Visiting Cape Verde soon? Make sure to know what to expect when it comes to purchasing a Cape Verde SIM card.
Fortunately, Africa is one of the best places to buy a SIM card easily. You should be able to find a cheap SIM card pretty much anywhere in Africa.
In fact, most data packages are affordable, which makes the whole thing easier!
This guide will explain where to buy a SIM card in Cape Verde in person and online. We’ll also discuss prepaid SIM cards and eSIMs if your mobile supports them.
Before you read this guide, you may wonder if you actually need a SIM card in Cape Verde. If you don’t mind not having Internet, you’ll likely find free Wifi in restaurants, shopping malls, and hotels.
That said, if you need data to get around, call a cab, or translate Portuguese – you may want to get a SIM card for your travels in Cape Verde.
Best SIM Cards In Cape Verde
If you’re traveling in Cape Verde, we recommend using a SIM card from Unitel, CV Movel, or Airalo. (I’ll get back to Airalo later on, so keep reading to learn more!)
That said, if you’re planning on visiting other countries during your trip to Africa, you might want to make sure to pick an option that offers coverage in other African countries.
How To Buy A SIM Card In Cape Verde
You can either buy an Africa prepaid SIM card in person in some international airports, mobile provider stores, convenience stores, or online.
Usually, you can expect higher costs and low data offers at the airport, so we don’t recommend buying a SIM card at the airport.
That said, you won’t necessarily find SIM card shops in every airport, so it’s essential to keep this in mind. And, when you see a shop, you might also have limited options.
For this reason, I’d recommend buying a SIM card directly from the mobile provider store. Note that you may need your passport to buy one.
Although, this means you won’t get data right upon your arrival. So, if you prefer to be connected at all times, you could use an eSIM or purchase an African prepaid SIM card online.
Now, let’s take a look at the data plans offered by Unitel and CV Movel.
Unitel SIM Cards
Unitel offers several data options:
- 1 GB, valid for 30 days for CVE 500 ($4.82)
- 2 GB, valid for 30 days for CVE 800 ($7.71)
- 5 GB, valid for 30 days for CVE 1250 ($12.05)
CV Movel SIM Cards
CV Movel doesn’t have any data plans on offer, unfortunately, but they charge the following price:
- CVE 8 ($0.07) per MB of Data
Overall, we think Unitel is the best option if you plan to buy your SIM card in person. That said, any would do if you can’t find their store!
How To Buy A Cape Verde Prepaid SIM Card Online
If you wish to have your SIM card ready for your arrival, you could purchase it online or on websites like Amazon.
You’ll find different plans on Amazon. For example, Orange Holiday World SIM works in more than 100+ countries and gives you up to 10 GB of data for 14 days. Cape Verde is included.
But there are many other options worth considering, so have a look and make sure the countries you plan on visiting are listed.
Finally, the last option is to buy an eSIM card for Cape Verde or, if you’re traveling to multiple countries, an eSIM plan for Africa.
How To Buy An eSIM Card For Cape Verde
eSIM is a new concept allowing you to have a virtual SIM card inside your phone. If your mobile phone supports eSIM cards – it’s definitely one of the best options to get data in Cape Verde.
Curious? Learn more about eSIM for travelers on esimroamers.com.
I started using eSIM as soon as my mobile phone supported it. And I first tried it when visiting my family in Canada.
To buy eSIMs, I usually use Airalo. Keep reading to learn more about the best eSIMs in Cape Verde.
Airalo Cape Verde
If you want to buy an eSIM for Cape Verde, you could purchase one on Airalo.
This website offers many eSIM cards worldwide and special plans for Africa and Cape Verde. I’ve been using Airalo for several months, and it works fine.
Here are the options available:
- Fogotel: 1 GB, valid for 7 days for $9.50
Final Thoughts On SIM Cards In Cape Verde
As you can see, getting a prepaid SIM card in Cape Verde or even an eSIM for your travels in Cape Verde is pretty easy.
You’ll even be able to stay connected wherever you go in Africa without changing your SIM card, especially if you purchase an African SIM card.
I believe the eSIM card is the most convenient way to get data in Cape Verde if you wish to have data upon your arrival. This way, you won’t need to go to a store to buy a SIM card.
Obviously, you need to make sure your mobile phone supports eSIM first.
Traveling soon? Read one of the following blog posts:
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