Internet & Cell Phone Plans in Colombia: Complete Carrier Comparison

The first thing I sorted after landing in Medellín was a local SIM card. Stood in a Claro store on Avenida El Poblado, absolutely no Spanish, pointing at a display like a confused tourist — which, to be fair, I still was. That was two years ago. Now I've tested all three major carriers, run fiber internet in two apartments, and watched every digital nomad friend cycle through the same questions: Which carrier is best? Do I need a local SIM or can I use an eSIM? What's home internet actually like?

This is the full picture. Not a sponsored comparison — I've paid for all of these plans myself.

Colombia's telecom market has three serious players (Claro, Movistar, Tigo), a handful of MVNOs running on their networks, and a growing eSIM ecosystem that's genuinely useful for short stays. For home internet, fiber is widely available in the major cities and cheaper than you'd expect. Here's how it all breaks down.

Claro vs Movistar vs Tigo: The Main Carriers

These three dominate Colombia's mobile market. Each has different strengths depending on where you're spending most of your time.

Claro — Best Coverage Overall

Claro is Colombia's largest carrier and has the widest coverage map — especially useful outside of major cities. If you're heading to the Eje Cafetero, the Caribbean coast, or smaller towns in Antioquia, Claro is usually your best bet for keeping a signal. In my experience it also delivers the most consistent 4G LTE speeds in Medellín.

Prepaid plans (planes prepago) start around $25,000–$35,000 COP/month ($6–9 USD) for a basic data bundle. Their 'Claro Top' plans give you something like 10–15 GB of data plus unlimited WhatsApp for around $50,000–$75,000 COP ($12–18 USD). Claro also sells eSIMs now for compatible phones.

One downside: their customer service is notoriously slow. Going into a store to swap a SIM or fix an account issue can mean a 45-minute wait. Go on a Tuesday morning, not Saturday afternoon.

Movistar — Best Value in Cities

Movistar (Telefónica) runs a strong network in the major cities — Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla — and tends to offer slightly better data-to-price ratios than Claro for urban users. A solid postpaid plan with 20–25 GB runs around $55,000–$80,000 COP/month ($13–19 USD).

Their signal drops faster once you leave city limits. I used Movistar as my primary for about four months and it worked perfectly inside Medellín but got patchy on a trip to Jardín. If you're mostly urban, you probably won't notice.

Tigo — Mid-Range Option with Good Streaming Perks

Tigo sits between the two in most metrics. Their data plans often bundle in streaming bonuses — free Tigo Sports access, sometimes Netflix data that doesn't count against your cap. Pricing is competitive: basic postpaid starts around $40,000–$60,000 COP/month ($10–14 USD).

Coverage is solid in Bogotá and the coffee region but thinner in rural areas than Claro. For most expats living in the urban core of a major city, Tigo is a legitimate option.

How to Get a SIM Card as a Foreigner

You can buy a SIM card at any carrier store, or at smaller stands (often called 'Claro/Movistar/Tigo Autorizado' shops) scattered throughout most neighborhoods. You'll need your passport — Colombia requires ID registration for SIM cards, which is a legal requirement, not just store policy.

The process takes about 10 minutes. You choose a plan, they copy your passport details, activate the SIM, and you walk out connected. Prepaid (prepago) is fine for the first few months; switching to postpaid (postpago) usually requires you to have a cédula de extranjería or cedula de ciudadanía — so tourists and recent arrivals stick with prepaid.

One thing worth knowing: Colombian SIMs use standard, micro, and nano sizes depending on your phone. Most modern phones need a nano SIM. If you're buying at a small authorized reseller (not an official store), double check they have the right size before you commit.

eSIM Options for Colombia

eSIMs have become a real option for Colombia, both from international providers and locally. Here's how the landscape looks:

International eSIM Providers

If you're arriving for the first time and want connectivity before sorting a local SIM, international eSIM providers work well. Airalo, Holafly, and Saily all offer Colombia data plans you can activate before you land.

Airalo typically runs $5–12 USD for 1–3 GB Colombia-only data. Holafly offers unlimited data plans (with fair-use caps) starting around $27/week. Saily is worth checking too — their regional Latin America plans can be good value if you're moving around. The downside of all international eSIMs: they're data-only. No Colombian phone number, which limits some local services (Rappi, some banks require a local number for verification).

Carrier eSIMs

Claro Colombia now offers eSIMs directly, which is the best option if you want a Colombian number on an eSIM-compatible phone. Go to a Claro store with your passport and a compatible device (most iPhones from XR onward and many Android flagship phones). They'll set it up in-store.

This is honestly the ideal setup for digital nomads: a Colombian Claro eSIM as your primary number, plus your home country's physical SIM if you need occasional access to that. Dual SIM effectively.

Home Internet in Colombia: What to Expect

The good news: fiber internet in Colombia's major cities is genuinely solid. For years the reputation was 'third world internet,' but that's outdated. I've had 200 Mbps fiber in a mid-range Medellín apartment and 300 Mbps in a Bogotá flat — both for around $70,000–$100,000 COP/month ($17–24 USD). That's cheaper than most US or European internet plans.

Internet by City

Bogotá and Medellín have the best fiber coverage. Most apartments in El Poblado, Laureles, Envigado, and Sabaneta (Medellín) come with fiber infrastructure already in place — you're choosing between providers, not waiting for someone to lay cable. Claro Hogar, Movistar, ETB (Bogotá-focused), and Tigo are the main options.

Cali has solid coverage in the main residential neighborhoods (El Peñón, Granada, Ciudad Jardín) but patchier availability in outer zones. Barranquilla and Cartagena are more hit-or-miss outside the tourist/expat corridors — some buildings have fiber, others are still on cable or DSL. Always ask before you sign a lease.

In smaller cities and towns — Manizales, Pereira, Bucaramanga — fiber is available in the center but less consistent in residential zones. Speeds of 30–100 Mbps are typical.

ISP Comparison

Claro Hogar is the most widely available and generally reliable. Movistar has good speeds in Bogotá and Medellín. ETB is a solid choice specifically in Bogotá (it's a local provider and often competitive on price). Tigo home internet tends to bundle in Tigo Sports access, which some people genuinely value.

All of them have reputations for slow installation processes. If your apartment already has a connection from a previous tenant, ask the landlord to transfer the account — it's faster than starting fresh. Installation when starting from zero can take 5–15 business days, depending on the provider and building setup.

Tips for Remote Workers and Digital Nomads

A few things specific to people working from Colombia rather than just visiting:

Get postpaid mobile data if you can. The unlimited or high-cap postpaid plans (especially Movistar's 'Ilimitado' plans and Claro's 'Claro Top' higher tiers) are significantly better value than stacking prepaid recharges. Once you have a cédula de extranjería, switching to postpaid takes about 20 minutes.

Don't rely on mobile as your primary work connection — speeds are fine for calls and browsing, but any video conferencing at 4K or large file transfers will frustrate you. Fiber at home is non-negotiable if you're billing USD.

If you're working from cafés, use a VPN on public WiFi. Colombia isn't particularly high-risk compared to other countries, but public networks in coworking spaces and coffee shops are still shared. NordVPN works well in Colombia and doesn't slow down the connection noticeably on a fast fiber line.

For the best café WiFi in Medellín specifically, the specialty coffee scene in Laureles and around Parque Estadio tends to have faster connections than the tourist-facing spots in El Poblado.

Practical Tips Before You Arrive

Unlock your phone before you leave. An unlocked phone can take any carrier's SIM — locked phones are useless with a local SIM. Most US carriers will unlock your phone for free if you've owned it for a year or more.

Buy your first SIM at an airport store if you land at El Dorado (Bogotá) or José María Córdova (Medellín) — Claro and Movistar have booths in the arrivals area. Yes, the plans are slightly pricier than in-city stores, but you'll have data in your hands within 15 minutes of landing. Worth it.

Check coverage maps before committing to a carrier. Claro's coverage map is publicly available on their website and is more accurate than self-reported guides. If you're planning to spend significant time outside major cities, Claro is the safer choice — Movistar and Tigo's maps show coverage in areas where, in practice, signal is borderline.

Recharging prepaid plans: you can top up at any Éxito, Carulla, or D1 supermarket, through the Nequi app, or through the carriers' own apps. The carrier apps are clunky but functional for checking your balance and buying packages.

If you're setting up banking alongside your phone plan, check out our guide to Nequi and Daviplata for foreigners — both apps work great once you have a Colombian number.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Which carrier has the best coverage in Colombia?

Claro has the widest coverage network, especially outside major cities. If you're spending time in rural areas, smaller towns, or traveling around the country, Claro is the safest choice. Movistar is competitive in the main cities but thinner elsewhere. Tigo sits in the middle.

❓ Can I get a SIM card with just a passport?

Yes. All three major carriers will sell you a prepaid SIM with a foreign passport. You'll need to show your passport for the mandatory ID registration. Postpaid contracts typically require a cédula de extranjería (Colombian ID for foreigners), which you'd apply for after getting a visa.

❓ How fast is home internet in Colombia?

In Medellín and Bogotá, fiber plans of 100–300 Mbps are common and cost around $70,000–$120,000 COP/month ($17–28 USD). These speeds are genuine — I've tested them with Speedtest. Smaller cities average 30–100 Mbps. Fiber is available in most apartment buildings in established residential neighborhoods.

❓ Do eSIMs work in Colombia?

Yes. International eSIM providers like Airalo, Holafly, and Saily all offer Colombia data plans. Claro also sells local eSIMs in their stores, which gives you a Colombian phone number — useful for apps and services that require local number verification.

❓ Do I need a VPN in Colombia?

Not legally required, but useful. A VPN on public WiFi is good practice anywhere. For accessing US streaming services, geo-restricted content, or just for security on shared café networks, NordVPN is the one I use day-to-day — it doesn't noticeably slow down a decent Colombian fiber connection.

Ready to Get Connected?

The setup process is faster than you'd expect. Land, get a SIM at the airport, sort proper coverage within the first week. Most expats who've been here more than a month have an opinion about which carrier they like — and it's often just down to which store was closest when they first arrived.

If you've got a specific question about coverage in a particular city or neighborhood, drop it in the comments below — or ask the community at colombiamove.com/comunidad where other expats and locals can give you current, on-the-ground answers.