Dominican Republic SIM card: The best options and prices

Whether you’re looking for stunning beaches or world-class food, the Dominican Republic is a top-tier tourist destination — but it can be hard to get the best out of your vacation without a Dominican Republic SIM card. Dominican Republic SIM cards make it easy to stay connected, even when you’re on the go. Read on to learn more about the best SIM card for the Dominican Republic and how to buy one.

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11 min read

Dominican Republic SIM card: The best options and prices

Why do you need a Dominican Republic SIM card?

A Dominican Republic SIM card saves you time, money, and stress so that you can focus on enjoying your trip. No one wants to spend their vacation chained to their phone, but without data access, getting where you need to go will be much harder.

While some free and public Wi-Fi is available in the Dominican Republic, especially in cities, hotels, and resorts, you shouldn’t rely on it. There’s also no guarantee that you’ll be able to find public Wi-Fi when you need it, especially if you’re exploring some of the Dominican Republic’s natural wonders, like the 27 Waterfalls of Damajagua.

With a Dominican Republic SIM card, you’ll be able to access mobile data wherever you are and whenever you need to. Using a SIM card allows you to:

  • Stay connected with your friends and travel companions.

  • Research tourist destinations.

  • Get walking and driving directions.

  • Find the best restaurants and bars.

  • Use online translation apps.

  • Call ridesharing services.

  • Share photos and videos on social media.

Now, you may be thinking, “But won’t international data roaming from my mobile provider do the same thing?” Yes and no. Using your home phone provider may seem easier, but international data plans have some major drawbacks.

International roaming plans are typically much more expensive  (sometimes $10 a day or more) than a Dominican Republic prepaid SIM card and usually have limited data speeds. If you're wondering how to avoid international roaming charges, opting for a local SIM card is a great choice. Not to mention that you don’t get to choose your local Dominican phone provider. You’re stuck with whatever company your home provider has a deal with, regardless of whether that provider has the best mobile coverage in the area or not.

The best Dominican Republic SIM card providers

If you buy a SIM card upon arrival, you’ll want to choose from one of the three best Dominican Republic SIM card providers:

  • Claro. Claro has the widest coverage, a fast, reliable 4G/LTE network, and 5G in some locations as well as a wide range of other phone services.

  • Altice. Altice offers good network coverage and 4G/LTE speeds at competitive prices as well as some 5G coverage in Santo Domingo and Punta Cana.

  • Viva. Viva has slightly more limited 3G/4G coverage. However, Viva offers extremely affordable plans with data, text, and voice options geared to individual travelers, so it may be a good choice for solo adventurers, depending on where in the country you are planning to visit.

Claro, Altice, and Viva are all major Dominican Republic mobile providers, and you can buy their SIM cards at various locations, such as airport kiosks, retail stores, and convenience stores.

However, it’s important to check whether your phone is compatible with a Dominican SIM card before you buy one. Newer phones may not even use physical SIM cards, while other phones may be carrier or country locked.

Check with your phone provider to confirm if your phone is unlocked. If it is, find out if it works with physical SIM cards and what size (standard, micro, or nano) it needs. If your phone doesn’t support physical SIM cards, you might still be able to use a virtual SIM, or eSIM.

How much is a SIM card in the Dominican Republic?

The price of a SIM card in the Dominican Republic varies depending on the provider, plan, and exchange rates. Typically, you'll pay a small flat fee to get and register your SIM card, then activate it by purchasing a data plan.

The prices below are in Dominican Republic pesos (DOP), the local currency in the Dominican Republic. Sixty DOP are roughly equivalent to 1 USD.

Claro

A Claro prepaid SIM card costs 150 DOP and offers a variety of short-term data packages geared towards tourists:

  • 3-day plans with either 3 GB data (95 DOP) or 5 GB data (120 DOP)

  • 5-day plans with either 5 GB data (145 DOP) or 8 GB data (170 DOP)

Altice

Altice SIM cards are free. You just need to buy a plan to activate them. Altice offers a variety of prepaid SIM card data packages that you can customize to your needs:

  • Unlimited data for 1 day (49 DOP), 3 days (99 DOP), or 5 days (139 DOP)

  • Social media packages with unlimited access to Facebook, Whatsapp, Snapchat, and LinkedIn for 2 days (59 DOP) or 4 days (99 DOP)

  • A tourist package with 15 GB data, unlimited texts and calls, and 300 DOP of credit (550 DOP)

Viva

Viva SIM cards are free, requiring only a plan purchase for activation. Viva provides a range of data packages for short-term use, ideal for tourists:

  • 1-day plans with 1 GB (44 DOP) or 2 GB (69 DOP)

  • 3-day plans with 3 GB (84 DOP) or 5 GB (98 DOP)

  • 7-day plans with 6 GB (145 DOP) or 10 GB (199 DOP)

  • 14-day plan with 12 GB (290 DOP)

Here’s a simplified comparison of prepaid SIM card data plans in the Dominican Republic:

Provider

Claro

Altice

Viva

Price (SIM card)

150 DOP

Free

Free

Amount of data

5 MB to 50 GB

5 GB to 60 GB

5 GB to 60 GB

Minutes for local calls + SMS texts

1000 or 500

500

500

Network speed

Supports 3G, 4G/LTE, and 5G. 5G services are available in major cities and expanding.

Supports 3G, 4G/LTE, and 5G. 5G is available in select areas, primarily urban centers.

Supports 3G and 4G/LTE. Does not currently offer 5G services.

Keep in mind that this information might change over time.

Where to get a prepaid SIM card for the Dominican Republic

When you arrive in the Dominican Republic, you can purchase a SIM card at the airport, mobile provider retail locations, or a convenience store.

Dominican law requires prepaid SIM cards to go through a registration process. Your SIM card has to be registered to a specific passport number, so no matter where you buy it, make sure you have your passport on you!

Buying a SIM card at Santo Domingo Airport

If you're flying into Santo Domingo Airport, you can pick up your SIM card upon arrival. The arrival hall has Claro and Altice stores selling Dominican Republic prepaid SIM cards. Many smaller pharmacies and convenience shops within the airport offer Claro and Viva SIM cards as well.

Buying a SIM card at Punta Cana Airport

Punta Cana Airport currently offers no options for buying prepaid SIM cards. However, you can grab a taxi and pick up a SIM card at the Altice or Claro stores at Bluemall Punta Cana, a 5-minute drive away.

Buying a SIM card at Santiago de los Caballeros Airport

Like Punta Cana Airport, Santiago de los Caballeros Airport (also known as Cibao International Airport) currently has no sales points for prepaid SIM cards. However, Claro and Altice both have stores in the city center.

Because Santo Domingo is the only Dominican Republic airport where you can easily buy physical prepaid SIM cards, you may want to look into buying a SIM card before you arrive.

Getting a Dominican Republic SIM card online pre-departure

If you'd rather buy your Dominican Republic SIM card online before you depart, you have several options. Getting a physical prepaid SIM card in advance is a great choice if you want instant internet access upon arrival or if you're flying into airports like Punta Cana or Santiago de Los Caballeros, where buying a SIM card might not be as straightforward.

You can buy a SIM card online from international sellers like WorldSIM, which will mail it to you. Mobile providers like T-Mobile and electronics stores like Best Buy also offer SIM card options both in-store and online. Regardless of where you buy it, when you purchase a Dominican Republic SIM card before your trip, you'll get instructions on how to activate it either before you leave or once you arrive.

However, you have an even easier pre-departure SIM card option — an eSIM.

Our recommendation: Buy a virtual SIM card at any time 

You can buy a virtual SIM card, also known as an eSIM, at any time — before you depart or after you arrive. An eSIM for the Dominican Republic gives you a bunch of benefits without the stress of a SIM card!

Physical prepaid SIM cards have some big drawbacks:

  • You have to switch out your local and Dominican Republic SIM cards yourself.

  • SIM cards are small and easy to lose and can even be stolen.

  • You won’t have internet access immediately when you arrive in the Dominican Republic.

  • You have to physically present your passport for registration.

  • You cannot switch mobile carriers.

  • Newer phone models may not be compatible with physical SIM cards.

  • If you use up all your mobile data, you may have to physically go to a store to reload your SIM card.

If that sounds like too much to deal with, try an eSIM! eSIMs work by using a digital SIM built into your smartphone.

Most smartphones come pre-equipped with eSIM capabilities. All you need to do is purchase an eSIM plan and download the app. Just be sure to confirm that your device is eSIM compatible before purchasing an eSIM.

Dominican Republic eSIMs let you:

  • Buy your SIM card before you depart and upon arrival (just keep in mind that you’ll need an internet connection to download the app and activate the plan).

  • Automatically activate your eSIM as soon as you arrive in the Dominican Republic.

  • Access high-speed data anywhere.

  • Dodge expensive international data roaming fees.

  • Use an eSIM on other devices, including tablets, smartwatches, and even cars.

  • Have multiple eSIMs at the same time.

  • Add new destinations to your eSIM for multi-country trips.

  • Pick the most cost-effective plan for your needs and easily top up your SIM online.

  • Avoid the risk of lost, damaged, or stolen physical SIM cards.

  • Minimize your environmental impact by not creating waste with a plastic physical SIM card. 

If you want the convenience of prepaid SIM cards without any hassle, an eSIM is your best option.

Explore the Dominican Republic with a Saily eSIM

From lounging on beautiful Caribbean beaches to ziplining through the mountains, a Saily eSIM is your number-one way to explore the Dominican Republic. Our affordable data plans give you access to high-speed internet with the best Dominican carriers — all with a few easy clicks.

If you want an eSIM for the Dominican Republic and want to get started with Saily, pick the Dominican Republic data plan that’s best for you. While Dominican providers like Claro and Altice offer data packages with pretty limited time spans (typically 1-5 days), Saily is proud to offer more extended options for tourists and digital nomads alike:

  • 1 GB data for 7 days ($8.49)

  • 3 GB for 30 days ($20.99)

  • 5 GB for 30 days ($33.99)

If you run out of mobile data, you can easily top up your data package online. If you can’t use your plan, you may be eligible for a refund.

Once you arrive in the Dominican Republic, your eSIM will automatically activate so that you can get right to having a good time.

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FAQ

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    saily blog author ugne zieniute
    Ugnė Zieniūtė

    Ugnė thrives on exploring new places and capturing moments on the go, so it’s no surprise her social media comes back to life whenever she’s abroad. An avid traveler, she believes staying connected with an eSIM is as essential as packing a passport, ensuring seamless adventures wherever she roams.