SIM Cards & Data in Cartagena: How to Get Set Up (2026)
Mike Chartrand
April 8, 2026 - Updated April 23, 2026 · 10 min read
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Last updated: April 2026. Setting up a Colombian phone line is one of the easiest things you’ll do on arrival, 10 minutes at a kiosk with a passport and you’re online. This guide covers the four carriers (Claro, Tigo, Movistar, WOM), which one is best on the Coast, how prepaid and postpaid differ, how eSIM works, what plans actually cost, and the tricks to avoiding overpaying.
Claro (part of América Móvil), largest in Colombia, best coverage on the Caribbean Coast. Priciest on like-for-like plans. 4G and 5G widely available in Cartagena’s northern neighborhoods. If you want one carrier without thinking, Claro.
Tigo (Millicom, merged with UNE), strong urban coverage, aggressive promos, very competitive in Cartagena. 4G/5G. Often 20 to 30% cheaper than Claro on comparable data.
Movistar (Telefónica), good urban coverage, weaker in some rural Bolívar areas. 4G/5G.
WOM, Chilean challenger that launched Colombian operations in 2021. Cheaper, 4G/5G on its own network plus roaming on partner networks. Coverage has improved a lot but still inferior to Claro in rural pockets. Good value for city-based use.
MVNOs (ETB Móvil, Virgin Mobile, Flash Mobile) ride on the big four’s networks; prices similar to the network owner but customer support is variable. For most expats the main-four choice covers everything.
Which carrier to pick in Cartagena
Short answer:
Claro, default. Pay a bit more, get the best coverage. First-time arrivals, people who travel outside the city regularly (to Santa Marta, Palomino, Mompox, rural Bolívar).
Tigo, best value inside Cartagena. If you rarely leave the city or the main Caribbean cities, Tigo gets you the same practical service for less.
Movistar, fine if you already have a Movistar / Telefónica relationship (Europe, Latin America) that gives you benefits.
WOM, for cost-conscious users who stay in the northern neighborhoods and can tolerate occasional rural coverage gaps.
A practical hack: keep two SIMs. Primary Claro + backup Tigo (or the other way around). If one is down, the other almost always works. Dual-SIM Androids and modern iPhones with eSIM make this trivial, and if you work remotely, having a backup mobile internet line is close to essential.
Prepaid vs postpaid, what to pick
Prepaid (prepago): pay upfront for a package, no contract. Works on day one with just a passport (see registration rules below). Flexible, cancel by not topping up. Slightly worse per-peso value than postpaid, but far easier to set up. Almost all travelers and most digital nomads use prepaid.
Postpaid (pospago): monthly billing, contract commitment (often 12 months), credit check. Requires a Cédula de Extranjería (CE), Colombian visa ID issued after visa approval. Slightly better data per peso; often bundled with a phone or Netflix/Spotify. Worth switching to only if you’re staying long-term.
For most expats: start prepaid, switch to postpaid once you have your CE and know you’ll stay.
Mandatory SIM registration
Since 2023, Colombia requires every mobile SIM to be registered to an ID, a cédula, Cédula de Extranjería, or foreign passport. The rule was introduced to combat fraud and extortion.
What this means in practice:
Buying a SIM requires presenting ID; the kiosk staff will scan or type your passport details into the carrier system.
Activation typically takes 10 to 15 minutes. Don’t expect to walk out with a pre-set-up SIM off a rack.
Unregistered SIMs on the black market will be blocked; don’t buy from street sellers.
Where to buy a SIM
Airport (CTG): Claro, Tigo, and Movistar kiosks in the Arrivals area at Rafael Núñez. Convenient, slightly pricier on plans, staff usually English-capable.
Shopping malls: Caribe Plaza (Pie de la Popa), Mall Plaza El Castillo (near Castillogrande), La Plazuela, and the Centro Comercial Bocagrande all have full carrier stores. Widest plan selection.
Carrier retail stores: along Avenida San Martín in Bocagrande and inside the major malls above. Full service including postpaid setup.
Corner stores (tiendas) and supermarkets: sell SIMs too, but staff knowledge is hit-or-miss. Fine for a basic top-up; less good for first setup.
Online: the carrier apps will ship a physical SIM or (preferred) activate an eSIM. Requires a CE or registered address.
eSIM, when and how
All four major carriers support eSIM on most iPhones (XS and newer) and modern Samsung/Google/other Android flagships. Setup is instant: scan a QR code in the app or at the kiosk, SIM activates in seconds. No physical SIM to swap.
Options for arriving travelers:
Airalo, Holafly, Nomad, Saily, Ubigi, international eSIM marketplaces. Start working the moment you land. Plans for Colombia run USD 8 (1 GB) to USD 45 (20 GB) for 30 days. Good for the first 24 to 72 hours; expensive for longer stays.
Local carrier eSIM, scan a QR at a Claro/Tigo/Movistar store. Prices match the physical SIM prepaid plans. Requires local ID registration as with physical SIMs.
Popular strategy: buy an international eSIM (Airalo, etc.) for your flight and first day; switch to a local carrier SIM once you’re settled. Keeps you online end-to-end without kiosk pressure at the airport.
What plans actually cost (2026)
All four carriers offer broadly similar tiered prepaid packages. Expect these ranges per month:
Entry (1 to 3 GB + minutes + WhatsApp unlimited): COP 12 to 20k (USD 3 to 5). Suits light users, travelers with Wi-Fi at home.
Mid (8 to 15 GB + unlimited social apps + minutes): COP 25 to 40k (USD 6 to 10). The sweet spot for most visitors.
Upper-mid (30 to 60 GB + unlimited social + streaming minutes): COP 50 to 80k (USD 13 to 20).
Heavy (80 to 150 GB + all-in bundles + cloud storage): COP 90 to 130k (USD 23 to 33). Remote workers who rely on mobile hotspot.
“Unlimited social apps” (redes sociales ilimitadas) on Colombian plans generally includes WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and sometimes TikTok and X, zero-rated traffic that doesn’t count against your data cap. Useful, but video calls and file uploads on those apps often do count, so don’t assume a Zoom call on WhatsApp is free.
Postpaid: COP 60 to 130k/month for substantially more data (often 100 GB + unlimited social + long-distance minutes). Usually committed for 12 months.
Topping up (recargas)
Carrier app: easiest. Mi Claro, Mi Tigo, Mi Movistar, Mi WOM, link a card and top up in two taps.
Nequi or Daviplata: native recarga options in the app; use your balance to top up any Colombian line.
Supermarket / tienda: cash recarga at the register. Tell them the number and the amount.
ATMs: some Bancolombia and Davivienda ATMs include a recarga option.
Online with a foreign card: possible on carrier websites; some reject non-Colombian cards. Easier to recarga via Wise/Revolut COP balance or a Nequi account.
Coverage, speed, and 5G
All four carriers have 4G LTE blanketing Cartagena’s urban area. 5G SA and NSA are live across Bocagrande, Castillogrande, and Manga on Claro and Tigo (the earliest deployers) with Movistar and WOM catching up. Real-world speeds in Bocagrande, Castillogrande, and Manga in 2026:
4G LTE: 30 to 120 Mbps down, 10 to 40 Mbps up.
5G: 200 to 700 Mbps down, 50 to 150 Mbps up outdoors.
Expect real performance to depend more on building materials than carrier, the thick masonry walls in Centro and Getsemaní attenuate signal; modern glass-clad towers in Bocagrande and El Laguito are fine.
Understanding plan features
Minutos “todo destino”: minutes to any number nationally.
Minutos “al mismo operador”: on-network only; use on lines with the same carrier. Cheaper tier.
SMS: included but essentially no one uses SMS in Colombia. WhatsApp dominates.
Redes sociales ilimitadas: zero-rated social apps. WhatsApp is the main beneficiary.
Roaming: most prepaid plans include zero roaming. Postpaid plans sometimes include regional roaming (Andean Community countries). Always add a roaming bolt-on or travel SIM for international trips.
Bolt-ons (paquetes adicionales): small add-ons for extra data or minutes mid-month, typically COP 3 to 8k.
Using your home SIM in Colombia
Most US, UK, and EU plans roam in Colombia but at widely varying cost. Notable:
Google Fi (US): works without issues at no extra cost up to 50 GB.
T-Mobile US (Go5G, Magenta, Magenta MAX): unlimited 2G/3G data plus calls/text, faster-data bolt-on. Works out of the box.
Visible (US): roams in Colombia at reduced speed with the higher-tier plans.
EE, O2, Vodafone, Three (UK): roaming rates vary; activate a travel pass before arrival to avoid bill shock.
Most EU plans: Colombian roaming is not included in EU Roam Like at Home; expect a pay-per-day add-on.
For stays under a week, a home SIM plus eSIM from Airalo is often the easiest. For longer stays, a Colombian SIM is dramatically cheaper and more useful.
Phone unlocking
To use a Colombian SIM your phone must be unlocked. Check with your home carrier before you travel, US carrier-locked phones especially can refuse foreign SIMs. For Apple iPhones bought unlocked or on T-Mobile/Verizon (post-contract), no issue. Android Samsung and Google Pixels sold unlocked work anywhere.
Keeping your number if you switch carriers
Colombia supports free number portability. Switch to a new carrier keeping the same number: request portability in the new carrier’s store (or app), consent via SMS, and the switch happens within 24 to 48 hours. Useful when moving from a pricey first-choice carrier to a cheaper option.
Common issues and fixes
APN not configured: new SIM online but no data. Fix by entering the carrier’s APN in settings (Claro: internet.comcel.com.co; Tigo: web.tigo.com.co; Movistar: internet.movistar.com.co; WOM: internet.wom.co). Most phones auto-configure.
Activation delays: if the SIM doesn’t activate in 30 minutes, the kiosk’s ID-registration queue is backed up. Wait an hour, restart the phone.
Frequent reauth requests: sometimes an iPhone keeps asking for the PUK. Write it down when the kiosk gives it to you.
Unexpected balance depletion: Colombian prepaid plans charge per call if you run out of included minutes. Check your balance (dial *611# on Claro, similar on others) before a long call.
Scam calls (estafas telefónicas): common. “You’ve won a prize, send your bank details”, hang up. Register on the Do-Not-Call list via excluyeme.co to reduce spam.
FAQ
Do I need a Colombian address to get a prepaid SIM? No, just your passport. For postpaid, yes, lease or utility bill.
Can I open an account with a tourist stamp (PIP)? Prepaid yes, postpaid no. For postpaid you need a CE.
Will my US/UK phone work on 5G here? If it’s an unlocked recent model (iPhone 12+ or Samsung S21+), yes. Sub-6 GHz 5G bands used in Colombia (n78 mostly) are standard globally.
Are there unlimited data plans? Technically yes on the upper tiers, but “unlimited” often throttles after 60 to 150 GB per month. Read the fine print.
Can I tether / use as a hotspot? Yes, almost all plans allow hotspotting, though some cap hotspot data separately. Claro and Tigo upper-tier plans allow 30 to 60 GB of hotspot use.
Are Colombian SIMs OK for international travel? Outbound roaming is expensive and limited. Use a travel eSIM for trips abroad.
How do I check my balance? In the carrier’s app (easiest), or dial the code: *611# (Claro), *611# (Tigo), #100# (Movistar), *134# (WOM).
How do I cancel prepaid? You don’t. Just stop topping up. After 3 to 6 months of inactivity the line is recycled.
Is the carrier customer service in English? Usually no. Claro has some English support on business lines; for consumer you’ll need basic Spanish or a translator. The apps support English on most phones.
What about kids’ SIMs or family plans? Postpaid family plans are available (Claro Familia, Tigo Familia, similar). Require the primary account holder’s CE and a credit check.
Carrier pricing, plan names, and promotions change frequently, figures are indicative April 2026. Verify on the carrier’s app or at a store at time of purchase. Last review: April 2026.
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Catalina is our concierge. Ask her about visas, neighborhoods, healthcare, prices, anything Cartagena. She answers in chat or WhatsApp, English or Spanish, free.Catalina es nuestra concierge. Pregúntale sobre visas, barrios, salud, precios, cualquier cosa de Cartagena. Responde por chat o WhatsApp, en inglés o español, gratis.
