Countries/Guatemala
GT

Guatemala eSIM — Instant Data from $7.00/GB

No passport counter, no tienda run — just instant data the moment you land in Guatemala.

Guatemala — travel photo
Photo by Diego Girón on Pexels

Network & carriers in Guatemala

Carriers

  • Claro4G
  • movistar5G

Technical details

  • Hotspot / tethering: Unlimited, included
  • Speed limit: None — full speed, no throttling
  • Activation: Instant — auto-connects on arrival

Data exit route: United Kingdom

This is where your data traffic breaks out to the internet — it's a normal part of how international eSIMs route traffic and doesn't affect your coverage or speed while you're in Guatemala.

How much data will you need in Guatemala?

Jetogo PayGo pricing is $7.00/GB — pay only for what you use, no fixed bundle required.

Estimated total$35.00

Powered by StripeSecure paymentsReviews onTrustpilotView profile →

Major cities in Guatemala

Guatemala City

10:21 PM local

🌅 5:49 AM · 🌇 6:18 PM

Antigua Guatemala

10:21 PM local

🌅 5:50 AM · 🌇 6:19 PM

Panajachel

10:21 PM local

🌅 5:51 AM · 🌇 6:21 PM

Flores

10:21 PM local

🌅 5:45 AM · 🌇 6:17 PM

Chichicastenango

10:21 PM local

🌅 5:51 AM · 🌇 6:21 PM

Stay Connected with Jetogo

One eSIM, every destination. Here's why travelers choose Jetogo.

One eSIM for Life

Install your Jetogo eSIM once and keep using the same profile wherever you travel. Skip the hassle of downloading a new eSIM or switching eSIMs for every trip.

Credit Never Expires

Your account balance never expires, so you can top up when it’s convenient and use your credit whenever you need it.

Pay Only for What You Use

Only pay for the data you actually use. Skip oversized data packages and enjoy flexible, pay-as-you-go connectivity.

Global Coverage

Use the same Jetogo eSIM across more than 130 destinations, making international travel simpler than ever.

Never Run Out of Credits

Top up your balance in seconds whenever you need more data, or turn on optional Auto Reload to stay connected automatically.

For Home & Away

Jetogo is built for both home and travel. Use it as a reliable backup connection at home and enjoy seamless connectivity on every trip.

The data situation in Guatemala

Guatemala ranks 109th of 237 countries in the Worldwide Mobile Data Pricing study, with locals paying roughly $1.17 per gigabyte on average — pricier than nearby El Salvador but well below Belize's regional high of $2.92/GB. Tigo and Claro are the two dominant carriers, with Tigo generally rated as having the broadest nationwide coverage. Free Wi-Fi is fairly common at hotels, cafés, restaurants, airports, and coworking spaces in Guatemala City and Antigua, though reliability varies by neighborhood and thins out quickly once you're away from the main tourist towns. Paid Wi-Fi as a standalone product is uncommon — most venues that offer it bundle it free with a stay or purchase — and some rural and lakeside areas have no Wi-Fi coverage at all, which is where a dependable eSIM data plan matters most for maps, translation apps, and staying in touch around Lake Atitlán or the Petén jungle near Tikal.

Local price/GB

$1.17/GB average for locals (rank 109 of 237 countries, cable.co.uk / BestBroadbandDeals Worldwide Mobile Data Pricing study)

Free Wi-Fi

Fairly common at hotels, cafés, restaurants, airports, and coworking spaces in Guatemala City, Antigua, and other tourist towns — but reliability varies by neighborhood and drops off sharply once you leave the main cities.

Paid Wi-Fi

Uncommon as a standalone product — most places that offer Wi-Fi bundle it free with a purchase or stay rather than selling access separately; some rural and lakeside areas have no Wi-Fi coverage at all.

International airports in Guatemala

GUA

La Aurora International Airport

Guatemala City · website

UK FCDO travel advice

FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of this country.

Full FCDO advice

Why Choose Jetogo eSIM?

See why Jetogo offers a smarter way to stay connected while traveling.

No Contract Required
Instant QR Activation
Hotspot Sharing
Pay for What You Use
No Expiry
Auto-Reload

Buying a local SIM in Guatemala

By law, Guatemala requires passport registration to buy or activate a physical SIM from Tigo or Claro, a straightforward process that typically adds only 10-15 minutes at checkout. Local SIMs are also subject to IMEI registration rules, but travelers staying 30 days or less — or using a roaming or travel eSIM — are exempt. Tigo and Claro operate kiosks in the arrivals hall at La Aurora International Airport (GUA), though hours are inconsistent and kiosks are sometimes closed for late-night arrivals after 9pm; airport SIM-with-starter-data bundles also run somewhat higher than buying just the SIM at a city tienda in Zone 10 or Antigua. Since a pre-installed eSIM isn't a Guatemalan carrier SIM, none of this passport or IMEI registration applies to it at all.

KYC requirements

Passport required by law to buy or activate a physical SIM from Tigo or Claro; IMEI registration is also mandatory for local SIMs but waived for stays of 30 days or less and for roaming/eSIM users — a pre-installed Jetogo eSIM is exempt from both requirements entirely.

Wait time

Fast — passport registration at a carrier kiosk or store typically adds about 10-15 minutes, though La Aurora Airport's Tigo/Claro kiosks keep inconsistent hours and are sometimes closed for late-night arrivals after 9pm.

Jetogo Local SIM Hassle Score

3/10
PainlessNightmare
  • KYC burden1/3
  • Registration wait time0.5/2
  • Tourist eligibility restrictions0/2
  • Tourist-SIM price gouging0.5/1.5
  • Airport availability0.5/1.5

Wi-Fi calling

Wi-Fi calling lets you keep receiving calls and texts on your home phone number over an internet connection — including the data connection from your Jetogo eSIM — without needing a local SIM or number. Turn it on in your phone's settings before you travel (Settings > Phone > Wi-Fi Calling on iPhone, or Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi Calling on Android), and your carrier will route calls to your regular number through data instead of a local cell signal, so friends and family can reach you exactly as they always have.

Practical travel info for Guatemala

Power sockets

Types A, B120V, 60Hz
  • No alternative plugs will also fit in type A sockets
  • Type A plugs will also fit in type B sockets

Emergency numbers

  • Police110
  • Ambulance128
  • Fire122

Calling code

+502

Driving side

Drive on the right

Tipping

Generally not expected — but appreciated

Vaccination guidance

Recommended for most travellers: Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid

Recommended for some travellers: Rabies

Average internet speed

  • Mobile: 43.9 Mbps (global rank #67)
  • Broadband: 56.3 Mbps (global rank #97)

Data via CountryWise.

Other destinations

Frequently asked questions

Does my Jetogo eSIM work around Lake Atitlán and Antigua?+

Yes. Tigo generally offers the broadest nationwide coverage in Guatemala, including the towns around Lake Atitlán and Antigua, making it a reliable network for eSIM data outside Guatemala City.

Do I need to show my passport to use my Jetogo eSIM in Guatemala?+

No. Guatemalan law requires passport registration and IMEI registration to buy or activate a physical SIM from a local carrier like Tigo or Claro. Since your Jetogo eSIM is installed before you fly and isn't a Guatemalan carrier SIM, it isn't subject to that in-country registration process.

Will my eSIM work at Tikal and around Flores?+

Coverage exists in Flores and Santa Elena and along the main route to Tikal, though signal can thin out inside the more remote parts of the Tikal National Park jungle — download offline maps as a backup for that stretch.

How does an eSIM actually work?+

An eSIM is a digital SIM built into your phone — instead of inserting a physical card, you install a small profile (usually by scanning a QR code) and your phone connects to a local or partner network for data. There's nothing to pick up at a store or swap in your device; the whole process happens over Wi-Fi in a couple of minutes.

Is my phone compatible with eSIM?+

Most phones from the last 4-5 years support eSIM, including iPhone XS and later, most Google Pixel models from the Pixel 3 onward, and many recent Samsung Galaxy, and other Android flagships. Check Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Network) for an "Add eSIM" or "Add Cellular Plan" option — if it's there, you're set. Your phone also needs to be carrier-unlocked.

When does my eSIM activate — do I need to already be in the country?+

You can install your Jetogo eSIM before you fly, but the data plan itself only starts counting once it connects to a network in your destination country — so there's no risk of burning through your allowance early. For most plans, connectivity kicks in automatically the moment you land and your phone finds a signal.

Can I use my eSIM as a personal hotspot?+

Yes — hotspot and tethering are included on Jetogo eSIM plans at no extra cost, so you can share your connection with a laptop, tablet, or a travel companion's phone.

What happens when I run out of data? Can I top up?+

You can top up directly from your Jetogo account in a couple of taps, without needing to buy a whole new plan or visit a store. Many travelers also use Jetogo's PayGo option, which lets you pay only for the data you actually use instead of committing to a fixed bundle.

Do I need a local phone number to use my eSIM?+

No — Jetogo eSIMs are data-only, so there's no local phone number involved. If you need to make calls or send texts, you can use an internet calling app (like WhatsApp or FaceTime) over your eSIM data, or rely on Wi-Fi calling to keep using your existing home number (see below).

What is PayGo and why does it start at $5?+

PayGo is Jetogo's pay-as-you-go option: you load a small starting balance — as low as $5 — and only pay for the data you actually use, with no expiration pressure or unused-data waste. It's a low-commitment way to try Jetogo or to cover shorter trips where a full data bundle would be overkill.

Will adding a Jetogo eSIM affect my existing phone number or home plan?+

No. Your eSIM runs alongside your regular SIM (physical or eSIM) as a second, independent profile — your home number, texts, and voicemail keep working exactly as before. You simply choose which profile handles data while you're on Jetogo, and switch back anytime after your trip.

View raw .md

Weather and air quality data © OpenWeatherMap, licensed under the Open Database License (ODbL). UK travel advice contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Exchange rates via Frankfurter (European Central Bank reference rates).