Doing an internship abroad is exciting and challenging. Unfortunately, it also comes with expenses. To provide you with an idea of the costs for an internship program in Cape Verde, we’ve provided an overview of the different expenses you can expect below:
Airfare
A round-trip ticket to Cape Verde costs an average of €500.
Airport Tax
Upon arrival in Cape Verde, you pay a tax of €31. Ensure you have the exact amount as change may not be provided.
Accommodation Costs
On average, €300 per person per month in a two-person apartment. With three people, the cost per person can be lower. Water and electricity costs may be charged separately, averaging around €50 per person.
Food and Drinks
You can manage your expenses depending on your choices, but an average of €10 should be sufficient.
Internet
If you want wifi in your apartment, you’ll spend around €70 per month on average. Creating a hotspot through your mobile phone can sometimes be a better alternative. However, make sure to get a local SIM card from CV Movel or Unitel. Initially, Cape Verde only offers prepaid connections. With your credit, you can purchase more cost-effective monthly packages. For about €10, you can get 7GB per month and unlimited calls to people on the same network.
Local Transportation
Unfortunately, your student travel product from your home country is not usable in Cape Verde. Many destinations are within walking distance. For longer distances, you can take a taxi, which is a more expensive option. Short taxi rides (within the neighborhood/area) cost between €3 and €5. Longer distances range from €10 to €20. Prices vary per island.
Typically, most people use the local “Aluguer,” which are shared transit vans for passenger transport. This is a very affordable option, averaging around €1 per ride. Keep in mind that the driver will only depart when the van is sufficiently full.
Insurance
Having comprehensive travel and cancellation insurance is a necessity. This insurance should be arranged in your home country before departure. Due to the various options available, we recommend using comparison websites for quotes.
Intercambios Service
Intercambios is a fully non-profit organization. The board members and staff are all volunteers. While we try to minimize costs as much as possible, our efforts do incur expenses. Intercambios does not receive financial support from the government and therefore requests a contribution from students who are assisted in finding an internship in Cape Verde through the Intercambios platform. This contribution is currently (2023) €150 per student.