Moving to Cabo Verde from South Africa
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from South Africa to Cabo Verde — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from South Africa to Cabo Verde, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Africa to Cabo Verde.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Cabo Verde performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Cabo Verde generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
South Africa generally does better on environment, though Cabo Verde leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
share of households with internet
Cabo Verde generally does better on infrastructure, though South Africa leads in internet access.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
South Africa generally does better on employment & economy, though Cabo Verde leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Cabo Verde generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in literacy rate.
Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Pretoria | Praia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 76°/None°F (24°/None°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 78°/None°F (25°/None°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 83°/None°F (28°/None°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 80°/None°F (27°/None°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Praia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 75°/None°F (24.0°/None°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 75°/None°F (24.1°/None°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 77°/None°F (24.8°/None°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 77°/None°F (24.8°/None°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 78°/None°F (25.3°/None°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 79°/None°F (26.0°/None°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 81°/None°F (27.2°/None°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 84°/None°F (28.8°/None°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 85°/None°F (29.3°/None°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 83°/None°F (28.6°/None°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 81°/None°F (27.3°/None°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 77°/None°F (25.2°/None°C) |
South African Weather ServiceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa 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.
South Africa passport holder visiting Cabo Verde
Visa on Arrival
Cabo Verde passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa FreeData: 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?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Cabo Verde has 5.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Cabo Verde safe for expats?
Cabo Verde performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Cabo Verde is 6.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.5 in South Africa. About 52% of people in Cabo Verde feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Cabo Verde compared to South Africa?
Cabo Verde generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in health coverage index. There are 44.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Cabo Verde, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. Cabo Verde scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Cabo Verde compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Praia is 79°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Praia receives around 2.8 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in Cabo Verde?
The official language in Cabo Verde is Portuguese. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. Cabo Verde
At a Glance
ZA
|
CV
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 596,707 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Cape Verdean Escudo (CVE) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Portuguese |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +238 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | — |