Last Updated on November 27, 2023 by Rose Morah
If you are traveling to Costa Rica but wonder whether T-Mobile has good service, you are in the right place.
This article will help answer the following questions:
- How reliable is T-Mobile in Costa Rica?
- What speeds do you typically get when using T-Mobile in Costa Rica?
- How much will it cost you to text and call your T-Mobile in Costa Rica?
- How much you will be charged for T-Mobile data plans in Costa Rica?
- Tips to help you stay connected in Costa Rica.
Does T-Mobile work in Costa Rica?
Yes, T-Mobile has good connectivity throughout Costa Rica.
The few times that I have traveled to Costa Rica, I always enjoyed good connectivity even in the rural areas.
I have been to some of the most populated cities and towns in Costa Rica such as Tamarindo and La Fortuna. I have also traveled a few times from San José to San Ramón. T-Mobile worked very well in all these places.
The only place that T-Mobile had poor connectivity was in some areas in Guanacaste Province. However, I was still able to send texts and make calls.
I have always preferred to use my US line and the T-mobile international plans have always made it possible.
Here are the 5 best international calling plans from the USA.
See also The Cheapest Prepaid Sim Cards In Canada.
| PRO-TIP When traveling to Costa Rica you can subscribe to one of the T-mobile International travel plans and you will be good to go. Plans with T-Mobile Simple Global enjoy unlimited texting and $0.25/minute when traveling to Costa Rica. |
Check out the list of 210+ countries covered by the T-Mobile International Plan.
See also:
Does T-Mobile Have Good Coverage in UAE?
Does T-Mobile Work In Colombia?
What speeds do you typically get when using T-Mobile in Costa Rica?
Frankly speaking, most of the data speeds are very slow in certain areas of Costa Rica. Sometimes it can take you even up to about 1 minute to load whatever you are searching for online.
T-Mobile offers 2G speed for free on the Simple Global plans, which I enjoyed during my trip to Costa Rica.
Though I mostly rely on WiFi when I’m working, I noted that the T-Mobile 2G speed can work pretty well if you are just using it for lightweight browsing on Google Maps, Waze, or when you are just doing random web browsing.
| NOTE: Plans with T-Mobile Simple Global get 2G data for free. |
| If you’re looking for a cheap and convenient international SIM card option, you should consider SimOptions. They have coverage in more than 200 countries and zero roaming charges. And since it’s prepaid, you won’t have to deal with hidden charges or complicated contracts. |
See also:
Does T-Mobile Work In the Bahamas? (Our Experience).
Do I have high data speed options when traveling to Costa Rica?
Yes, you can add International Pass to your current plan to enjoy faster data speeds.
The three T-Mobile International Pass are:
| International Pass | Price | To Be Used In | |
| 1. | 512MB high-speed International Pass with up to LTE speeds and unlimited calling. | $5/day | 24 hours |
| 2. | 5GB high-speed International Pass with up to LTE speeds and unlimited calling. | $35 | 10 Days |
| 3. | 15GB high-speed International Pass with up to LTE speeds and unlimited calling. | $50 | 30 Days |
For more information, visit the T-Mobile Official Website.
Related: Is T-Mobile International Pass & Simple Global Worth It?
You may also like to Read This Before Renting A Car In Costa Rica.
How do you activate the International Plans when traveling to Costa Rica?
You will get a text from T-Mobile once you land in Costa Rica. This will allow you to automatically connect to the best network based on your plan.
Tips to Help You Stay Connected While in Costa Rica
- In case you want to buy a local SIM Card in Costa Rica, I would recommend getting Kolbi. You will enjoy better coverage compared to its competitors – Claro and Movistar.
- Make sure your device is unlocked and is able to work well while in Costa Rica.
