Are you traveling to Chile soon and wondering what is the best way to stay connected on your trip? This is a dedicated guide helping you to choose the best sim card for traveling in Chile in 2024.
Find out where to buy a sim card for Chile, a comparison of the Chile prepaid sim cards for tourists, up to date prices as per April 2024, the best e-sim cards for Chile, my recommendation, the best 4G/5G network in Chile, a vlog about my experiences, information about international sim cards for Chile and everything else you need to know.
Staying connected is one of the most important things of planning my next trip. In the past I always used to buy a prepaid sim card on arrival but nowadays I mostly order an e-sim card on the internet.
Since I am also trying to visit every country in the world I get to a lot of different countries constantly and therefore on Traveltomtom you can find already more than 200 sim card guides from all over the world: Argentina, Buenos Aires, Brazil, Peru, Lima, Bogota, Colombia, Paraguay, Mexico, USA, New York, Madrid, Spain, London, Amsterdam, Dubai and many more.
So next time you are planning your adventure abroad come check out Traveltomtom for the latest prepaid and e-sim card advice for your next holiday destination. Bookmark me and let me help you save money!
Why buying a sim card for Chile
Let’s keep it real, we just want to stay connected when traveling as it makes our life much easier. Think about ordering a taxi through an app, looking for the nearest ATM’s, finding cool restaurants nearby, keeping in touch and what about emergencies, bank transfers, etc.
Don’t rely on WiFi, it is not reliable and although most places offer free WiFi also keep in mind that surfing the internet through public WiFi is on an UNSECURED network. The use of a VPN is recommend.
So to not get stuck with high roaming charges Traveltomtom recommends buying a local prepaid sim card in Chile for traveling around the country. It is the cheapest way to get data on your phone abroad. A little more expensive but also more convenient are e-sim cards or international sim cards for Chile. More about that later!
My recommendation
Traveltomtom recommends a Movistar sim card for Chile. They have the best 4G/5G mobile internet coverage in Chile and great prepaid sim cards for tourists.
That said, we have to include e-sim cards in our comparison as they are so easy to order online and not expensive at all. For $18 USD you already get 15 GB data + 500 minutes.
Traveltomtom recommends ordering an e-sim card for Chile via either SimOptions or Airalo.
Another way of staying connected that is worth looking into are international sim cards. These sim cards work in multiple countries and are great if you are visiting more countries in South America. Have a look at my comparison of the best travel sim cards with data in 2024 and pick the one that suits your trip the most.
Best e-sim cards for Chile
The easiest way to stay connected when traveling to Chile in 2024 is an e-sim card. You arrange everything online in just a couple clicks. No more visiting a phone store and swapping physical prepaid sim cards.
You order an e-sim card for Chile on the internet, you receive a QR code, scan it, follow the simple steps and within less than 2 minutes you have a Chile e-sim card installed on your phone.
Upon arrival in Chile it automatically connects you to an available network and you enjoy data on your phone pretty much when the plane lands.
Make sure your phone is e-sim compatible before ordering an e-sim card for Chile.
Airalo
Airalo is a reliable e-sim provider that sells e-sim cards from pretty much every country in the world and Traveltomtom has used them uncountable times without ever facing a problem.
Check out the Airalo e-sim cards for Chile in 2024:
- 15 GB data + 500 minutes + 500 text for 10 days = $18 USD
- 20 GB data + 500 minutes + 500 text for 30 days = $23 USD
Click here for more info or to order an e-sim card for Chile via Airalo.
The above Altoque e-sim cards from Airalo are only valid in Chile and they operate on the Movistar 4G/LTE network.
SimOptions
SimOptions is a reliable e-sim provider and Traveltomtom has used SimOptions in more than 50 countries around the world and never faced an issue. Here are the SimOptions e-sim card plans for Chile for 2024:
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $24.90 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $34.90 USD
- 6 GB data for 15 days = $39.90 USD
- 10 GB data for 14 days = $39.90 USD
Click here for more info or to order an e-sim card for Chile via SimOptions.
There is a third e-sim provider called Nomad and they also have Chile e-sim cards. Nomad has often great e-sim card deals, but their reliability and performance has to improve significantly before it will be one of Traveltomtom's first recommendations. Personally I had some issue activating my e-sim a couple times.
Where to buy a sim card for Chile
Santiago de Chile Airport
I would have loved redirecting you to a dedicated article for buying a prepaid sim card for Chile at Santiago de Chile Airport on arrival. To my big surprise there is no shop to buy a prepaid sim card for tourists at Santiago International Airport (SCL). I asked around everywhere, but NOPE!
Phone stores city center
Therefore Traveltomtom recommends you to go to one of the big shopping malls in the city center of Santiago: Mall Costanera Center, Parque Arauco and Vivo el Centro are the best places to find phone stores. You can buy a prepaid sim card for tourists in any of the mobile internet provider shops.
Online
Another option is to buy a sim card for Chile on the internet. It is the easiest and most convenient way to get a sim card for traveling to Chile. Ordering an e-sim card gets you connected in just a couple clicks. Traveltomtom recommends ordering an e-sim card for Chile via either SimOptions or Airalo.
If your phone is not e-sim compatible then check out physical prepaid sim cards from SimOptions.
Mobile internet operators in Chile
There are 4 mobile internet providers in Chile and all of them sell prepaid sim cards for tourists: Movistar, Claro, Wom and EnTel.
Registration process
The registration process in Chile for tourist sim cards is very easy as you do NOT need anything. No passport registration needed for a prepaid sim card. However, if you stay in Chile longer than 1 month your phone will be blocked automatically as of new laws in Chile. You will need to pay a tax to unlock your phone after 1 month, but any tourists coming for less than 1 month no need to worry about anything. Just walk into a phone store and buy your prepaid sim card for Chile.
Prices prepaid sim cards in Chile in 2024
The below information and prices are updated as per April 2024. Prices are in Chilean Peso and $1 USD = 970 CLP and 1,000 CLP = $1,03 USD.
As per April 2024 there are only physical prepaid sim cards available, no e-sim cards for tourists.
Entel
In an Entel store you can only buy a prepaid sim card for 2,000 CLP ($2 USD) and it will give you 20 minutes calling time and 1 GB data for 15 days.
If you then want to add a data packages on it you will need to go to a kiosk to top up your balance and then convert it into data packages. There is NO service for prepaid sim cards at Entel stores.
Wom
A Wom prepaid sim card also costs 2,000 CLP ($2 USD) and gives you 1 GB data and 50 minutes calling time for 15 days. Same as Entel, adding data packages can only be done manually by buying credit from a kiosk.
So first you go to any random kiosk and then you buy WOM credit. After you have the credit into your account you can convert it into data plans.
These are for example the Wom data plans that you can activate on your number/account after you bought credit at a kiosk.
Why so complicated Chile? Why not selling these packages straight at the desk in your stores?
Claro
For Claro counts the same, no service at their Claro stores for prepaid sim cards for tourists. In the Claro stores they can only do the registration for you. A Claro prepaid sim card costs 4,000 CLP ($4 USD) and gives you 1 GB data and 50 minutes for 15 days.
With a Claro prepaid sim card some social media apps are unlimited (Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram).
Movistar
Last but not least a Movistar prepaid sim card costs 5,000 CLP ($5 USD) and it gives you 40 GB data + 200 calling minutes for 30 days.
Compared to all the other mobile internet operators that is a WINNER!
The registration and activation will be done in the store and it takes less than 5 minutes. You can pay by either cash or card. Unfortunately there are still only physical prepaid sim cards available. Movistar Chile does not provide e-sim cards for tourists.
Best 4G/5G network in Chile in 2024
May be even more essential for determining the best prepaid sim card for traveling in Chile is the mobile network coverage and therefore we compare the 4G/5G network coverage in Chile per provider below.
Is there 5G in Chile?
Yes, there is a very extensive 5G network in Chile available and prepaid sim card users are able to connect to the 5G network. Just make sure your phone is set to 5G and it connects automatically.
Claro 4G/5G network coverage in Chile
Wom 4G/5G network coverage in Chile
Entel 4G/5G network coverage in Chile
Movistar 4G/5G network coverage in Chile
Although the above mobile data network coverage maps are updated for 2024 they are not 100% accurate. However, they are a great reference to compare the 4G/5G networks of the mobile internet providers in Chile in 2024.
In many other Latin American countries Claro is the biggest mobile internet provider but here in Chile they have the smallest 4G/5G network. The WOM network coverage is also a little weaker than Entel and Movistar who have the best mobile internet network in Chile in 2024.
Best prepaid Chile sim card in 2024
Looking at all the above provided information it is a pretty easy conclusion that Movistar is the best prepaid sim card in Chile in 2024. They are the only mobile internet provider that actively sell sim cards plus data plans in their stores. So if you are a tourist and looking to buy a prepaid sim card in Chile then head to a Movistar store.
Buying a local prepaid sim card for tourists sound pretty complicated, right? Check out my vlog below to find out more about what it is like buying a prepaid sim card in Chile.
I always advice people to make sure to be connected and have data on your phone before walking out of the sim card shop. The Movistar service selling prepaid sim cards in their stores is impeccable. Especially compared to Entel, Wom and Claro which all redirected me to a kiosk after registering the sim card. In stores of Entel, Wom and Claro they can't add a data plan for you.
Movistar is not only giving you the best service in their stores, Movistar also has the best 4G/5G network coverage in Chile in 2024.
A prepaid sim card for tourists for just $5 USD with 40 GB data and 200 calling minutes for 30 days is an amazing offer and therefore Traveltomtom's first recommendation when you are looking for the best sim card for traveling in Chile in 2024.
E-sim cards for Chile are actually great deals, but they are more expensive than a Movistar prepaid sim card.
However, a Movistar prepaid sim card can only be bought in Chile on arrival and an e-sim card you can already buy on the internet before your trip to Chile. The best value e-sim card for Chile is an e-sim from Airalo with 20 GB data + 500 minutes for $23 USD. As soon as the plane lands in Chile you are online.
Order a prepaid sim card for Chile online
If your phone is not e-sim compatible but you would like to order a sim card for traveling to Chile online before your trip then check out the following.
Arrive prepared in Chile with an international prepaid sim card. You order them online and a physical prepaid sim card will be delivered to your home address. You put this sim card in your phone and it automatically connects to an available network upon arrival in Chile, basically when the plane lands you are instantly online.
SimOptions is the only sim card provider that sells physical prepaid sim cards for Chile:
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $24.90 USD
- 10 GB data for 14 days = $49.90 USD
Click here for more info or to order a physical prepaid sim card for Chile via SimOptions.
But if your phone is e-sim compatible then this is a last reminder that you can arrange everything in just a couple clicks on the internet by ordering an e-sim card for Chile. Traveltomtom recommends ordering an e-sim card for Chile via either SimOptions or Airalo.
Curious what it looks like trying to visit every country in the world? Go check out my Instagram account @traveltomtom and follow along. As of April 2024 I have visited more than 155 countries, so still a long way to go.
I hope all the above information about buying a sim card for Chile were helpful. If you have any questions then please leave me a comment below.
Enjoy your trip to Chile!