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Lifestyle

Costa Rica — Living: Internet

Costa Rica's internet is faster than its reputation suggests in urban/well-developed areas: average national speeds run around 22 Mbps, with city fiber plans reaching up to 1000 Mbps and typical urban speeds around 30 Mbps; rural areas commonly see 10-20 Mbps. Kolbi (state-owned ICE) offers home internet from about $20/month and mobile plans from about $21/month. Cabletica (now Liberty) offers higher-speed plans (45-500 Mbps) starting around $42/month. Overall home internet pricing commonly spans $20-150/month depending on speed and provider.

Verified2026 internet-quality and pricing guides (crie.cr series on Costa Rica internet speed/access, drinkteatravel.com digital nomad guide), corroborated across multiple independent sourcesLast reviewed: 2026-08-29

Why this matters

Real speed and price figures (rather than a vague 'reliable in urban areas') matter directly for remote workers and digital nomads deciding where in Costa Rica to base themselves, since the gap between urban fiber (up to 1000 Mbps) and rural service (10-20 Mbps) is large.

Key facts

  • Kolbi (state telecom, ICE) offers home internet plans from about $20/month and mobile data plans from about $21/month, with speed tiers from 5 to 200 Mbps.
  • Cabletica (now operating as Liberty) offers higher-speed plans (45-500 Mbps) starting around $42/month.
  • Fiber-optic plans in well-covered urban areas can reach up to 1000 Mbps, with reasonable-speed fiber plans commonly starting around $30-50/month.
  • Average national internet speed is around 22 Mbps; typical city-area speeds run around 30 Mbps, while rural areas commonly see 10-20 Mbps.
  • Overall home internet costs commonly range from about $20 to $150/month depending on speed tier and provider/region.

Steps

  1. Check provider coverage for your specific area before committing to housing — Fiber/high-speed coverage varies significantly by neighborhood, especially outside the Central Valley — confirm actual available speeds at a specific address before signing a lease if reliable high-speed internet is essential.
  2. Choose a provider and plan — Compare Kolbi (lower-cost, state-run) against Cabletica/Liberty (higher speed tiers) based on the speed you need and what's available at your address.

Costs

  • Kolbi home internet: From about $20/month
  • Cabletica/Liberty home internet: From about $42/month (45-500 Mbps)
  • Overall home internet range: About $20-150/month depending on speed and provider
  • Kolbi mobile data plans: From about $21/month

Required documents

  • Cédula, DIMEX, or passport
  • Proof of address

Common mistakes

  • Assuming rural areas will have the same speeds as San José/urban fiber areas (10-20 Mbps rural vs. up to 1000 Mbps urban fiber)
  • Not confirming actual coverage/speed at a specific address before signing a lease based on remote-work needs

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