Salvadoran SIM cards
Jump back to the Country Index. | Jump back to the Table of Contents.
Guatemala Prepaid SIM Cards
In Guatemala, you have two mobile operators offering prepaid services:
- Claro Guatemala (including Movistar & Tuenti Guatemala)
- Tigo Guatemala
Recommended Prepaid SIM Cards in Guatemala
I recommend going with Tigo Guatemala. It has the best coverage and the fastest speeds in the country.
Recommended eSIM in Guatemala
I recommend getting the Guatemala (Tikal Mobile) eSIMs from Airalo with 1 GB of data for 7 days or 3 GB of data for 30 days.
If you need more data or a longer validity, you can get Guatemala eSIMs from Nomad.
Use code ADU123 for the best deals available when getting Nomad eSIMs (on the site or their apps).
Coverage Maps of the Recommended Mobile Operators in Guatemala
Below is Tigo Guatemala's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
If you want to see Claro Guatemala (including Movistar and Tuenti)'s coverage map, head to my Guatemala SIM Card Buying Guide.
Prepaid SIM Card Prices & Availability in Guatemala
You can get a Guatemalan SIM card for 10 GTQ from Claro Guatemala (including Movistar & Tuenti) or Tigo Guatemala in their stores. For 199 GTQ (25.30 USD), you can purchase a Claro SIM card with additional perks. SIM cards are also sold at Guatemala City-La Aurora International Airport (GUA – Claro only).
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check in Guatemala
Tigo Guatemala (recommended option) top-up vouchers are sold in Tigo stores, kiosks, gas stations & grocery stores.
To top up your Tigo SIM card, dial *333VoucherCode (so do not add a * or # between *333 and the VoucherCode).
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.
Checking your balance can be done by dialing *256# or texting SALDO to 256 with Tigo.
Recommended Prepaid Plans in Guatemala
Tigo has two data-featured plans. But the Paquetigos de Internet (Internet Packages) are recommended.
They are combo bundles (yes, really – even though the name implies they are combo plans) with data, minutes & SMS.
The following Paquetigos de Internet are available, which can be activated on the Tigo en Línea (antes Tigo Shop y Mi Tigo) app:
| Price | Data | Local/USA Minutes | Local/USA SMS | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 GTQ | 300 MB 1 | N/A | N/A | 1 day |
| 10 GTQ | 800 MB 1 | N/A | N/A | 2 days |
| 10 GTQ | 1.5 GB 1, 2 | N/A | N/A | 1 day |
| 15 GTQ | 1.6 GB 1 | N/A | N/A | 3 days |
| 30 GTQ | 3.3 GB 1 | 60 minutes | 60 SMS | 7 days |
| 30 GTQ | 4.5 GB 1 | N/A | N/A | 7 days |
| 33 GTQ | 3.3 GB 1 | 150 minutes | N/A | 7 days |
| 40 GTQ | 4 GB 1, 2 | N/A | N/A | 7 days |
| 50 GTQ | 5 GB 2 | 100 minutes | 100 SMS | 15 days |
| 50 GTQ | 6.5 GB 3 | N/A | N/A | 15 days |
| 99 GTQ | 10 GB 3 | 200 minutes | 200 SMS | 1 month |
| 99 GTQ | 13 GB 3 | N/A | N/A | 1 month |
| 120 GTQ | 12 GB 2, 4 | N/A | N/A | 1 month |
| 199 GTQ | 18 GB 2,4 | N/A | N/A | 1 month |
| 499 GTQ | 45 GB 3 | N/A | N/A | 1 month |
1 +unlimited Facebook & WhatsApp data
2 +unlimited Call of Duty, Candy Crush Saga, Clash of Clans, Free Fire, Pokemon Go & Roblox data
3 +unlimited Facebook, Instagram & WhatsApp data
4 +unlimited Deezer, Facebook, Instagram & WhatsApp data
Recap of the Best Prepaid SIM Cards in Guatemala
- Tigo Guatemala is recommended
- While Claro Guatemala (including Movistar & Tuenti) is not bad at all, Tigo is just a far better option
- Guatemalan SIM cards cost 10 GTQ (Tigo & Claro)
- SIM cards are also sold at Guatemala City-La Aurora International Airport (GUA – Claro only)
- Topping up can be done in Tigo (and Claro) stores, through top-up partners & online
- Tigo's Paquetigos de Internet (combo – yes, really) range from 5 GTQ to 499 GTQ. (Claro's Superpack Todo Includio (combo) range from 10 GTQ to 100 GTQ)
- Read my Guatemala SIM Card Buying Guide for (much) more about Guatemalan SIM cards
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Honduras Prepaid SIM Cards
In Honduras, you have three mobile operators offering prepaid services:
- Tigo Honduras
- Claro Honduras
- Honducel
Recommended Prepaid SIM Cards in Honduras
I recommend going with Tigo Honduras. It has the best coverage and the fastest speeds. Moreover, it is only marginally more expensive than Claro Honduras.
Recommended eSIM in Honduras
I recommend going with the Honduras (Honnet) eSIM from Airalo with 1 GB of data valid for 7 days.
If you need more data or a longer validity, you can get Honduras eSIMs from Nomad.
Use code ADU123 for the best deals available when getting Nomad eSIMs (on the site or their apps).
Coverage Maps of the Recommended Mobile Operators in Honduras
Below is Tigo Honduras's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
If you want to see Claro Honduras' coverage map, head to my Honduras SIM Card Buying Guide.
Prepaid SIM Card Prices & Availability in Honduras
You can get a Honduran SIM card for 25 HNL from Claro or 50 HNL from Tigo in their stores. SIM cards are also sold at Tegucigalpa-Toncontín (Teniente Coronel Hernán Acosta Mejía) International Airport (TGU).
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check in Honduras
Tigo Honduras (recommended option) top-up vouchers are sold in Tigo stores, kiosks, gas stations & grocery stores.
To top up your Tigo SIM card, dial *777*VoucherCode#.
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.
Checking your balance can be done by dialing *123# with Tigo.
Recommended Prepaid Plans in Honduras
Tigo has three data-featured plans. But the Super Recargas (Super Refills) are recommended.
They are combo bundles with data and minutes.
The following Paquetigos de Internet are available, which can be activated by dialing *111# or #111#:
| Price | Credit | Data | WhatsApp Data | On-Net Minutes | International Minutes 1 | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 HNL | 75 HNL | 1.5 GB | Unlimited | “Unlimited”, 10 minutes per call | N/A | 1 day |
| 51 HNL | 150 HNL | 5 GB | Unlimited | “Unlimited”, 10 minutes per call | N/A | 3 days |
| 60 HNL | N/A | 5 GB 2 | Unlimited | “Unlimited”, 10 minutes per call | 150 minutes 3 | 3 days |
| 102 HNL | 300 HNL | 10 GB | Unlimited | “Unlimited”, 10 minutes per call | N/A | 7 days |
| 120 HNL | N/A | 10 GB 4 | Unlimited | “Unlimited”, 10 minutes per call 2 | 100 minutes | 7 days |
| 150 HNL | 450 HNL | 13 GB | Unlimited | “Unlimited”, 10 minutes per call | N/A | 10 days |
| 220 HNL | 600 HNL | 20 GB | Unlimited | “Unlimited”, 10 minutes per call | N/A | 15 days |
1 to the United States
2 + unlimited data for Clash of Clans & Free Fire
3 also for off-net use
4 + unlimited data for Candy Crush, Clash of Clans, Clash Royale & Free Fire
Recap of the Best Prepaid SIM Cards in Honduras
- Tigo Honduras is recommended
- While Claro Honduras is not bad at all, Tigo is just a far better option. Stay away from Honducel by Hondutel
- Honduran SIM cards cost 25 HNL (Claro) or 50 HNL (Tigo)
- SIM cards are also sold at Tegucigalpa-Toncontín (Teniente Coronel Hernán Acosta Mejía) International Airport (TGU)
- Topping up can be done in Tigo (and Claro) stores, through top-up partners & online
- Tigo's Super Recargas (combo) range from 26 HNL to 220 HNL. (Claro's Todo Incluido (combo) range from 15 HNL to 220 HNL)
- Read my Honduras SIM Card Buying Guide for (much) more about Honduran SIM cards
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Nicaragua Prepaid SIM Cards
In Nicaragua, you have three mobile operators offering prepaid services:
- Claro Nicaragua
- Tigo Nicaragua (formerly Movistar Nicaragua)
- CooTel Nicaragua
Recommended Prepaid SIM Cards in Nicaragua
I recommend going with Tigo Nicaragua (formerly Movistar). It has the best coverage in the country. Claro Nicaragua can be faster in some locations, but you will still be better off with Tigo.
Recommended eSIM in Nicaragua
I recommend going with the Nicaragua (Nicarcell) eSIM from Airalo with 1 GB of data from Airalo valid for 7 days.
If you need more data or a longer validity, you can get Nicaragua eSIMs from Nomad.
Use code ADU123 for the best deals available when getting Nomad eSIMs (on the site or their apps).
Coverage Maps of the Recommended Mobile Operators in Nicaragua
Below is Tigo Nicaragua's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
If you want to see Claro Nicaragua's coverage map, head to my Nicaragua SIM Card Buying Guide.
Prepaid SIM Card Prices & Availability in Nicaragua
You can get a Nicaraguan SIM card for 50 NIO (1.35 USD) from Claro and Tigo in their stores or resellers, like convenience stores. SIM cards are also sold at Managua-Augusto C. Sandino International Airport (MGA).
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check in Nicaragua
Tigo Nicaragua (recommended option) top-up vouchers are sold in Tigo stores, kiosks, gas stations & grocery stores.
To top up your Tigo SIM card, dial *123# 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.
Checking your balance can be done by dialing *72536# or *72536# or texting SALDO to 611 with Tigo.
Recommended Prepaid Plans in Nicaragua
Tigo has four data-featured plans. But the Megapacks are recommended.
They are combo bundles with data, minutes & SMS.
The following Megapacks are available, which can be activated by dialing *123 or #123#:
| Price | Plan | Data | Social Media Data | On-Net Minutes | Off-Net/International Minutes 3 | Local SMS | Validity | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 NIO | Mega 1 | 450 MB | Unlimited 1 | N/A | 20 minutes | 20 SMS | 1 day | MEGA1 |
| 30 NIO | Mega 2 | 700 MB | Unlimited 1 | N/A | 30 minutes | 30 SMS | 2 days | MEGA2 |
| 50 NIO | Mega 4 | 2.2 GB | Unlimited 2 | N/A | 80 minutes | 80 SMS | 4 days | MEGA4 |
| 70 NIO | Mega 5 | 3 GB | Unlimited 2 | Unlimited | 60 minutes | 60 SMS | 5 days | MEGA5 |
| 100 NIO | Mega 7 | 4 GB | Unlimited 2 | Unlimited | 80 minutes | 80 SMS | 7 days | MEGA7 |
| 200 NIO | Mega 15 | 6.2 GB | Unlimited 2 | Unlimited | 150 minutes | 150 SMS | 15 days | MEGA15 |
1 for WhatsApp
2 for Amazon Music, Apple Music, Deezer, Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Spotify, Telegram, TikTok, Twitter & WhatsApp
3 to Tigo Central America (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras & Panama – not Belize; no Tigo there) & the United States
Recap of the Best Prepaid SIM Cards in Nicaragua
- Tigo Nicaragua is recommended
- While Claro Nicaragua is not bad at all, Tigo is just a far better option. Stay away from Honducel by CooTel Nicaragua
- Nicaraguan SIM cards cost 50 NIO (Claro & Tigo)
- SIM cards are also sold at Managua-Augusto C. Sandino International Airport (MGA)
- Topping up can be done in Tigo (and Claro) stores, through top-up partners & online
- Tigo's Megapacks (combo) range from 20 NIO to 200 NIO. (Claro's Todo Incluido (combo) range from 20 NIO to 300 NIO)
- Read my Nicaragua SIM Card Buying Guide for (much) more about Nicaraguan SIM cards
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Panama Prepaid SIM Cards
In Panama, you have four mobile operators offering prepaid services:
- +movil (Cable & Wireless Panama)
- Claro Panama
- Digicel Panama
- Tigo Panama (formerly Movistar Panama)
Recommended Prepaid SIM Cards in Panama
I recommend going with +móvil or Digicel Panama. +móvil is regarded as the best mobile operator in Panama. Digicel has once won an award for being the fastest. Consider Claro Panama (and Digicel) for plans with unlimited 4G/LTE data.
Recommended eSIM in Panama
I recommend getting the Panama (Pancell Digital) eSIMs from Airalo with 1 GB of data for 7 days or 3 GB of data for 30 days.
If you need more data or a longer validity, you can get Panama eSIMs from Nomad.
Use code ADU123 for the best deals available when getting Nomad eSIMs (on the site or their apps).
If you plan on visiting the Caribbean, consider the Island Hopper eSIM with 1 GB of data (7 days) in Panama and 20+ Caribbean nations.
Coverage Maps of the Recommended Mobile Operators in Panama
Below are +móvil (Cable & Wireless) and Digicel Panama's coverage maps produced by Speedtest:
If you want to see the coverage maps of the other mobile operators, head to my Panama SIM Card Buying Guide.
Prepaid SIM Card Prices & Availability in Panama
You can get a Panamanian SIM card for 5 PAB or 15 PAB from +móvil (Cable & Wireless). Claro, Digicel & Tigo (formerly Movistar) SIM cards are free if purchased together with a plan. SIM cards are also sold at Panama City-Tocumen International Airport (PTY – at inflated prices).
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check in Panama
+móvil (Cable & Wireless) and Digicel Panama top-up vouchers are sold in Cable & Wireless stores and Digicel stores, kiosks, gas stations & grocery stores.
To top up your +móvil SIM card, dial *166*VoucherCode#.
For Digicel, dial *121*VouchcerCode#.
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.
Recharging online with international debit and credit cards is possible for +móvil and Digicel.
Checking your balance can be done by dialing *165# or *555# with +móvil. For Digicel, dial *120#.
Recommended Prepaid Plans in Panama
+móvil (Cable & Wireless) has only one data-featured plan: Planes de Data Prepago (Prepaid Plans).
They are combo bundles with data and minutes.
The following Planes de Data Prepago are available, which can be activated by dialing *456#:
| Price | Plan | Credit | Data | On-Net Minutes | Off-Net Minutes | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 PAB | Todo, Todito x 7 Días | 25 PAB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 20 minutes | 7 days |
| 7 PAB | Todo, Todito x 10 Días | 35 PAB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 25 minites | 10 days |
| 10 PAB | Todo, Todito x 14 Días | 50 PAB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 30 minutes | 14 days |
Digicel Panama also has only one data-featured plan. Planes Prepago (Prepaid Plans).
They are combo bundles with data and SMS.
The following Planes Prepago are available, which can be activated by dialing *111#:
| Price | Plan | 4G/LTE Data | 3G Data | Prime Apps Data 1 | On-Net Minutes | Off-Net Minutes | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 PAB | Plan Ilimitado 7 Días | Unlimited | 3 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 20 minutes | 7 days |
| 10 PAB | Plan Ilimitado 14 Días | Unlimited | 6 GB | Unlimited | 150 minutes | 50 minutes | 14 days |
| 20 PAB | Plan Ilimitado 30 Días | Unlimited | 12 GB | Unlimited | 120 minutes | Shared with on-net call allowance | 30 days |
1 for Billo, BiP, D'Music & GoLoud
Note that if your device supports the 4G/LTE frequency used by Digicel (700 MHz on Band 28), you will get unlimited LTE data (although subject to a fair use policy).
If not, the data allowance under the 3G data column applies.
Recap of the Best Prepaid SIM Cards in Panama
- Both +móvil (Cable & Wireless) and Digicel Panama are recommended
- Panamanian SIM cards are free if purchased with a plan (Claro Panama, Digicel Panama & Tigo Panama (formerly Movistar)). +móvil sells SIM cards for 5 PAB and 15 PAB
- SIM cards are also sold at Panama City-Tocumen International Airport (PTY – at inflated prices)
- Topping up can be done in +móvil/Cable & Wireless stores and Digicel stores (+Claro stores and Tigo stores), through top-up partners & online
- +móvil's Planes de Data Prepago (combo) range from 5 PAB to 10 PAB. Digicel's Planes Prepago (combo) range from 5 PAB to 20 PAB
- Read my Panama SIM Card Buying Guide for (much) more about Panamanian SIM cards
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