Latin America is one of my favourite parts of the world to travel. So far, I have been to Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Cuba, and I used an eSIM to stay connected in each of them (excluding Cuba, due to their strict internet restrictions).
It is a region people tend to string together as part of a long trip, hopping between countries – Mexico into Guatemala, or Brazil into Argentina and Uruguay. That is where a single regional eSIM comes in handy, like this one from Saily, because it covers 12 countries on one plan.
Saily’s Latin America eSIM covers Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. One eSIM download, fair prices, reliable coverage in the cities, and useful security features.
Here is why it is my pick for the region, and the one time I would tell you to buy a single-country plan instead.
How to pick the best eSIM for Latin America?
Having data makes travelling Latin America far easier, from booking the next bus to navigating a new city and finding somewhere to eat.
The catch is that it is a big region with different networks in each country, so what works in Mexico will not automatically work once you cross into Peru or Brazil.
Therefore, when buying an eSIM for Latin America, it definitely pays to get yourself a regional one that will cover all 12 countries and switch automatically as you move. Saving you hassle each time you arrive somewhere new in Latin America!
That is what I use Saily, and their Latin America eSIM, for. It is affordable, quick to set up, runs on the main local networks in each country, and works off one eSIM you can top up for any future trip.
New to eSIMs? Here is my plain English guide.
Saily eSIM
One eSIM for 12 countries across Latin America, with security features built in.
Why I recommend Saily Latin America eSIM
Saily is a global eSIM brand from the team behind NordVPN (my favourite VPN), with plans in over 200 destinations. I have used it on all my recent trips around the world. Find out why in my full Saily review.
I downloaded it once and just add a new plan whenever I land somewhere, including switching to the whole-region plan when I am crossing borders.
The pricing is fair, the coverage in cities is reliable, the speeds are good, and you can hotspot to other devices for free. The built-in security features are a bonus when you are banking or working on public WiFi, which you end up doing a lot out here.
The Latin America plan covers all 12 countries and comes in 1GB, 2GB, 3GB, 5GB and 10GB options, with 3% back in Saily credits. It tops out at 10GB, so if you are a heavy streamer you may need a top-up.
Saily also offers an optional US phone number for around $0.99 per month if you want US calls and texts, though the eSIM itself is data-only.
Pros
- One plan that covers and auto-switches across all 12 countries
- Runs on the main local networks (Claro, Vivo and the like) for 4G, LTE and 5G
- Unlimited hotspot sharing
- Built-in ad blocker, web protection and virtual location
- One eSIM that also works in 200+ destinations for future trips
- 3% back in Saily credits
Cons
- Tops out at 10GB, so heavy users may need to top up
- Only great value if you go to more than one country
Reliable coverage
Latin America is huge and varied, from massive cities to remote beaches and mountain towns, so coverage is never going to be identical everywhere. Saily runs on the main local networks in each country, and in the cities I have found it reliable.
In Mexico City it held up amazingly for maps, booking Ubers and staying in touch, and I leaned on it when my coliving WiFi dropped, which it did often.
In Brazil it kept me connected through the Carnival crowds in São Paulo on networks like Claro and Vivo, and the signal barely dropped on the bus through the mountains down to Santos.
Being honest, like all phone networks, it is great in the cities and can be patchier in really remote or rural spots. One useful tip: if your connection ever gets laggy, you can switch from automatic to manual network selection in your settings and pick a different local network.
I had to do that once in Brazil when one provider was playing up, and it fixed it instantly. Saily’s 24/7 chat can also tell you what to expect in a specific area before you buy.
If you are travelling to even more places, outside of Latin America, you may want to check out Saily’s Ultra Plan – a monthly rolling subscription with data in over 120 countries worldwide, plus additional travel perks like airport lounge access and security fast-track passes.
Great speeds
I work remotely when I travel, so I need consistently good speeds, and across the region Saily has managed that in the cities. In São Paulo I had 5G and LTE, which was more than fast enough to upload high-resolution photos to the blog. In Mexico City it handled video calls, big uploads and the occasional Netflix episode.
It is not flawless everywhere. At the beach in Santos, my speeds were ever so slightly slower, though still fine for messages, videos and WhatsApp calls. As always, it depends on the local network and how remote you are. For city use and staying productive on the move, I have had no complaints.
I actually ran speed tests across São Paulo and on the bus down to Santos, so if you want to see real numbers you can find them in my Brazil eSIM guide.
Additional security features
The security features built into the Saily app are what set it apart from most eSIMs:
- Ad blocker: smoother browsing, and it can save up to around 28% of your data.
- Web protection: blocks malicious and phishing sites before they load.
- Virtual location: routes your traffic through 100+ locations, handy for reaching UK banking or streaming while you are away.
You do not even need an active eSIM plan to use them.
It matters more than usual when travelling, because you end up on a lot of public WiFi in hostels, cafes and airports, often while booking buses or tours on your phone. The ad blocker saving data is a real bonus too, and keeps my Saily data going for longer!
Affordable prices
Here are Saily’s current Latin America regional plans (in US dollars):
- 1GB for 7 days: $7.99
- 2GB for 15 days: $13.99
- 3GB for 30 days: $20.99
- 5GB for 30 days: $31.99
- 10GB for 30 days: $44.99 (the most popular)
Every plan includes 3% back in Saily credits, and there is a 30-day activation window, so you can buy now and it only starts once you arrive.
Like the other regional plans (like North America), this is not the cheapest way to cover a single country. Saily’s individual plans are much cheaper, from $3.99 in Brazil, $4.99 in Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Peru, and $5.29 in Argentina. A single-country plan is often around half the price of the regional one.
But it is pretty simple: visiting one country, buy that country’s plan; hopping between several, the regional plan is worth it for the convenience. I have dedicated guides for the best eSIM for Mexico, Argentina and Brazil if you are focusing on just one of those.
Saily eSIM
One eSIM for 12 countries across Latin America, with security features built in.
Who should buy Saily’s eSIM for Latin America?
The regional plan makes most sense if you are doing a classic multi-country trip, where you cross a couple of borders in one go. Backpackers and longer-term travellers get the most out of it, since you can move from one country to the next without buying anything new.
It also suits digital nomads, as the speeds and hotspot have kept me working from cafes and hotels across the region, and anyone who would rather not deal with local SIM bureaucracy, which can be a real faff in places like Brazil.
The one exception is single-country travellers. If your whole trip is in just Mexico, or just Peru, the individual plan from Saily does the same job for less. And if you stream heavily, remember the regional plan caps at 10GB, so you may want to top up.
How to get started with Saily
- Check your phone supports eSIM (most recent iPhones and Androids do).
- Download the Saily app from the App Store or Google Play.
- Choose your plan: the Latin America regional plan if you are crossing borders, or a single-country plan if not.
- Install your eSIM. The app walks you through it in a couple of minutes.
- Top up in the app if you run low; no new eSIM needed.
A handy bit: it is one eSIM for multiple destinations, so if you add Brazil now and head to Argentina or Uruguay after, you just add a new plan (or the whole-region plan) to the same eSIM. And thanks to the 30-day activation window, you can set it all up before you fly.
Saily eSIM
One eSIM for 12 countries across Latin America, with security features built in.
My verdict: The best eSIM for Latin America?
After several trips around Latin America, Saily is the one I trust to keep me connected. For a region people love to explore a few countries at a time, one plan covering all 12 is exactly what makes it easy, with reliable city coverage, good speeds and genuinely useful security features behind it.
It is fair value rather than the absolute cheapest, but the convenience of not juggling SIMs across borders wins me over.
If you are only visiting one country, grab that country’s plan instead. If you are hopping around, the regional plan is the one I would pick.
Latin America eSIM FAQs
My go-to travel health insurance:
Leave a Reply