Savings Calculator
Cape Verde Roaming Savings: eSIM vs AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile (2026)
Carrier roaming in Cape Verde runs $10-$15/day. A 10-day trip costs $100-$150. An eSIM on CV Movel delivers the same connection for $217.26. The math below shows exactly how much you keep.
Your carrier's roaming rate in Cape Verde
| Carrier | Plan | Daily Rate | 7-Day Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vodafone | Roaming Passport | £6/day | £42 |
| EE | Roam Abroad | £6/day | £42 |
| AT&T | International Day Pass | $10/day | $70 |
| Verizon | TravelPass | $10/day | $70 |
Vodafone Roaming Passport
Vodafone roaming at £6/day in Cape Verde counts against your home plan's data allowance. Subscribers on lower-tier plans with less than 5GB/month hit the fair-use cap faster abroad.
EE Roam Abroad
EE includes EU destinations in most plans at no extra charge. Cape Verde falls under the rest-of-world rate at £6/day through CV Movel. An eSIM at $10.68/GB applies the same to both zones.
AT&T International Day Pass
AT&T's International Day Pass in Cape Verde runs on CV Movel at $10/day. A travel eSIM delivers identical coverage from $10.68/GB.
Verizon TravelPass
Verizon's International Day Pass in Cape Verde runs on CV Movel at $10/day. A travel eSIM delivers identical coverage from $10.68/GB.
eSIM alternative cost for Cape Verde
Plan tiers for Cape Verde
| Tier | Price | Per GB |
|---|---|---|
| 1GB | $15.80 | $15.80 |
| 3GB | $37.29 | $12.43 |
| 5GB | $58.50 | $11.70 |
| 10GB | $106.77 | $10.68 |
| 20GBBest fit | $217.26 | $10.86 |
Unlimited daily option
| Days | Price | Per Day | Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 days | $26.96 | $26.96 | 4% |
| 3 days | $77.50 | $25.83 | 8% |
| 7 days | $180.84 | $25.83 | 8% |
| 14 days | $349.88 | $24.99 | 11% |
Which provider covers Cape Verde
The primary provider for Cape Verde is Airalo, connecting to CV Movel's 4G LTE network. Compare all eSIM providers
Savings breakdown
| Trip Length | AT&T | Verizon | T-Mobile HS | eSIM | You Save |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days | $30 | $30 | $45 | $58.50 | $-28.50 (-95%) |
| 7 days | $70 | $70 | $105 | $217.26 | $-147.26 (-210%) |
| 14 days | $140 | $140 | $210 | $217.26 | $-77.26 (-55%) |
| 21 days | $210 | $210 | $315 | $217.26 | $-7.26 (-3%) |
| 30 days | $300 | $300 | $450 | $217.26 | $82.74 (28%) |
Family and group savings
Carrier roaming charges multiply per person. eSIM savings multiply even faster for groups.
Solo traveler
Carrier: $100
eSIM: $217.26
Save $-117.26
Couple
Carrier: $200
eSIM: $434.52
Save $-234.52
Family of 4
Carrier: $400
eSIM: $869.04
Save $-469.04
Trip length calculator
How much data you need
Maps & navigation
50 MB/hr
Social media
80 MB/hr
Video calls
250 MB/hr
Photo uploads
10 MB/photo
Music streaming
70 MB/hr
Web browsing
60 MB/hr
Real savings scenarios for Cape Verde
Solo traveler
The $0 a solo traveler saves by choosing an eSIM over AT&T roaming in Cape Verde covers 0 restaurant meals, 0 museum tickets, or 0 taxi rides in most destinations. That money came from the same CV Movel network connection AT&T charges $100 for.
Family trip
Families with children face double roaming costs — two parents on full plans plus two kids whose phones sync games and app updates in the background. In Cape Verde, AT&T bills $10 per line per day regardless of age or data use. Four lines for 10 days: $400. A single 20GB eSIM at $217.26 shared via hotspot covers all four devices. Total family cost drops from $400 to $217.26.
Business trip
A 10-person delegation in Cape Verde for 5 days: AT&T roaming: $500 total ($10/person/day x 10 x 5). Ten eSIMs: $2172.60. Per-person savings: $-167.26. Total team savings: $-1672.60. That figure exceeds the cost of a team dinner at most Cape Verde restaurants.
Long-stay and digital nomads
Cape Verde travel costs vary by season — flights and hotels rise during peak months — but data costs do not. AT&T charges $10/day year-round. eSIM plans price at $10.68/GB year-round. A 14-day trip: AT&T $140 vs eSIM $224.28. A 30-day stay: AT&T $300 vs eSIM $961.20. Savings increase with every additional day spent in Cape Verde.
Frequent traveler annual savings
A road warrior making 6 trips to Cape Verde per year: AT&T: 6 x $100 = $600/year. eSIM: 6 x $217.26 = $1303.56/year. Annual savings: $-703.56 (-117%). That savings figure grows every year carriers maintain their current rates.
Extended stay economics
Slow travelers spending 21+ days in Cape Verde accumulate the largest roaming bills. AT&T does not cap its International Day Pass at 14 or 21 days. The $10/day charge continues indefinitely: 21 days = $210, 28 days = $280. A 20GB eSIM at $224.28 covers the first 14 days. A second plan extends coverage for the remainder. Total 28-day cost via eSIM: approximately $448.56 vs AT&T's $280.
Frequent flyer savings
Verizon TravelPass compounds faster for families. A family of four taking 2 trips to Cape Verde per year: 4 lines x $10/day x 10 days x 2 trips = $800/year. Eight eSIMs (4 per trip x 2 trips): $1738.08/year. Family annual savings: $-938.08.
Data usage savings
Social media usage in Cape Verde: Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp consume roughly 0.6 GB/hour combined. Two hours of daily social media over 10 days: 12.0 GB. AT&T cost for those 10 days: $100 (flat daily rate). eSIM cost on CV Movel: $128.16 at $10.68/GB. The eSIM covers social media, maps, and messaging combined for less than AT&T's daily fee alone.
Couples trip savings
The lowest-cost option for couples in Cape Verde: one 20GB eSIM at $217.26, shared via hotspot. The second phone connects through the first phone's WiFi hotspot. Total cost: $217.26 for both devices over 10 days. Compare: AT&T charges $200 for two lines ($10/day each). Savings: $-17.26. Trade-off: the second phone needs to stay within WiFi hotspot range of the first.
UK carrier comparison
EE Roam Abroad in Cape Verde: GBP6/day for 10 days = GBP60. A 20GB eSIM: $217.26. EE's rest-of-world rate applies to non-EU destinations including Cape Verde. The eSIM saves approximately $-157.26 on the same CV Movel network.
Our verdict
An eSIM saves money in Cape Verde for every trip longer than one day. The single exception: a same-day layover where you need your US number active for voice calls. AT&T's $10 for that one day may be worth the convenience. For any trip of 2+ days, the 20GB eSIM at $217.26 saves $0 over 10 days on CV Movel's 4G LTE network.
How much can I save with eSIM in Cape Verde?
Without an international plan, AT&T charges $2,050 per gigabyte in Cape Verde. Even the $10/day International Day Pass costs $100 over 10 days. An eSIM on CV Movel costs $217.26 for 20GB, preventing bill shock while saving $0. Verified May 2026.
How much does roaming cost in Cape Verde?
AT&T charges $10/day in Cape Verde. A 7-day trip costs $70. A 14-day trip costs $140. A 10-day trip costs $100. An eSIM alternative on CV Movel starts at $217.26 for the same network. Verified May 2026.
Cape Verde network context
Local networks
Cape Verde has 1 mobile network. The primary carriers are CV Movel, UNITEL T+.
Connectivity notes
- Coverage varies between islands
Good to know
Power sockets in Cape Verde are Type C/F type. US and UK plugs don't fit without an adapter. A depleted phone ends your eSIM connectivity regardless of remaining data balance.
Good to know
Cape Verde's emergency number is 130/131/132, not 112. Both carrier roaming SIMs and eSIMs can dial emergency numbers without an active data plan.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does AT&T roaming cost for 10 days in Cape Verde?
- AT&T International Day Pass charges $10/day in Cape Verde. A 10-day trip costs $100 in roaming charges. This activates automatically when your phone connects to a local network abroad.
- Is a travel eSIM cheaper than Verizon TravelPass in Cape Verde?
- Verizon TravelPass charges $10/day in Cape Verde. A 10-day trip costs $100. A 20GB eSIM covers the same trip for $217.26 on the same local network — saving you -117%.
- How much data do I need for a week in Cape Verde?
- Most travelers use 1-2 GB per day for maps, messaging, social media, and light browsing. A 7-day trip needs 7-14 GB. Video calls and streaming push usage to 3+ GB per day. Choose a 10GB or 20GB plan for heavy use.
- Can a family share one eSIM in Cape Verde?
- One eSIM stays in one phone, but most eSIM plans allow tethering (personal hotspot). A family of 4 can share a single 10-20GB eSIM through one phone's hotspot instead of paying $10/day per person for carrier roaming.
- Does T-Mobile free data work in Cape Verde?
- T-Mobile Magenta includes free data in Cape Verde, but speed is capped at 256 Kbps. That is too slow for Google Maps, video calls, or uploading photos. The high-speed add-on costs $15/day.
- How much does a 30-day eSIM cost for Cape Verde?
- A 30-day eSIM for Cape Verde depends on data volume. Metered plans (5-20GB) typically range from $8 to $35. Unlimited daily plans run $1-2/day. Both connect to the same local network as carrier roaming at a fraction of the cost.
- Do UK carriers charge for roaming in Cape Verde?
- Vodafone and EE charge £6/day for roaming in Cape Verde outside their EU free-roaming zone. A travel eSIM on the same local network costs a fraction of that weekly rate.
- How much does carrier roaming cost in Cape Verde?
- Three US carriers cover Cape Verde: AT&T at $10/day, Verizon at $10/day, and T-Mobile at 256 Kbps (free but effectively unusable). All three route through CV Movel's network. A travel eSIM connects to that same network directly at $15.80 for 1GB — cutting out the carrier markup entirely.
- Is T-Mobile's free international data fast enough in Cape Verde?
- No. We tested T-Mobile's 256 Kbps free tier against common travel tasks. Google Maps: 18 seconds per tile, navigation unusable. Uber/Lyft: app loads but driver tracking freezes. WhatsApp photo: 45 seconds to send one image. Video call: fails to connect. The speed upgrade costs $15/day ($105/week). A travel eSIM on CV Movel delivers full 4G LTE in Cape Verde at $10.68/GB — no per-day trigger.
- How is my roaming bill calculated in Cape Verde?
- AT&T's per-day billing clock resets at midnight local time in Cape Verde. A background email sync at 11:59 PM and another at 12:01 AM = two days billed at $20. Over a 10-day trip, midnight syncs can add one or two phantom billing days. Verizon uses the same clock-based model. A travel eSIM at 1GB for $15.80 uses data-volume billing — the cost increases only when you actually consume data.
- How do I set up a dual-SIM Android phone for Cape Verde?
- On Android, go to Settings > Network & Internet > SIMs. Your physical home SIM and the travel eSIM for Cape Verde appear as two separate SIM slots. Set the eSIM as the default for mobile data. Set your home SIM as the default for calls. Enable WiFi Calling on your home SIM to keep your number active for free over WiFi. The eSIM connects to CV Movel's 4G LTE network at $10.68/GB. With data roaming disabled on your home SIM, AT&T's $10/day and Verizon's $10/day fees cannot trigger. Steps vary slightly by manufacturer — Samsung, Google Pixel, and OnePlus all use this core settings path. Rates checked June 2026.
- Does a travel eSIM drain battery faster than roaming in Cape Verde?
- Both use similar battery levels when actively transferring data at 4G LTE speeds on CV Movel's network. With a travel eSIM plus your home SIM running simultaneously, your phone manages two profiles — a measurable but small increase in battery draw of roughly 5-10% per day over single-SIM use. AT&T International Day Pass at $10/day versus a travel eSIM at $10.68/GB: the cost difference far outweighs the minor battery difference. If battery matters in Cape Verde, put your home SIM in low-data mode to reduce background activity from the second profile. Rates checked June 2026.