We Spent a Week Living in Sao Tome & Principe, a Country with a $90k CBI, and Even Met the Prime Minister

Sao Tome and Principe now sells citizenship by donation starting at $90,000. In May 2026, my team and I spent a week on the island, including a meeting with the Prime Minister, to see what its like living in Sao Tome and Principe. This is not the application guide. These are our first impressions of the country as a place you might actually live, bank, and buy land.

Sao Tome and Principe is a small, Portuguese-speaking, African island country that many people haven’t even heard of, but the new citizenship by investment program launched in 2025 is raising the profile of the country.

My team and I decided to spend a week there in May of 2026 to explore the country as a Plan B destination. We explored topics such as taxation, real estate and banking, but also more basic considerations such as food, nightlife, grocery shopping and transport.

We also had the privilege of visiting the Prime Minister to hear from him directly how the CBI fits into the vision the current administration has for the future development of infrastructure and tourism on the island.

We also dug into the culture and the people to understand what makes Sao Tome unique in the context of Africa and its overall viability as a place for new citizens to live.

Here are some of our first impressions:

AIR CONNECTIVITY AND AIRPORT

• Very limited. the government has a long-term goal of improving air links.
• Sao Tome International Airport TMS only has direct international flights to Lisbon (Portugal), Accra (Ghana), Libreville (Gabon) and Luanda (Angola).
• The airport is small but very functional and pleasant. Most of the people working there are trilingual and ready to communicate with tourists in Portuguese, English and French.

INTERNET AND SIM CARDS

• Data can be quite expensive – we paid roughly 2 euros per gigabyte. You’ll need to have your passport with you to buy the SIM card in the main telecommunications office in the city center.
• There’s LTE Internet in Sao Tome, though only since 2023.
• Connection can be interrupted by frequent power cuts, but most hotels and guesthouses have diesel generators.
• Starlink also exists on Sao Tome since 2025, though we did not have a chance to try the connection. This is likely the best solution for digital nomads who need to carry out high intensity online work on the islands.

PORTUGUESE CULTURAL IMPACT

• We stumbled upon Portuguese Cultural Center, which was actively promoting events and constructive social activism.
• Our impression was that the Portuguese presence was not overbearing or controlling. Sao Tome seems quite independent and sovereign, while keeping a strong cooperative relationship with Portugal

MONEY EXCHANGE

• We managed to exchange cash euros for the local currency dobras with varying exchange rates on the street in town. There are men with backpacks full of cash offering legitimate, efficient and safe currency exchange services. The dobra is pegged to the euro at an official rate of 24.5 per euro, which is the exact rate we got at the airport. In subsequent exchanges in town with the backpack men, we got 25…then 26….and ultimately 27 dobras per euro.
• Given the above, it demonstrated that capital controls do exist in some shape or form and that obtaining foreign currency there may be a challenge.
• Changing money in the banks is likely possible but surely more bureaucratic than using the gentlemen with the backpacks.

SUPERMAKET PRICES

• A lot of products are imported from Portugal, which means nothing is super cheap apart from the locally sourced fish and fruit.
• The prices of Portuguese products were roughly double what they would cost in Portugal. But even so, they seemed more affordable than what imported products often cost in West African supermarkets.
• The bottled water sections of the grocery stores are massive as tap water is a total no-no.

TRANSPORTATION

• It’s not easy to find a taxi on the street, even in the capital. The main option available is motorcycle taxis. Though arguably dangerous, they are affordable – there is an established flat fee of 15 dobras, roughly 0.70 euro, for trips within town.
• It’s recommended to rent a car for the duration of your stay. A 4×4 that can handle the potholed roads and terrain you’ll find in remote parts of the island costs around 40-50 euro per day, and doesn’t require a lot of paperwork whatsoever.
• The roads are in acceptable condition, but decrease in quality as you head south of the capital city. A 4×4 is a must have if you’re leaving Sao Tome for the beaches and hills.
• People don’t really speed and the roads are sparsely traveled, and overall very relaxed. Unlike most of West Africa, there were no random police checkpoints looking for petty bribes.

OUR MEETING WITH THE PRIME MINISTER TO DISCUSS THE CBI PROGRAM

• The PM stated that the goal of the CBI program is to attract investment to the country and promote it worldwide as a tourism destination. His hope is that the program will raise the profile of the country and encourage HNWIs worldwide to see it as a viable investment destination.
• He emphasized the importance that the program is used as an opportunity for upstanding investors, and never co-opted by people with illegitimate backgrounds.

We filmed this meeting and the rest of the week in São Tomé and Príncipe CBI Program – Living, Investing and Doing Business.

CACAU CULTURAL CENTER/ ART IN SAO TOME

• We visited the CACAU Cultural Center and art gallery, founded and curated by one of the island’s foremost artists, João Carlos Silva.
• Since 1995 they have hosted the N’GOLÁ Biennial of Arts and Culture, which brings artists from all around the world to Sao Tome.
• They are also working to reinvent the former coffee and cocoa plantation in Água Izé village, to serve as a place for educators and create local job opportunities.
• There are many other projects: building a contemporary art museum, cocoa laboratory, chocolate factory.
• CACAU’s mission extends to local agriculture and art development, and combining those two through education to positively impact the environment, and develop local rural tourism.

CLAUDIO CORRALLO CHOCOLATE FACTORY

• Claudio Corrallo came to Sao Tome and Principe and brought his academic and practical experience with coffee production to create world class cacao beans that are highly aromatic and lacking bitterness.
• The chocolate produced by Claudio Corrallo is recognized as the best one in the world.

OPENING A BANK ACCOUNT

• We met with representatives of GTI bank, originally from Ghana, that newly entered Sao Tome.
• In contract to most banks in Sao Tome, GTI allows you to open an account entirely remotely as a citizen, through the mobile app. Further account management is also possible this way. The whole process takes a just a couple of minutes. It’s also possible to open the account as a foreign citizen.
• You need a local tax number to open an account. The bank employees can help you obtain it.
• Services can be provided in multiple languages, as many bank staff are trilingual.
• Central bank regulations require 25% of incoming foreign deposits to undergo forced conversion to dobras. This can essentially be interpreted as a 3-4% fee on your transfer.
• Euro deposits can gain 2.5-3% interest.
• While it can’t function as your primary overseas bank account because of capital controls, it’s practical to open an account and keep some money stashed as part of your Plan B toolkit.

REAL ESTATE

• It’s still possible to buy an oceanfront/ocean view piece of land, but we were told that many local and foreign speculators bid up much of the inventory of land and property in recent decades.
• Due to the low liquidity of the Sao Tome real estate market, prices are often negotiable by at least 10-20%.
• There’s a noticeable lack of Airbnbs and hotel facilities providing quality accommodation and services – big potential for investment by someone who knows what they are doing.
• It’s possible io handle the transaction from overseas.
• As lots of countries located in the Gulf of Guinea have oil and gas, it is assumed there must be some in Sao Tome as well – that in the future can dramatically rise real estate prices
• We met a local real estate agent, Jean-Max, who can assist you with land and real estate purchases in Sao Tome.

TOURISM

• Tourists and locals alike can be found enjoying bars, restaurants and nightclubs, though there aren’t too many operating. Entry fees and prices are very affordable.
• During the day, there is the possibility to surf, snorkel or dive.
• Beaches are amazing and resemble volcanic islands like Hawaii.
• Tourists generally feel safe, especially in comparison to other African countries.
• Minimal car traffic, allowing you to enjoy the road and views and travel smoothly about the country.
• Sao Tome seems focused on attracting European and specifically Portuguese tourists. Our impression was that the country should be doing more to attract wealthy tourists from the neighboring high-growth West African markets like Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana and DRC.
• The expat community is quite small but seems to be growing. You will certainly be able to make friends and socialize, but it seemed like you would quickly be able to meet almost every foreigner residing on the island.
• The expat community is not too big and rather reserved, it might get a bit lonely, but very much recommended for families.
• Lots of mosquitos that bite aggressively, and while many say malaria is controlled, it is still problematic and a risk.
• Healthcare quality and availability is not ideal. It seemed that people with major issues usually travel to Portugal or neighboring countries for treatment.

LOCAL POPULATION AND SOCIETY

• Despite the fact that Sao Tome is a relatively poor country, many basic needs seem to be covered.
• People are very talented in languages and you can mostly get by with English, Portuguese or French.
• The second language in school is in fact French, which is mainly due to a strong economic connection with neighboring Gabon.
• The number of inhabitants of the island might be overestimated as a big part of population is currently residing in Portugal, some say as much as 25%.
• Locals are helpful and inviting, it’s easy to be welcomed to take part in local activities.

FOOD

• Food is very tasty overall and portions are colossal. There are mainly fish dishes, with a variety of seafood caught fresh daily. Prices are affordable.
• Locals know how to cook fish; it was not unlike what we know and enjoy in the southern Mediterranean
• Alcohol, imported, is also widely available and affordable.

SAFETY/COMPARISON TO OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES

• Sao Tome was largely “hassle-free.” The people are kind, helpful, polite and we didn’t get bothered by people for money as is typical in many African countries.
• We didn’t have to constantly be on guard or keep eyes on our belongings. It didn’t seem like they can be stolen at anytime like in Europe. The crime rate is low and you feel at ease.

ENERGY

• Diesel was priced at around 1.25 euro per liter. We were surprised by how low the prices are as Sao Tome is yet to produce its own oil and gas.
• Sao Tome’s energy consists 100% of imported diesel, primarly from neighboring Angola.
• Short distances on the island mean you won’t spend huge amounts on fuel.

FINAL THOUGHTS

• It’s a beautiful country with a lot of development potential. Very easy to imagine it being a top tourism destination in 10-15 years given how quickly things can change. All it takes is a few more direct airlinks.
• We met many people who naturalized through normal pathways who are not African and they are not viewed suspiciously. It is very normal to be White, Asian or Middle Eastern with a Santomean passport.
• The country genuinely seems like a realistic place to live, start a business or retire.
• It’s still a developing African country – it comes with unique challenges like power cuts, but these things almost invariably improve with time. For every step backward, the country will take two steps forward.

Services in Africa:

• African Citizenship by Investment programs

Articles on São Tomé:

• São Tomé Citizenship by Investment: A Discussion with the Program Architect
• Expat Life in São Tomé and Príncipe for CBI Citizens – A Viable Plan B?
• My Real Estate Agent in São Tomé and Príncipe