Cape Verde's rental market is small, island-based and dominated by private, word-of-mouth transactions rather than structured agencies. Long-term unfurnished leases are the norm in the residential markets of Praia (Santiago) and Mindelo (Sao Vicente), while the tourist islands of Sal (Santa Maria) and Boa Vista lean heavily toward furnished, short- and mid-term holiday-style lets at higher prices. Residential leasing is governed by the General Regime for Urban Leasing (Regime Geral do Arrendamento Urbano, RGAU; Law no. 101/VIII/2016), which is broadly pro-tenant: contracts must be in writing, rent must be set in Cape Verdean escudos, eviction of a defending tenant is slow, and a landlord may not demand more than one month's rent in advance. For an incoming nomad, the practical reality is a thin, opaque formal market, so a viable approach is to arrive on a furnished short-term let (Airbnb/Flatio), prospect neighbourhoods in person, and negotiate a longer lease directly with an owner.
Les bases de la location
- Bail habituel
- 1 an
- Dépôt de garantie
- —
- Meublé
- Meublé + non meublé
- Marché moyenne durée
- Marché moyen terme modéré
- Déclaration de domicile
- Non exigée
Frais d'agence : Cape Verde's rental market runs mostly on private, owner-to-tenant deals and word of mouth, with relatively few structured letting agencies; agencies focus more on sales than on long-term residential lets. A standard, published tenant-side letting commission could not be confirmed from the sources read. Treat any agency letting fee as negotiable and confirm in writing who pays it.
Vos droits en tant que locataire
Residential tenancy is governed by the RGAU (Regime Geral do Arrendamento Urbano, Law no. 101/VIII/2016) plus the Civil Code, and the regime is generally pro-tenant, with landlord rights described as exceptionally weak. Reported protections include a slow eviction process (around six months, or longer if contested or appealed), a requirement that the landlord may only terminate by filing an eviction request with the court, landlord obligations to keep the property safe and well maintained including essential services (water, electricity), a default contract term of six months where none is agreed (renewing for equal periods), limited-duration residential contracts of no less than three years, and constraints on rent increases (where the contract is silent, no increase before five years). A landlord may not demand more than one month's rent in advance. A specific statutory cap on the security deposit (caucao) could not be confirmed from the sources read for Cape Verde; the often-cited two-months / one-month formula appears to derive from Portuguese law rather than the Cape Verdean RGAU, so deposit terms should be agreed and spelled out in the written contract.
Bon à savoir
- Strong, written legal framework (RGAU / Law 101/VIII/2016) that is broadly pro-tenant, with slow eviction of defending tenants and a cap of one month's rent demandable in advance
- Plenty of furnished short- and mid-term options on the tourist islands (Airbnb, Flatio), making it easy to land softly and prospect before committing
- Rents are modest by European standards, especially in the residential markets of Praia and Mindelo
- Rent legally fixed in escudos and a default six-month term where none is agreed, giving incoming tenants a clear baseline
À surveiller
- Thin, opaque formal market: long-term listings circulate mostly via word of mouth, local contacts and Facebook groups rather than polished portals, so finding a good long-term place remotely is hard
- Furnished long-term stock is scarce in residential areas; bare/unfurnished is common for proper 12-month leases, while furnished mostly means higher-priced holiday lets
- Big price and availability gap between islands - Sal and Boa Vista (tourist-driven) are pricier than Praia and Mindelo
- No statutory deposit cap could be confirmed for Cape Verde, so always insist on a written contract in escudos with deposit amount, included utilities and deposit-return conditions spelled out; verbal/informal arrangements are common but offer weaker protection
- Verify NIF, residence-permit and the contract-to-tax-authority step locally, as informal sub-letting may skip the required paperwork
Où chercher
Les plateformes sont listées à titre d'orientation uniquement — nous ne les recommandons ni ne les classons.
Se loger à Cape Verde : FAQ
Se loger à Cape Verde : FAQ
Quel dépôt de garantie faut-il pour louer à Cape Verde ?
Il n'existe pas de norme publiée unique — les dépôts varient selon le propriétaire. Comptez au moins un mois de loyer retenu en garantie, plus le premier mois d'avance, plus d'éventuels frais d'agence (cape verde's rental market runs mostly on private, owner-to-tenant deals and word of mouth, with relatively few structured letting agencies; agencies focus more on sales than on long-term residential lets. a standard, published tenant-side letting commission could not be confirmed from the sources read. treat any agency letting fee as negotiable and confirm in writing who pays it.).
Dois-je déclarer mon domicile à Cape Verde ?
La déclaration de domicile n'est pas une exigence générale pour les résidents de court séjour ici, mais vérifiez si votre visa précis ou une banque exige un justificatif de domicile.
Puis-je trouver des locations meublées ou de courte durée à Cape Verde ?
Meublé + non meublé et le marché moyenne durée sur lequel s'appuient les nomades est marché moyen terme modéré. Commencez votre recherche sur Airbnb (furnished monthly/extended stays, strongest on Sal/Santa Maria, Praia and Boa Vista), Flatio (furnished, deposit-free mid-term rentals aimed at expats and nomads), Facebook expat and housing groups.
Sources
- Aggregated index Cape Verde's residential tenancy law is strongly pro-tenant (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media Arrendamento Urbano com Novo Regime Juridico (RGAU, Lei 101/VIII/2016) - Miranda Advogados (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media Direito Imobiliario em Cabo Verde - Carla Monteiro & Associados (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media Vacation Rental Laws in Cape Verde (Cabo Verde) - registration, NIF, Alojamento Local (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media Understanding Lease and Tenancy Laws in Cabo Verde (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media Flatio - Furnished, deposit-free mid-term rentals in Cape Verde (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media Santa Maria, Cabo Verde Furnished Monthly Rentals and Extended Stays - Airbnb (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media Apply for Cape Verdean NIF online - e-Residence (NIF requirements for foreigners) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15