Three ways, one of them free-ish
A Costa Rican phone number
Almost every travel eSIM sold for Costa Rica is data-only. Here is when a +506 number is worth having, and the cheapest honest way to get one.
Do you actually need a Costa Rican number? usually not
Costa Rica is one of the most WhatsApp-dependent countries a traveler will visit. Lodges, shuttle drivers, tour operators, rental agencies and your Airbnb host will all message you there, and WhatsApp works over any data plan with your existing number.
So before spending anything, be clear about what a +506 number actually buys. It is not communication, you already have that. It is the narrow set of cases where a Costa Rican business or system needs to reach a Costa Rican number specifically.
Hotels, tours and drivers will WhatsApp you on your home number. A data-only eSIM handles all of it. Save the $2.50 and skip this page.
If the rental company needs to reach you about a fine, a breakdown or a return time, some of them will call rather than message. A local number makes that call actually connect.
A month or more, a local bank or gym signup, or anything that sends an SMS verification code to a national number. Here a Kölbi chip makes more sense than an eSIM add-on.
The three ways to get a +506 number priced side by side
| Airalo Hot Telecom+ | Kölbi prepaid chip | Drimsim | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extra cost | ≈$2.50 over data-only | ₡500–1,000 (≈$1–2) | €35 before the first megabyte |
| Number type | +506, Costa Rican | +506, Costa Rican | foreign number via Drimphone |
| Buy it | before you fly | in a shop, with a passport | before you fly |
| Calls and SMS | inbound and outbound | inbound and outbound, plus 100 national minutes in the tourist bundle | yes, at pay-as-you-go rates |
| Network | Claro / Liberty | Kölbi, the widest coverage | roaming, whatever is available |
| Also solves | nothing else | rural coverage | nothing else |
| Verdict | Best if you want it sorted before landing | Best overall value | Hard to justify here |
Two of those three are genuinely good options and the third is on this page because completeness matters. Drimsim's entry cost of €10 for the eSIM plus a €25 minimum top-up means you pay about €35 before using anything, and its number is not Costa Rican. In a country where a local chip costs a dollar, that is very hard to recommend, and we say so despite Drimsim paying us a flat commission per sale.
Airalo Hot Telecom+ a +506 number for $2.50
Airalo sells its Costa Rica eSIM under the name Hot Telecom. The Hot Telecom+ line is exactly the same data on the same networks, with a Costa Rican number attached that takes inbound and outbound calls and SMS.
| Plan | Data only | With +506 number | The number costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1GB / 3 days | $7.50 | $8.50 | $1.00 |
| 5GB / 30 days | $26.50 | $28.50 | $2.00 |
| 10GB / 30 days | $34.00 | $36.50 | $2.50 |
| 20GB / 30 days | $40.50 | $44.00 | $3.50 |
Two to three dollars is small enough that the decision is not really financial. If there is any chance you will want a local number, buy the plus version and stop thinking about it. If you are certain you will not, the data-only plan is the same product.
What it does not do: reach Kölbi. The +506 number lives on Claro or Liberty like the data does, so it will not ring in the Osa Peninsula any better than your maps will load there. That is a different problem with a different fix.
Airalo is the only brand in our comparison that sells a Costa Rican number at all. Saily, Yesim, GigSky and Holafly are data-only for this country.
See Airalo Hot Telecom+ Read the full Airalo reviewThe Kölbi chip route a dollar, a passport, ten minutes
If you are willing to walk into a shop, this is the better deal by a wide margin. A prepaid Kölbi chip costs ₡500 to ₡1,000, about $1 to $2, and comes with a Costa Rican number. The tourist bundle at ₡12,095 (≈$24) adds 5GB of data, 5GB more reserved for WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and Waze, and 100 minutes of national calls.
So for roughly what an Airalo 10GB plan costs, you get a local number, a data allowance, calling minutes, and the network with the widest coverage in the country. The price is a shop visit with your passport, and the fact that you are offline until you find one, which is why we recommend running both: an eSIM installed at home for the arrival, and a Kölbi chip picked up on day one or two.
Top up at any supermarket by asking for Kölbi at the register. Check your balance by dialling *888*1*1#. The full Kölbi guide covers where to buy and who actually needs it.
Keeping your home number while you are here the toggle that saves $12 a day
- Leave your home SIM active so you still receive calls and bank SMS codes on your usual number.
- Turn data roaming OFF for the home line. This is the setting that stops the $12-a-day carrier pass triggering. Do it before you land, not after.
- Set the eSIM as your data line. Everything data-driven, including WhatsApp calls and messages, then runs on the plan you paid for.
- If you added the +506 line, decide which number outgoing calls use. On both iPhone and Android you can set a default per contact. The setup guide walks through the screens.
The most expensive mistake travelers make in Costa Rica is not buying the wrong eSIM. It is landing with home data roaming still on and discovering a day pass has activated before they reached baggage claim.
Phone number questions answered straight
Do Costa Rica eSIMs come with a phone number?
Most do not. Saily, Yesim, GigSky and Holafly sell data-only plans for Costa Rica. Airalo is the exception: its Hot Telecom+ packages include a real +506 number with inbound and outbound calls and SMS for about $2.50 over the data-only price.
Do I need a Costa Rican number for WhatsApp?
No. WhatsApp works on your existing number over any data plan, and it is how Costa Rican hotels, drivers and tour operators actually communicate. A local number only matters for the narrower cases where a business or a system needs to call or text a national number.
What is the cheapest way to get a +506 number?
A Kölbi prepaid chip at ₡500 to ₡1,000, about $1 to $2, bought in a shop with your passport. It also puts you on the network with the widest coverage in the country, which no eSIM can do. The trade is that you have to find a shop.
Can I call Costa Rican numbers from a data-only eSIM?
Yes, through WhatsApp, Messenger or any other internet calling app, which covers almost every situation you will meet. What you cannot do is dial a landline or receive a call from someone who is not using an app.
Should I use Drimsim for a phone number in Costa Rica?
We do not recommend it here. Drimsim charges €10 for the eSIM plus a €25 minimum top-up, so about €35 before you use anything, and the number it gives you is not Costa Rican. Airalo's $2.50 add-on or a $1 Kölbi chip both do the job better. We are paid a flat commission on Drimsim sales and are telling you not to make one.
Will I keep my home number active?
Yes, on any dual-SIM or eSIM-capable phone. Leave the home line switched on for calls and SMS, turn its data roaming off, and set the travel eSIM as your data line. That combination keeps you reachable and stops carrier roaming charges.
A local number for $2.50
Airalo's Hot Telecom+ packages are the only travel eSIM in our comparison that includes a Costa Rican +506 line. Same data, same networks, a number attached.
See Airalo Hot Telecom+Sources & freshness: Airalo Hot Telecom and Hot Telecom+ prices via esimdb.com and airalo.com, September 2, 2026, in USD. Kölbi prepaid and tourist package pricing from published ICE and Kölbi tariffs. Drimsim entry costs from drimsim.com. Compare all five providers: best eSIM for Costa Rica.