By Massimo Boavista2000, Boavista2000: on Boa Vista since 1998, more than 250 apartments built and sold with Daniele Rampini.
Published on 24 October 2026
In shortIn Cape Verde you pay in escudos (CVE), pegged to the euro at a fixed rate: €1 = 110.265 escudos, so €100 is 11,026.50 escudos. On Boa Vista euros are accepted almost everywhere in tourist places, but your change comes in escudos. Otherwise there are banks and cash machines of the Vinti4 network in Sal Rei. Escudos cannot be taken out of the country: change a little at a time.
The exchange rate
What the euro is worth in escudos
The rate is fixed under the exchange rate cooperation agreement signed in 1998 between Cape Verde and Portugal: it does not change over time. For quick mental arithmetic: 1,000 escudos is about €9. If you are paid in pounds or another currency, simply convert from the euro.
- €101,102.65 CVEAt the fixed rate of 110.265.
- €202,205.30 CVEAt the fixed rate of 110.265.
- €505,513.25 CVEAt the fixed rate of 110.265.
- €10011,026.50 CVENot 11,265: watch out for hasty sums.
- €50055,132.50 CVEAt the fixed rate of 110.265.
- 1,000 escudos€9.07The most used note for everyday spending.
- 5,000 escudos€45.35The largest note.
- 10,000 escudos€90.69Two 5,000 notes.
Notes come in 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000 and 5,000 escudos; coins from 1 to 200 escudos. Whoever changes your euros in a shop or a bar may round to 100 or less: always check the sum. More details on currency and time zone.
How to pay
Cash, cash machines and cards on Boa Vista
In hotels and in many restaurants, bars and shops in Sal Rei you can also pay in euros, but your change almost always comes in escudos and at a rounded rate. Small notes are handy.
Cash machines of the Vinti4 network are in Sal Rei, near the banks, and dispense escudos with international cards. There are only a few: don’t wait until the last day or the weekend. Your bank may charge a fee.
They work in hotels and larger venues; for taxis, aluguer, markets and stalls you need cash. Visa is the most widely used; Mastercard is also accepted on the Vinti4 network, but bring two cards from different networks to be safe.
The rules
What you can bring in and take out
These are the rules set out in the Italian Foreign Ministry’s travel advice for Cape Verde.
- Escudosnot allowedThey cannot be taken into or out of Cape Verde: you change and spend them locally. Back home, practically nobody will exchange them.
- Euros and other currenciesmust be declaredYou can bring them without limits, but you must declare them at customs on arrival and on departure.
- Without a declaration on arrivalmax 20,000 CVEOn departure you can only take foreign currency worth up to 20,000 escudos, about €181.
Step by step
How to organise your money
- Before you goTell your bank about your trip, check your limits for withdrawals abroad and bring two cards from different networks.
- Some euros in cashEnough for the first few days, the taxi from the airport and tips. If you bring a lot, declare them at customs on arrival.
- In Sal Rei, withdraw or changeAt a Vinti4 cash machine or in a bank, where you get the official rate (with a small fee and, sometimes, a bit of a queue).
- A little at a timeOnly change or withdraw what you expect to spend over the next few days.
- Spend your escudos before you leaveUse the last ones for the taxi to the airport or a souvenir: you cannot take them with you.
Practical tips
- Leave your passport, spare cards and cash in the room safe; when you go out, carry only what you need for the day.
- When you pay in euros, first ask the price in escudos and do the sum: that way you immediately see the rate used for your change.
- Choose cash machines near banks and use them during opening hours.
- In the villages and on remote beaches there are no cash machines: bring cash.
Tipping
- Tips are not compulsory, but they are appreciated.
- In restaurants, if you liked the service, people usually leave around 5–10%.
- Guides, drivers and excursion staff are given something at the end of the day.
- Tipping in escudos is absolutely fine.
Before you go
Everything else for your trip
Documents and EASE, phone, what to pack: the complete checklist for a stress-free departure.
Frequently asked questions about money and exchange in Cape Verde
How many escudos do I get for a euro?
€1 is worth 110.265 escudos: the rate is fixed and does not change over time. So €100 is 11,026.50 escudos and 1,000 escudos is about €9.07.
Can I pay in euros on Boa Vista?
Yes, in hotels and in many bars, restaurants and shops in Sal Rei. But your change almost always comes in escudos, often at a rounded rate: for taxis, markets and small purchases it is better to have escudos.
Are there cash machines on Boa Vista?
Yes, in Sal Rei there are cash machines of the Vinti4 network, near the banks, which dispense escudos with international cards. There are only a few and there are none outside Sal Rei: don’t leave it to the last minute to withdraw cash.
Can I take escudos home?
No. Escudos cannot be taken out of Cape Verde, and back home they are practically impossible to exchange anyway. Spend them before you leave or change them at a bank in Cape Verde.
How much money can I bring to Cape Verde?
There is no limit on euros and other foreign currencies, but you must declare them at customs on arrival and on departure. If you do not declare them on arrival, on departure you can only take foreign currency worth up to 20,000 escudos, about €181.
Information updated October 2026. Sources: Italian Foreign Ministry travel advice for Cape Verde (Viaggiare Sicuri), for the currency and customs rules; Banco de Cabo Verde, for the fixed rate with the euro and the banknotes; information from the Vinti4 network (SISP) on international cards. Fees on withdrawals and payments are set by your own bank: check them before you leave.