Dominican Republic SIM Cards: Everything You Need To Know

Visiting the Dominican Republic soon? Make sure to know what to expect when it comes to purchasing a Dominican Republic SIM card.

In fact, most data packages are affordable, which makes the whole thing easier!

In this guide, we’ll explain where to buy a SIM card in the Dominican Republic in person and online. We’ll also discuss prepaid SIM cards and eSIMs if your mobile supports them.

Before you read this guide, you may wonder if you actually need a SIM card in the Dominican Republic. If you don’t mind not having Internet, you’ll likely find free Wifi in restaurants, shopping malls, and hotels.

That said, if you need data to get around, call a cab, or translate Spanish – you may want to get a SIM card for your travels in the Dominican Republic.

Best SIM Cards In The Dominican Republic

If you’re traveling in the Dominican Republic, we recommend using a SIM card from Altice, Claro, or Airalo. (I’ll get back to Airalo later on, so keep reading to learn more!)

That said, if you’re planning on visiting other countries during your trip to North America, you might want to make sure to pick an option that offers coverage in other North American countries.

How To Buy A SIM Card In The Dominican Republic

You can either buy a Dominican Republic prepaid SIM card in person in some international airports, mobile provider stores, convenience stores, or online.

Usually, you can expect higher costs and low data offers at the airport, so we don’t recommend buying a SIM card at the airport.

That said, you won’t necessarily find SIM card shops in every airport, so it’s essential to keep this in mind. And, when you see a shop, you might also have limited options.

For this reason, I’d recommend buying a SIM card directly from the mobile provider store. Note that you may need your passport to buy one.

Although, this means you won’t get data right upon your arrival. So, if you prefer to be connected at all times, you could use an eSIM or purchase a North American prepaid SIM card online.

Now, let’s take a look at the data plans offered by Altice, and Claro.

Altice SIM Cards

Altice offers five different types of data-focused plans:

• 500 MB, valid for 1 day for RD 39 (USD 0.71)
• 3 GB, valid for 3 days for RD 129 (USD 2.36)
• 5 GB, valid for 7 days for RD 249 (USD 4.56)
• 15 GB, valid for 15 days for RD 699 (USD 12.81)
• 15 GB, Valid for 30 days for RD 999 (USD 18.30)

Claro SIM Cards

Claro offers one main prepaid plan with data:

• 25 GB, valid for 30 days for RD 995 ($18.23)

Overall, we think Altice is the best option if you plan to buy your SIM card in person. That said, any would do if you can’t find their store!

How To Buy A Dominican Republic Prepaid SIM Card Online

If you wish to have your SIM card ready for your arrival, you could purchase it online or on websites like Amazon.

You’ll find different plans on Amazon. For example, OneSimCard works in more than 200+ countries and gives you data for $0.01 per MB. The Dominican Republic is included.

But there are many other options worth considering, so have a look and make sure the countries you plan on visiting are listed.

Browse your options on Amazon

Finally, the last option is to buy an eSIM card for the Dominican Republic or, if you’re traveling to multiple countries, a Global eSIM plan.

How To Buy An eSIM Card For The Dominican Republic

eSIM is a new concept that allows you to have a virtual SIM card inside your phone. If your mobile phone supports eSIM cards – it’s definitely one of the best options to get data in the Dominican Republic.

Curious? Learn more about eSIMs for travelers on eSIM Roamers.

I started using eSIM as soon as my mobile phone supported it. And I first tried it when visiting my family in Canada.

To buy eSIMs, I usually use Airalo. Keep reading to learn more about the best eSIMs for the Dominican Republic.

Airalo Dominican Republic

If you want to buy an eSIM for the Dominican Republic, you could purchase one on Airalo. This website offers many eSIM cards worldwide and in the Dominican Republic.

I’ve been using Airalo for several months, and it works fine.

Here are the options available:

• 1 GB, valid for 7 days for $9.50
• 2 GB, valid for 15 days for $18
• 3 GB, valid for 30 days for $25
• 5 GB, valid for 30 days for $39.50

Here’s an overview of the options available on Discover Global:

• 1 GB, valid for 7 days for $9
• 2 GB, valid for 15 days for $17
• 3 GB, valid for 30 days for $24
• 5 GB, valid for 60 days for $35
• 10 GB, valid for 180 days for $59
• 20 GB, valid for 365 days for $69

Now, one important thing to note about Airalo is that you’ll need to keep an eye out for the provider in each country.

Suppose you ever have trouble connecting to the Internet during your trip. In that case, it might be because you’re connecting automatically to networks and need to select a network manually instead.

When you purchase the eSIM, you’ll get access to the list of networks supported in each country.

Go to Airalo

Holafly Dominican Republic

Alternatively, you could look at your options on Holafly. You can read our Holafly review to learn more about this eSIM store.

Here’s an overview of their plans for the Dominican Republic:

• 2.5 GB, valid for 5 days for $27
• 3.5 GB, valid for 7 days for $34
• 5 GB, valid for 10 days for $37
• 7.5 GB, valid for 15 days for $47

Go to Holafly

Final Thoughts On SIM Cards In The Dominican Republic

As you can see, getting a prepaid SIM card in Dominican Republic or even an eSIM for your travels in Dominican Republic is pretty straightforward.

You’ll even be able to stay connected in several countries without changing your SIM card, especially if you purchase a Global plan.

I believe the eSIM card is the most convenient way to get data in the Dominican Republic if you wish to have data upon your arrival. This way, you won’t need to go to a store to buy a SIM card.

Obviously, you need to make sure your mobile phone supports eSIM first.

Traveling soon? Read one of the following blog posts:

• Honduras SIM cards
• Costa Rica SIM cards
• Argentina SIM cards