Moving to Cabo Verde from Sao Tome and Principe

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Sao Tome and Principe to Cabo Verde — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Sao Tome and Principe to Cabo Verde.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Sao Tome and Principe to Cabo Verde, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
1,809 ↑ 6% vs 2015

people born in Sao Tome and Principe live in Cabo Verde · UN DESA

Who's moving to Cabo Verde?

Top countries of origin for Cabo Verde's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Sao Tome and Principe and Cabo Verde stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

per 100,000 people per year

ST
3.2
CV
6.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ST
11.7
CV
16.5

Sao Tome and Principe performs better than Cabo Verde across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ST
$355
CV
$616
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ST
4.9
CV
44.6

Cabo Verde generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sao Tome and Principe leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ST
85.0
CV
59.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ST
0.6t
CV
1.3t

Sao Tome and Principe generally does better on environment, though Cabo Verde leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ST
2.0
CV
5.8
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ST
1.9%
CV
57.2%

Cabo Verde generally does better on infrastructure, though Sao Tome and Principe leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

ST
14.2%
CV
12.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ST
$5,500
CV
$8,200

Cabo Verde performs significantly better than Sao Tome and Principe across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ST
67.1 yrs
CV
73.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ST
44.4
CV
23.5

Cabo Verde generally does better on family life, though Sao Tome and Principe leads in literacy rate.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sao Tome and Principe and Cabo Verde. To live, work, or study long-term in Cabo Verde, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Cabo Verde's immigration authority.

Sao Tome and Principe passport

Sao Tome and Principe passport holder visiting Cabo Verde

Visa on Arrival
Sao Tome and Principe passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Cabo Verde.
Cabo Verde passport

Cabo Verde passport holder visiting Sao Tome and Principe

Visa Free
Cabo Verde passport holders can enter Sao Tome and Principe without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Cabo Verde?

With 5.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Cabo Verde can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Sao Tome and Principe and Cabo Verde.

Is Cabo Verde safe for expats?

Sao Tome and Principe performs better than Cabo Verde across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Cabo Verde is 6.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.2 in Sao Tome and Principe.

How is healthcare in Cabo Verde compared to Sao Tome and Principe?

Cabo Verde generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sao Tome and Principe leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 44.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Cabo Verde, compared to 4.9 in Sao Tome and Principe. Cabo Verde scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sao Tome and Principe: 59).

What language do they speak in Cabo Verde?

Both Sao Tome and Principe and Cabo Verde share the same official language: Portuguese.

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At a Glance

ST CV
Population 217,164 596,707
Currency São Tomé and Príncipe Dobra (STD) Cape Verdean Escudo (CVE)
Languages Portuguese Portuguese
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +239 +238
Time zones 1 1