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Internet in South America: roaming, eSIM, local SIM and VPN explained
South America is a continent of extremes: the dense Amazon, the remote plains of Patagonia, and the high-altitude Andes. Here's what you need to know about internet while traveling.
Roaming with your own plan
Roaming with a European or American plan is expensive for most South American countries.
Local SIM or eSIM?
For a trip through multiple countries, a regional eSIM plan is more practical than buying a new local SIM every time.
Costs
Budget €20 to €40 for a regional data plan of two to three weeks.
Do you need a VPN?
On long treks and bus journeys you're often relying on the one wifi hotspot in a small mountain town. Those limited, shared connections are exactly where extra caution matters, a VPN protects your data then.
Practical tips
- In the Amazon and parts of Patagonia, coverage can disappear entirely, download offline maps in advance
- Long cross-border bus journeys (say, Chile to Argentina) can run for hours without signal
- At high altitude in the Andes (La Paz, Cusco) coverage in the cities is fine, but drops off quickly once you head into the mountains
Ready for your trip across South America?
Check out our eSIM tips and recommended plans for South America.
See eSIM for South America