If you’re planning a trip to the Dominican Republic, having a sim card is essential for staying connected. With access to the internet, navigating unfamiliar cities becomes a breeze. From finding the top restaurants to getting directions to your accommodation, booking a taxi, and even sharing photos with your loved ones, having internet access on the go is incredibly convenient.
While roaming is an option, the international fees can quickly add up. That’s why we always recommend either getting an eSIM or a local sim card to take advantage of local phone rates. Luckily, obtaining either option in the Dominican Republic is incredibly simple. However, it’s helpful to know which one is the best choice for you.
This guide has been designed to provide you with everything you need to know about purchasing a sim card in the Dominican Republic. It includes up-to-date pricing information and highlights the absolute best sim card for your specific needs.
The best sim card in the Dominican Republic is the Claro prepaid sim card. The card costs around 150 DOP to register then you will need to top and purchase a data plan. These cost 150 DOP for 5GB valid for 5 days. If you are staying for longer than 5 days I recommend you top up and buy additional 5 day plans for the duration of your stay.
Claro has the best network in the Dominican Republic, although Altice is a good alternative if you can’t find a Claro store.
The [Airalo Dominican Republic eSim](http://The Airalo Georgia eSim is another option for travellers visiting Georgia. As much as I love eSims, the prices offered in Georgia are not at all competitive with the local sim cards so I can’t recommend them to budget travellers. However, if you value convenience over price then they are always the best option.) is another great sim available to visitors to Georgia. Unfortunately, the prices of eSims in Georgia are not at all competitive to the local sim cards so I can’t recommend them to budget-conscious travellers. But if you value the convenience over the cost then they are a great alternative.
A Tourist Sim Card in Dominican Republic costs 300 DOP in December 2024, however, the exact price will often depend on the store you visit and the plan you choose.
Alternatively, an eSim in Dominican Republic will cost between $9.50 USD and $39.50 USD. This, again, depends on how much data you require and which eSim provider you choose.
I generally recommend this Airalo plan for most tourists visiting Dominican Republic which includes 3GB of data which is valid for 30 days and costs $25 USD.
There are three leading sim card providers in the Domincan Republic – Altice, Claro and Viva Dominicana.
Claro is generally considered the de facto sim card of choice for both locals and tourists. Their network is the best, the stores are all over the country and the plans offer great value. There’s no real reason to consider the alternatives.
Altice is one of the leading sim card companies in the Dominican Republic.
Their network is reasonably good, however, most people recommend Claro’s network ahead of Altice. As the price of a sim card with Altice is the same as with Claro, I don’t recommend going for Altice unless it is much more convenient and you are not too concerned about having reception outside the main cities.
The price of a Altice tourist sim card in Dominican Republic is 250 DOP (100 DOP for the sim card + 150 DOP for the plan).
The plan offered by Altice stores includes 5GB data valid for 5 days.
Claro is the largest telecommunications company in the Dominican Republic and offers the best mobile network in the coverage. The network these days is pretty good, especially in cities, with good coverage, reliability and speeds.
Overall, I recommend Claro solely as the best sim card for tourists visiting the Dominican Republic. The card works very well, is easy to pick up either at the airport or in a store in town, and is competitively priced.
The price of a Claro tourist sim card in Dominican Republic is 300 DOP (150 DOP for the plan + 150 DOP for the sim card registration).
The plan offered by Claro stores offers 5GB data valid for 5 days (can extend).
Viva Dominicana is another sim card provider in the Dominican Republic. Their market share is a fraction of Claro’s 71%, most likely due to their much worse mobile network.
Their plans are similar to Claro but due to the network being worse I see no reason for visitors to consider them.
The price of a Viva Dominicana tourist sim card in Dominican Republic is 320 DOP.
The plan offered by Viva Dominicana stores includes 3GB data + unlimited minutes valid for 5 days.
Identify the mobile providers in Dominican Republic: Altice, Claro and Viva Dominicana are your best options in Dominican Republic.
Find your nearest store: Locate a store or retailer by searching on Google Maps for your nearest store or asking at your hotel reception. I’ve never had issues finding a store as they can be found all over any major cities, shopping centers, or tourist areas. You can’t buy sim cards in airports in Dominican Republic. If you’re on a budget it is usually cheaper to use the airport wifi instead and purchase your sim card in a store near your hotel.
Bring the necessary documents: It is mandatory in Dominican Republic to bring your passport into the store so that the staff can register it with your sim card. Without this, Altice, Claro or Viva Dominicana staff will be unable to sell you a sim card.
Choose your plan: Either request the plan you are after or consult with the staff in the store to select the right plan for you. My recommendations at the beginning of this guide are likely to be your best option, for example the prepaid plan by Altice that includes 5GB data for 250 DOP (100 DOP for the sim card + 150 DOP for the plan).
Pay and activate your card: You can expect to pay 300 DOP to purchase your sim card. The staff in-store will help you install the sim card and activate it for you.
Test: It’s always a good idea to check that you can access the internet before you leave the store. I always try searching for something on Google then refresh my Instagram feed to check it’s working fine before leaving. If it’s not, the staff will be able to help you adjust your settings.
Buying a prepaid sim card for Dominican Republic at the airport is usually considered the most convenient option for travellers arriving by plane.
However, airport stores selling sim cards are almost guaranteed to charge inflated prices, so if you are a cost-conscious traveller then you should definitely buy your sim card from a store in the city center.
In addition to this, we would argue that buying physical sim cards at all aren’t particularly convenient now that most people use esim compatible phones. If you are looking for the most convenient option, then buying an esim before you arrive or with the airport wifi is much easier and will save you having to queue up or communicate with staff.
If you must purchase a sim card at the airport in Dominican Republic then you will be in luck. All major international airports in Dominican Republic have stores selling sim cards. Despite the prices being higher than normal, the staff are knowledgable and will be able to get you set up with the correct sim card relatively quickly.
If you want to avoid the inflated sim card prices you’ll find at the airport and your phone isn’t esim compatible, then you’re going to need to head in to a store to buy your sim card.
I recommend visiting one of the official retail stores of the mobile internet operators such as Altice, Claro and Viva Dominicana. Your best option is to enter their names into Google Maps and find the branch closest to your hotel or accommodation. Typically the staff in the official stores in Dominican Republic are knowledgable and helpful which means you can ensure you’ll walk away with a functioning sim card.
Despite this, it’s always a good idea to check your internet is working before you leave the store by loading a Google search results page and your preferred social media app. You should also ensure you always bring your passport with you when purchasing a sim card in case they need to register it.
If you like to be prepared and would prefer to arrive in Dominican Republic with your sim card all sorted and your phone ready to connect to the internet immediately then you should look into purchasing a sim card online.
The first option is to buy your sim card in advance via SimOptions, which is a company that will prepare and ship a sim card directly to your door. It’s a reliable and effective service, but with the invention of eSims it’s becoming obsolete.
The better option is to purchase an eSim online. We’ve written more on that below!
An eSim is a digital version of a traditional sim card and is most likely the future of connectivity for mobile devices. The convenience of no longer visiting a store, handing over your passport and purchasing a physical sim card is quickly making physical sim cards obsolete in favour of eSims.
We recommend Airalo’s eSim when travelling to Dominican Republic. The Airalo Dominican Republic eSim offers fast internet speeds, wide coverage and extremely competitive prices making it a far more compelling option than purchasing a physical sim card from any of the local sim card providers.
In order to get set up with an Airalo eSim, all you need to do is visit Airalo here and purchase the eSim online (the $25 USD plan is suitable for most travellers). Once you’ve purchased the sim card Airalo will email you instructions and a QR code. Following these instructions should take just a couple of minutes, then you’ll have a sim card in Dominican Republic without having to venture outside.
Our preferred eSim provider in Dominican Republic is Airalo. We used them, alongside a local sim card on another device, for our most recent trip to Dominican Republic and found the service to be equal to the local sim card but without the hassle of acquiring a sim card in a store.
Airalo’s Dominican Republic eSim uses the Claro network to provide data and connect users to the internet. You can expect very good coverage and reliability with the Claro networknetwork as they are amongst the best mobile internet operators in Dominican Republic.
Here are the plans and prices for Airalo’s Dominican Republic eSim:
1GB data valid for 7 days – Price: $9.50 USD
2GB data valid for 15 days – Price: $18 USD
3GB data valid for 30 days – Price: $25 USD
5GB data valid for 30 days – Price: $39.50 USD
For most travellers we recommend the 3GB data plan for $25 USD which is valid for 30 days. Some travellers may prefer a larger plan, whilst travellers visiting for just a couple of days may be fine with a smaller plan.
An alternative eSim provider we can recommend is Holafly.
Holafly’s eSim is a suitable option for travellers who require large amounts of data, such as digital nomads and people who work online while they travel. All of Holafly’s Dominican Republic eSims offer unlimited data.
Holafly’s Dominican Republic eSim uses the Claronetwork to provide data and connect users to the internet. This network will provide reliable speeds and coverage while in Dominican Republic
Here are the plans and prices for Holafly’s Dominican Republic eSim:
2.5GB data valid for 5 days – Price: $27 USD
3.5GB data valid for 7 days – Price: $34 USD
5GB data valid for 10 days – Price: $37 USD
7.5GB data valid for 15 days – Price: $47 USD
The eSIM, or embedded SIM, is a digital SIM card that is permanently installed in a device like a smartphone, tablet, or smartwatch. Instead of physically inserting or removing a SIM card, the eSIM is built directly into the device’s hardware.
Mobile network operators can remotely activate and program the eSIM, allowing users to easily switch between different mobile networks or plans without needing to physically change SIM cards.
This technology offers convenience, flexibility, and simplicity, particularly for frequent travelers or those who frequently switch between mobile networks or travel internationally. It eliminates the need to purchase and insert physical SIM cards, making it easier to manage multiple mobile connections on a single device.
To activate an eSIM, users can scan a QR code provided by their mobile network operator or manually enter the activation details. Once activated, the device can connect to the chosen mobile network and access voice calls, data, and messaging services, just like a traditional SIM card.
eSIM technology is becoming increasingly popular and is supported by a growing number of smartphones and other devices. Here are some examples of eSIM-compatible phones:
Apple iPhone series (iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 13, etc.): Apple was one of the early adopters of eSIM technology and offers support for eSIM on various iPhone models.
Google Pixel series (Pixel 3, Pixel 4, Pixel 5, etc.): Google’s Pixel smartphones also support eSIM functionality, allowing users to activate and use eSIMs.
Samsung Galaxy series (Galaxy S22, Galaxy Note 20, etc.): Many of Samsung’s flagship devices now come with eSIM support, enabling users to utilize eSIM technology.
OnePlus devices (OnePlus 7, OnePlus 8, etc.): OnePlus has included eSIM support in some of its smartphone models, offering users the flexibility of using eSIMs.
Motorola Razr (2020): The latest iteration of the iconic Motorola Razr features eSIM compatibility, enabling users to use eSIMs for cellular connectivity.
These are just a few examples, and the list of eSIM-compatible phones continues to expand as more manufacturers embrace this technology. There’s a very strong chance your phone supports eSims so if you’re unsure we recommend looking it up on our list of eSim supported phones.
Hi, I’m Mitchell. I’m a full-time traveller, explorer and travel blogger. I've travelled all around the world, using and testing countless travel sim cards along the way. I'm the founder of and writer for Travel Sim Expert where I write guides to help travellers stay connected all around the world.
Hi, I’m Mitchell. I’m a full-time traveller, explorer and travel blogger. Travel Sim Expert is a blog dedicated to helping you find the best sim card for you, no matter where you are or what your budget is.
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