Relocating to Cape Verde

Hi SuzBenn,

You have many of the questions that prospective retirees ask. Let me answer them:

I am an American citizen and I am considering a country for retirement. Cape Verde is definitely a location that retirees should consider. It has everything to offer including personal safety and security, a low cost of living, beautiful year round weather, open spaces, eco-friendliness, a good transportation system within islands (buses, minivans and taxis) and between islands (domestic arline and martime cobnnections), cultural experiences, a range of gastronomy, lesiure activities on land and sea, fast internet, easy access to Africa, Europe and the Americas by direct flight from its 4 international airports, low personal and corporate taxes, business opportunities, and political and social stability. And most of all a degree of freedome that is very hard to find elsewhere ... even more than the land of the free. LOL.

However, for retirees, it does have one very weak spot. Healthcare services. Even as the health sector is slowly and continuously improving, Cape Verde is not the place you want to be is you require a lot of medical attention or if you suffer a serious life threatening medical condition. You should have private insurance for emergency medical evacuation. For acute medical care, you may have to travel to Senegal, the Canaries, Brazil, or Europe in order of proximity (but not the US which is atronomically expensive). You will be able to have a level of medical care which you cannot obtain here. However, if you are in good health and are prepared to stay healthy and maintain your physical fitness (there are no couch potatoes here), then the basic public medical services and the private medical clinics offer very good services and they are extremely cheap.

I have checked out Airbnb, hotels and I noticed a lot of the prices are very expensive. Can someone offer advice on a lower cost for apartments You are looking at the wrong sources of information. No one can afford to live long term in an AirBNB or a hotel. These are intended for very short stays and which is why they are priced by the day/night. You will want to find long-term apartment rental. These too, you will not find online because the only options advertized online are aimed at foreigners who do not have any idea of the true local market prices. You can rent a nice 2-bedroom apartment in an appealing neighborhood for around €250-300 per month unfurnished. Furnishings are very cheap (but  of inferior to medium quality). A furnished 2-bedroom will run around €350-400 monthly.

What is the best island that will provide a lower cost of living? Believe it or not, but the lowest cost of living you will find in Cape Verde is in the capital, Praia, on the island of Santiago. The reason is two-fold. First, you will find a broader range of products and services. Secondly, there is a lot more abundant supply of everything in the capital...more supply means lower prices. You also, don't have to go to Praia or have things shipped from Praia to the other islands which means adding the cost of transport to the price of the products or services. As well as the inconvenience of the time spent waiting for products to arrive from Praia.

Even the cost of housing is lower in the capital than it is on several of the other less populated islnds where there may be short supply driving up prices for accomodation (such as Mindelo, Sal and Boavista). However, in general, the further outside of the populated areas you move, the lower will be your rental costs but the higher will be your transportation costs as everything is centralized within the population centers.

I did read about the visa options and I believe I saw Praia as a good place for this, but Praia is so expensive at least from the rent I have seen so far. Praia is the seat of government. So you will have much greater convenience in accessing government services in Praia. Half the country's population lives on the island of Santiago and half of Santiago's reidents live in the capital city, Praia.

I've already addressed your perception of apartment rental prices being very expensive. They are not. Only prices advertised on websites aimed at short-term visitors (tourists) are expensive (as they would be anywhere in the world). Apartment prices in the actual market are very cheap, compared to most other places in the world.

So I would like two things considered a place to live and the visa process. Of all the islands, the one I would recommend to retirees is Fogo. It has the perfect balance of everything. It is not too busy (as the capital) but it is not dead either. It is only slightly more expensive than Praia, but not by much. And the rents are about the same or even lower. It is very close to the capital by sea (5 hours) or domestic flight (25 minutes). It's got everything to offer. As I said, the best balance of everything. The reason I recommend it is because each US visitor who I have hosted with an eye to retirement living has pointed to Fogo as the place they would choose for retirement. And for the reasons stated, I concur with them. But if you need a faster pace and broader choices of everything, Santiago would be the island. The islands of Sal and Boavista are aimed at tourists and I would not recommend you retire there unless you want to live in a tourist trap. Mindelo is a decent choice especially if you want an intense cultural immersion throughout your entire retirement...but the unemployment levels are too high (lots of poverty, begging in the streets).

The visa process is as simple as one can imagine. You must first arrive in Cape Verde as a tourist. At the airport you are given a 30-day visa on arrival. Once you are here, you can then apply for a residency visa while inside the country - for business, employment or retirement. There are a number of doocuments that you will need to make the residency application, but the only one you will need from your country of origin is a police certificate, and if you are coming to retire - proof of the source and amount of your retirement income, so you should bring these with you. All the other documents required you will obtain right here in Cape Verde. Once you have made the application for residency, you can stay while you await the residency visa to be issued. You do not have to leave.

I have writen a 50-page eGuide which discusses all of these questions and a lot more in even more detail. It's also available in French.

Regards,

Angelo

SuzBenn wrote:

Hi Everyone,

I am an American citizen and I am considering a country for retirement. I have checked out Airbnb, hotels and I noticed a lot of the prices are very expensive. Can someone offer advice on a lower cost for apartments, also what is the best island that will provide a lower cost of living? I did read about the visa options and I believe I saw Praia as a good place for this, but Praia is so expensive at least from the rent I have seen so far. So I would like two things considered a place to live and the visa process. Thanks everyone.

Yes, I believe she has the information she needs. What kind of help do you need? Do you want information about [link under review]? I'd be happy to help. Just post your question here or review the eGuide in French.

Angelo

lonrutger wrote:

Hello, have you find out what you were looking for ?