Africa · Portuguese, Creole · updated 2026-10

Moving to Cape Verde: visas, cost of living & citizenship

A single person needs about $1,250 a month to live in Praia / Mindelo, and a family of four about $2,850, including rent. Cape Verde usually lets you apply for permanent residence after 5 yrs, with citizenship after 5 yrs, and dual citizenship is allowed. You can move here without a job offer through the Remote Working Cabo Verde.

Monthly budget

$1,250

Very low cost

Safety

Take care

Stability

Stable

Family

Good

Main city: Praia / Mindelo
Language: Portuguese, Creole
Permanent residence: 5 yrs
Citizenship: 5 yrs
Dual citizenship: Allowed
Digital nomad visa: Yes

What can your passport do in Cape Verde?Pick your nationality to see your exact access, visit rules and personal score.

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Cost of living in Cape Verde, per month in US$

One person

$1,250

Family of four

$2,850

RentGroceriesTransportUtilities & internetEating out & leisureOther

1-bed flat, Praia / Mindelo centre

$450

Estimate

3-bed family flat

$850

Estimate

Price level

US = 100

Income per person

$466

GNI ÷ 12, World Bank

Safety

Safety score

Take care

Homicides per 100k

6.99

US 5.8 · UK 1.0 · Japan 0.2

Political stability & governance

Political stability

+0.86

Rule of law

+0.45

Control of corruption

+0.91

Government effectiveness

+0.51

−2.5 weak0strong +2.5

Worldwide Governance Indicators, World Bank. Stable overall (67/100).

Family-friendliness

Family score

Good

Child outcomes (HCI)

n/a

Health & schooling, 0–1

Under-5 mortality

11.1

per 1,000 births

Life expectancy

76.2 yrs

at birth

Health spending

$290

per person / year

Education spending

4.3%

of GDP

Visa & residence routes

Remote work

Remote Working Cabo Verde6 months, renewable, €54 fee, income-tax exempt. Open to citizens of Europe, North America, CPLP and ECOWAS countries.

Job offer

Work visaWith a Cabo Verdean employer.

Who gets easier access to Cape Verde

ECOWAS protocols give West African citizens the right to reside and work, with a residence card.

Benin Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Ivory Coast Liberia Nigeria Senegal Sierra Leone Togo

Visiting: 61 passports can visit visa-free, 0 with an electronic travel authorisation, 137 get a visa on arrival, 0 can apply for an eVisa and 0 need a visa in advance (Passport Index dataset).

Road to permanent residence & citizenship

ArrivePRCitizen024681012+ yrs

Permanent residence: 5 yrs
Citizenship: 5 yrs
Dual citizenship: Allowed

Last checked 2026-10.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to live in Cape Verde?

About $1,250 a month for one person and $2,850 for a family of four in Praia / Mindelo, including rent. A city-centre 1-bedroom flat costs around $450 a month and a 3-bedroom around $850. Prices are 54% of US levels. Cape Verde is the 19th cheapest of the 76 countries in the index.

Is Cape Verde safe to live in?

Cape Verde scores 44/100 for safety (take care), ranking 58th of 76. The homicide rate is 6.99 per 100,000 people (US 5.8, UK 1.0, Japan 0.2).

Is Cape Verde politically stable?

Cape Verde scores 67/100 for stability (stable), ranking 36th of 76, based on the World Bank's indicators for political stability, rule of law, control of corruption and government effectiveness.

Is Cape Verde good for families?

Cape Verde scores 46/100 for family-friendliness (good), ranking 58th of 76. Life expectancy is 76.2 years and under-5 mortality is 11.1 per 1,000 births.

How long does it take to get permanent residence in Cape Verde?

Usually 5 yrs of legal residence.

How long until I can become a citizen of Cape Verde?

Usually 5 yrs of residence. Dual citizenship: allowed.

Can I move to Cape Verde without a job offer?

Yes. Remote Working Cabo Verde: 6 months, renewable, €54 fee, income-tax exempt. Open to citizens of Europe, North America, CPLP and ECOWAS countries.

Does Cape Verde have a digital nomad visa?

Yes: the Remote Working Cabo Verde. 6 months, renewable, €54 fee, income-tax exempt. Open to citizens of Europe, North America, CPLP and ECOWAS countries.

Who can live and work in Cape Verde without a visa?

ECOWAS protocols give West African citizens the right to reside and work, with a residence card. (ECOWAS: Benin, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo.)