Cape Verde's National Minimum Wage (Salário Mínimo Nacional, SMN) is set by the government together with social partners, and it differs between the private and public sector.
Cape Verde's minimum wage (in force since 2025-01-01)
| Sector | Monthly value |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 17,000 CVE |
| Public sector | 19,000 CVE |
Increase versus the previous value
The new private-sector minimum (17,000 CVE) is an increase of roughly 13.3% over the 15,000 CVE that applied through the end of 2024. The increase was agreed between the government and social partners in August 2024.
Per-day and per-hour reference
Cape Verdean law sets a monthly figure, not an official daily or hourly rate. As a rough reference, dividing by 30 days and by a 220-hour month: 17,000 CVE (private) works out to about 567 CVE per day and 77 CVE per hour; 19,000 CVE (public) works out to about 633 CVE per day and 86 CVE per hour.
Social security (INPS Cape Verde)
Wages are also subject to social security contributions managed by INPS: for regular employees, the total rate is 24.5%, of which 16% is paid by the employer and 8.5% is withheld from the employee.
This page is updated manually whenever the Cape Verdean government publishes a new SMN value — always check the effective date above before using this for formal purposes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Cape Verde?
Since 2025-01-01, Cape Verde's National Minimum Wage is 17,000 CVE in the private sector and 19,000 CVE in the public sector.
Is the minimum wage the same in the public and private sector in Cape Verde?
No — the public sector has a higher value (19,000 CVE) than the private sector (17,000 CVE).
How much did Cape Verde's minimum wage rise in 2025?
The private-sector value rose from 15,000 CVE to 17,000 CVE, an increase of about 13.3%.