- Reliability
- Very high
Overall9.3/10Faster internet than about 95% of cities
Good to know
Good to Know
- Chile ranks #1 in OECD for average broadband speed (189 Mbps) — among the world's fastest home internet.
- 5G is expanding rapidly; Entel leads in 5G experience and coverage reliability.
- No SIM card shops at Santiago Airport; pre-purchase an e-SIM with at least 1 GB to stay online immediately upon arrival.
- Local tourist prepaid SIM cards are extremely affordable (~$0.30–$5 USD) and require no passport registration.
- Tourist SIM cards use physical cards; e-SIMs avoid Chile's device-registration tax that applies after 30 days for non-tourists.
- Major malls (Costanera Center, Parque Arauco) have phone stores for walkup SIM purchases.
- Hotspot/tethering available on both prepaid SIM and e-SIM plans.
- If staying longer than 1 month on a regular SIM, your phone may be blocked; you'll need to pay a tax to unlock it.
e-SIM Options
- Note
- eSIMs support 3G/4G/5G, activate on arrival in minutes via QR code, no phone number included (data only).
Providers And Pricing
Saily
- Starting Price
- CLP 4,232
Airalo
- Data Example
- CLP 10,346
- Starting Price
- CLP 4,698
Holafly
- Strengths
- Unlimited data plans with instant activation via QR code
Cellesim
- Starting Price
- CLP 4,599
Mobile Networks
- Coverage
- 4G/LTE and 5G available in Santiago. 5G adoption accelerating (8.2 million subscribers nationwide as of 2025).
Major Carriers
Entel
- Strengths
- Dominates in Overall Experience, 5G Experience, Coverage, and Consistent Quality awards (March 2026).
Claro
- Strengths
- Wins Reliability Experience award (March 2026).
Movistar
- Strengths
- Wide coverage across region, popular for prepaid tourist SIM cards.
WOM
- Strengths
- Competitive pricing, available at Santiago Airport.
Connectivity Reliability Tier
Very high
Connectivity Reliability Tier Rationale
Santiago offers widespread fiber/cable broadband from multiple major providers, extensive 4G/5G mobile coverage from competing carriers, and easy, well-established e-SIM and prepaid SIM options for remote workers.
Home Broadband
- Average Download Speed Mbps
- 189
- Reliability Note
- Chile leads OECD countries for broadband speed. Multiple fiber and hybrid fiber-coaxial options available from private providers.
Providers
- Mundo
- Claro
- Entel
- Movistar
Prepaid SIM Cards Local
- Requirements
- No passport registration required for prepaid tourist SIM cards. Can purchase with no documentation.
- Data Packages
- 3 GB to 7 GB for 3 hours to 30 days
- General Pricing
- CLP 250
Starting price (minimum activation), up to 5000+ CLP (~$5 USD)
Where To Buy
- Santiago International Airport (Terminal 1): Entel store near baggage claim, Movistar kiosk in domestic departure area, WOM self-service kiosks
- Shopping malls: Costanera Center, Parque Arauco, Vivo el Centro
- Phone provider official stores throughout Santiago
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this connectivity & internet research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Santiago
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.