💰 Quick Context: The Cape Verdean Escudo
Cape Verde uses the Cape Verdean Escudo (CVE), which is pegged to the euro at a fixed rate of 110.265 CVE = 1 EUR. A coffee costs 50–150 CVE, a restaurant meal 500–1,500 CVE, and a hotel night 5,000–20,000 CVE. Quick math: divide by 100 for a rough USD estimate (e.g., 5,000 CVE is about $50). Euros are widely accepted at tourist businesses, but you will get better value paying in escudos. Cash is essential outside resort areas.
🎧 Order Cape Verdean Escudo Before You Fly
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Order CVE → CEI Currency ExchangeCash vs. Card: What to Expect in Cape Verde
Cape Verde is a cash-first economy, especially outside the tourist resorts on Sal and Boa Vista. Cards are accepted at hotels and some restaurants, but everyday transactions require cash.
Cards work at hotels and resorts: most properties on Sal, Boa Vista, and in Praia accept Visa and Mastercard. Cash is needed for local life: grilled fish stalls in Santa Maria, Sucupira Market in Praia, taxis, aluguers (shared minivans), inter-island ferries, and shops on all islands operate on cash only.
Euros are widely accepted due to the fixed peg (1 EUR = 110.265 CVE), but change is given in escudos and the informal rate vendors use is often rounded against you. Paying in CVE typically gets you a better deal. Budget 2,000–5,000 CVE per day for meals, transport, and small purchases. Withdraw on Sal, Boa Vista, Santiago, or São Vicente before visiting smaller islands.
How to Get Escudos for Your Cape Verde Trip
Cape Verde uses the escudo, pegged to the euro at CVE 110.265 = 1 EUR. The peg is convenient for European tourists since most resorts, restaurants in Sal's Santa Maria, Boa Vista's Sal Rei, and Praia's Plateau accept euros directly at the official rate, with change returned in escudos. The trade-off is that vendors often round the informal EUR-to-CVE conversion in their favor, so paying in escudos at smaller spots is meaningfully cheaper. Cards work at the larger Sal and Boa Vista resort hotels (Riu, Hilton, Iberostar) and some restaurants, but the rest of the islands run on cash: grilled fish stalls in Santa Maria, the Sucupira Market in Praia, aluguer shared minivans, taxis, inter-island ferry counters, and most island businesses. Plan to carry escudos and treat ATMs as your primary refill mechanism.
Bring EUR or order escudos before you fly
Cape Verdean escudo is a closed currency in practice: most US currency-exchange services and home banks (Bank of America, Chase, Wells Fargo, Citi) do not stock CVE. A currency-exchange service like CEI Currency Exchange can ship USD or EUR to a US address with insured 2–5 day delivery, which is what you'll actually need. Most travelers handle Cape Verde by carrying clean EUR cash and exchanging at a bank counter on landing (the EUR-to-CVE peg means the conversion is essentially free at any bank), or simply withdraw escudos from a major Cape Verdean bank ATM. Cape Verde does not have a Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner. The cleanest setup for most Cape Verde trips: pack EUR 200–400 cash for the first two days (works at peg-rate at most resort and restaurant tills), use a Wise or Charles Schwab card for resort spending, and withdraw escudos at BCA or Caixa Económica ATMs in Santa Maria or Sal Rei.
Withdraw from a Cape Verdean bank ATM
On the ground, the cheapest source of escudos is a major Cape Verdean bank ATM. Banco Comercial do Atlântico (BCA), Caixa Económica de Cabo Verde, Banco Interatlântico, and Banco BAI Cabo Verde all give the actual interbank rate (effectively the EUR peg cross-rate to USD) with no markup. Most do charge a per-transaction operator fee for foreign cards (typically 200–400 CVE, posted on the screen before you confirm). Withdrawal limits run roughly 20,000–40,000 CVE per transaction. ATM coverage is strongest on Sal (Santa Maria's main strip, Espargos), Boa Vista (Sal Rei centre), Santiago (Praia's Plateau and Achada Santo António), and São Vicente (Mindelo). Coverage thins fast on the smaller islands (Brava, Maio, Santo Antão), so withdraw before island-hopping. Decline DCC every time the screen offers "charge in USD" or "in EUR". See the Best ATMs section below for the bank-by-bank lineup. Want to know what a BCA withdrawal will actually cost on your card? Drop it into our ATM fee calculator.
Airport counters & resort exchange windows
Three traps to walk past in Cape Verde. The currency-exchange counters in arrivals at SID (Sal Amílcar Cabral), BVC (Boa Vista), and RAI (Praia Nelson Mandela) advertise rates that look reasonable but routinely run 5–10% off the EUR peg cross-rate, plus per-transaction fees. The exchange windows along Santa Maria's main strip and inside resort lobbies on Sal and Boa Vista bake the markup into the rate. And the standalone independent ATMs you'll see inside some smaller hotel arcades layer DCC pitches and operator fees on top. Stick to bank-branded ATMs at BCA, Caixa Económica, Banco Interatlântico, or BAI Cabo Verde; decline DCC; and pay escudos rather than euros wherever a price is quoted in CVE to capture the small per-transaction round-down. Cape Verde does not yet have a city-specific guide on this site, but the Best ATMs section below covers the bank lineup.
For a side-by-side comparison of every method (bank wire, travel card, pre-order, ATM, exchange counter) including USD-to-CVE timing tips, see our complete Getting Currency guide →.
Best ATMs to Use in Cape Verde
ATMs are available on all major islands, with the most options in Praia (Santiago), Mindelo (São Vicente), and tourist areas on Sal and Boa Vista. Withdraw enough cash before visiting smaller islands. Your home bank may charge a foreign transaction fee on top of any local charges.
BCA (Banco Comercial do Atlântico)
Cape Verde's largest bank with ATMs on all major islands. BCA has the widest ATM network in the country. Machines reliably accept international Visa and Mastercard. Your best option for cash withdrawals across the archipelago.
Recommended
Banco Interatlântico
Cape Verde's second major bank with ATMs in Praia, Mindelo, and tourist areas on Sal and Boa Vista. Accepts international Visa and Mastercard. A reliable alternative to BCA.
RecommendedCaixa Económica de Cabo Verde (CECV)
Government savings bank with ATMs in main towns across the islands. Less widespread than BCA but reliable when available. Accepts international cards at most locations.
Recommended⚠ Watch Out for Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC)
DCC risk in Cape Verde is low due to limited card payment infrastructure. However, if an ATM or card terminal offers to charge you in your home currency instead of CVE, always decline and choose to be charged in CVE. Accepting DCC means paying a hidden 3–8% markup. Let your own bank handle the conversion.
ATMs to Avoid in Cape Verde
Cape Verde does not have predatory standalone ATM operators. All ATMs belong to established banks. The main risk is machines running out of cash or not being available on smaller islands.
Rural or Small Island ATMs
ATMs on smaller islands and in rural areas may run out of cash, especially around weekends and holidays. International card acceptance can be inconsistent. Always withdraw enough cash on Sal, Boa Vista, Santiago, or São Vicente before heading to remote areas.
UnreliablePaying by Card in Cape Verde
Card Networks
Visa and Mastercard are accepted at hotels, resorts, and some larger restaurants on Sal, Boa Vista, and in Praia. American Express is rarely accepted in Cape Verde. Discover has virtually no acceptance. Visa is your most reliable card here.
Contactless & Mobile Payments
Contactless terminals exist at some hotels and tourist restaurants in Santa Maria (Sal) and Praia, but coverage is inconsistent across the islands. Apple Pay and Google Pay may work where NFC terminals exist, but do not count on them. Chip-and-PIN is the standard at most card-accepting businesses.
Where Cards Will Not Work
Local eateries and grilled fish stalls across all islands are cash-only, including the popular cachupa (national stew) restaurants. Sucupira Market in Praia and all local markets require cash. Taxis and aluguers (shared minivans) accept only cash. Inter-island ferries: some companies like CV Interilhas accept cards online, but onsite ticket offices and smaller boats require cash. Santo Antão, Fogo, Brava, and other smaller islands are largely cash-only economies.
Tipping in Cape Verde
Tipping Guide
Tipping is not mandatory in Cape Verde but is appreciated, especially in the hospitality industry. At restaurants, 5–10% is generous. Some tourist restaurants in Santa Maria and Praia may include a service charge. Hotel porters at larger properties receive 100–200 CVE per bag, though tipping is not expected at guesthouses. For tour guides on island excursions (Fogo volcano hikes, Santo Antão trail guides), 500–1,000 CVE per person for a full day is generous. Taxis: rounding up the fare is appreciated but not expected. Cape Verde has a rich live music culture (morna, funaná). Dropping 100–200 CVE in a tip jar at a bar featuring live music is a kind gesture. Always tip in CVE cash.
Island Hopping: Money Tips for Cape Verde
Things to Know
EUR is widely accepted because the escudo is pegged to the euro (1 EUR = 110.265 CVE). Tourist businesses on Sal and Boa Vista take euros, but the informal exchange rate shops use is often rounded against you. Paying in CVE is almost always better value. Withdraw on major islands first: Sal, Boa Vista, Santiago (Praia), and São Vicente (Mindelo) have reliable BCA and Banco Interatlântico ATMs. Smaller islands like Santo Antão, Fogo, and Brava have fewer ATMs that may run out of cash.
Bring enough cash for the whole trip to smaller islands. If you are hiking the Paul Valley on Santo Antão or climbing Pico do Fogo, carry all the cash you will need. Do not count on finding an ATM. All-inclusive resorts: many visitors to Sal and Boa Vista stay at all-inclusive properties but still need cash for excursions, local restaurants, and souvenirs outside the resort gates.
Airport exchange counters at Amílcar Cabral International (Sal) and Nelson Mandela International (Praia) have acceptable rates for small amounts. ATM withdrawal limits are typically 20,000–40,000 CVE per transaction, so you may need multiple withdrawals for longer trips. Cape Verde's official language is Portuguese (Kriolu is spoken daily), but bank staff on tourist islands usually speak some English.
Money Safety in Cape Verde
Staying Safe
Cape Verde is generally safe for tourists, but petty theft and pickpocketing occur in busier areas of Praia (especially around Sucupira Market and the Plateau) and in Santa Maria on Sal. Keep bills in a money belt or front pocket and store larger amounts in your hotel safe.
Use ATMs at BCA or Banco Interatlântico branches during business hours. Cape Verde does not have the standalone ATM scam problem seen in Europe, but inspect machines before use as a standard precaution. Mentioning "Cape Verde" when calling your bank ahead of travel helps prevent fraud alerts, as the country is uncommon on many card issuers' radar.
Carry small bills. Having 100 and 200 CVE notes avoids the hassle of breaking larger denominations at fish stalls, aluguer drivers, and small shops. Many vendors on smaller islands cannot make change for 5,000 CVE notes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Cape Verdean escudo pegged to the euro?
Cape Verde has a fixed exchange rate agreement with Portugal (its former colonial power) pegging the escudo to the euro at 1 EUR = 110.265 CVE. This makes the rate stable and predictable. Bringing euros to exchange gives the most favorable rate.
Do all Cape Verde islands have ATMs?
The main islands (Santiago, Sal, Boa Vista, São Vicente) have ATMs in their main towns. Smaller islands like Santo Antão, Fogo, and Brava have very limited coverage. Withdraw enough escudos before island hopping to less developed islands.
Can I use euros in Cape Verde?
Euros are sometimes accepted at resort hotels and tour operators, especially on Sal and Boa Vista. The exchange rate offered is usually worse than the official peg. Pay in escudos for the best value.
Is Cape Verde expensive?
Moderate for Africa. Resort areas on Sal and Boa Vista have tourist-level pricing. Local restaurants serve cachupa (the national stew) for 300–600 CVE ($3–6). Hotel rooms range from 3,000–15,000 CVE per night.
Do I need cash for inter-island ferries?
CV Interilhas ferry tickets can be purchased online with a card, but smaller boat services require cash. Have escudos ready for port transfers, luggage handlers, and food vendors at ferry terminals.
Can I exchange escudos outside Cape Verde?
Cape Verdean escudos are very difficult to exchange outside the country. Spend remaining CVE before departing or exchange at the airport. Since the escudo is pegged to the euro, bringing euros and exchanging at banks gives a predictable rate.
Skip the Foreign Transaction Fees
The Wise card converts your money at the real mid-market exchange rate. No markups, no surprises. Spend CVE like a local.
Get the Wise Card →Quick Comparison
| Method | Cost | Convenience | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank ATMs (BCA, Interatlântico) | Low (fair rate, possible home bank fee) | ★★★★★ | Best overall option for getting CVE |
| Card payments at hotels | Low (depends on your card's FX fees) | ★★★★☆ | Hotels and larger restaurants |
| Paying in EUR at tourist businesses | OK (informal rate may be unfavorable) | ★★★☆☆ | Convenient if you already have EUR |
| Airport exchange counter | High (poor rates) | ★★☆☆☆ | Small amounts on arrival only |
Cape Verde Quick Facts
| Currency | Cape Verdean Escudo (CVE). Pegged to EUR at 110.265 CVE = 1 EUR. Roughly 100 CVE = $1 USD |
| Cash vs. Card | Cards at hotels and resorts. Cash needed for local restaurants, markets, taxis, and ferries |
| Best ATMs | BCA (Banco Comercial do Atlântico), Banco Interatlântico |
| Contactless | Limited. Some tourist businesses have it, but unreliable |
| Card Acceptance | Visa/Mastercard at hotels and larger restaurants. Cash elsewhere |
| Tipping | Not mandatory. 5–10% at restaurants appreciated |
| DCC Risk | Low. Always choose CVE when prompted |
| Best Strategy | Use ATMs on major islands. Carry enough cash for smaller islands. EUR accepted but CVE gives better value |