Mindelo Taxi Fares 2026 & 2027: Official Prices in Escudos and Euros

Taxis are the easiest way to reach Mindelo's beaches, viewpoints and villages, and they are cheaper than you might expect. In July 2025 the Câmara Municipal de São Vicente approved the island's first taxi fare update in 13 years, and the prices below are the official municipal table now in force, with euro conversions added. The escudo is pegged to the euro at a fixed 110.265 CVE to 1 EUR, so each euro figure below is the escudo price converted at that rate and rounded to the nearest cent.

Note, last verified 1 November 2026: the municipality published this tariff schedule in July 2025 and no newer table has been published since. These are the latest verified published prices (not a confirmed table for 2027) and the euro amounts are rounded equivalents.

For planning a full day beyond the city, our São Vicente road trip guide covers the main destinations and a suggested island route.

Urban fares in Mindelo city

Trips inside the city cost between 150 and 250 CVE (about €1.36 to €2.27). Fares are set per trip for the whole taxi, not per person, so a ride shared by two or three people costs each of you less than a coffee.

Interurban fares across São Vicente

The municipal table fixes prices for 30 destinations around the island, from the island's beaches to the villages in the interior. The airport row matters most to arrivals: a taxi from Cesária Évora Airport (VXE) at São Pedro into Mindelo costs 1,200 CVE by day (about €10.88).

The table also fixes three special services: hourly hire at 1,000 CVE by day (€9.07) and 1,200 CVE at night (€10.88), weddings at 1,500 CVE (€13.60) and baptisms at 1,000 CVE (€9.07).

Why the fares were updated

The previous fare table dated from 2012, and fuel, spare parts and the cost of living had all risen sharply in the years since. The revision was proposed by the local taxi drivers' association and approved by the municipal council at its 12th ordinary session in July 2025, as reported by Notícias do Norte and Inforpress. The municipality presented the change as a way of giving passengers clear, published prices and drivers better conditions after more than a decade without an adjustment.

The vote was not unanimous. One opposition councillor (PAICV) voted in favour "with reservations", arguing that short hops from the centre to nearby neighbourhoods such as Madeiralzinho should still cost the 150 CVE urban rate, that trips between adjoining neighbourhoods should be priced as city rides, and that the table should be displayed inside every taxi, widely publicised and revised on a fixed schedule.

Night rates, paying and practical tips

• Night rates apply after dark. The municipal table lists a night column without defining exact hours, so agree the fare (or confirm the night rate) before you set off in the evening.
• The airport run is fixed price: 1,200 CVE by day, 1,300 CVE at night. Agree it before loading your bags.
• Pay in escudos. Some drivers accept euros, but usually at an unfavourable rate, and cards are rarely taken. Withdraw escudos from an ATM in Mindelo before heading out to the villages and beaches.
• Shared taxis (aluguer) run fixed routes and charge per person, costing less than the private fare, but they wait to fill up and stop running early in the evening.
• Confirm long trips in advance, especially for Baía das Gatas in festival season, Calhau or Monte Verde, when demand outruns supply.
• Problems or overcharging? The municipality's green line for complaints is 800 0022, and the official fare table is published by the Câmara Municipal.

Sources

• Câmara Municipal de São Vicente: new taxi price table announcement, 22 July 2025, linking the official fare table PDF
• Notícias do Norte: São Vicente approves new taxi fares after 13 years, 17 July 2025
• Inforpress: councillors approve the taxi fare update, 18 July 2025
• RTC: the São Vicente municipal council updates island taxi fares
• Cape Verdean escudo: euro peg at 110.265, the fixed rate used for the euro columns