Disclaimer: I'm a Google Fi user, I don't work for them
Google Fi countriesWhen I use Fi in San Jose, my voice calls over WiFi (local and the the US) are free. My data cost is the same as the US ($10 per Gb - I'm on a 4 Gb plan but never use 4Gb
so I don't pay any extra) - it's 3g because that's what Kolbi has (yes, they are implementing 4G and LTE but not everywhere).
My 4 Gb plan is a $60 per month plan (including taxes) but I usually pay
$35 (+/-)
because I don't use all my data (wait, what?). $20 for unlimited voice and test (in the US) and $40 for 4 Gb of data.
However, if I don't use all my data - and I don't, because I'm usually on WiFi and don't stream movies when I'm not - I
don't pay for it my "$60" a month plan costs me around
$30 (including taxes) every month, even using it in CR. The first month I actually got money back.
In CR, my WiFi calls are free, my texts are free, and if I call the US (which I might do once a week) as a non-WiFi call, those calls cost $00.20 a minute.
Now, if I had a Verizon plan (and I used to) I would be paying the cost of my US Verizon plan (mine was a 2 Gb plan and cost me about $119 or so a month with taxes) plus $10 a day for their "TravelPass".
Oh, yeah, and I paid for my Verizon data whether I used it or not. And it didn't "roll over" either.
So, if I go to CR and use my Google Fi plan - basically it costs me the same as it does in the US - around $35 a month. No matter how long I stay.
Under my old Verizon plan, if I went to CR and stayed 10 days and used my Verizon plan (which I did), it would cost me $100 (plus taxes) on top of my normal $118 (+/-) for a total of $218 (plus the extra taxes).
Hmmm...
And yes, with Fi you have to use a Nexus 6, 5x or 6p (right now). It is possible to make limited (T-Mobile only for example instead of switching between the the
3 Fi carrier networks) use an iPhone, but I'll let you look that up.
If having the Holy iPhone is essential to your self worth, then I guess paying high US carrier rates is a holy sacrament with the Lord Jobs and that's wonderful.
I have a unlocked GSM cell with a Kolbi SIM also. I use WhatsAPP on that. I'm not going to make the guides, et al call me on a US number.