How to send money to São Tomé and Príncipe in 2026: the euro at 24.5 dobras, old and new dobras and the citizenship contribution
The euro in São Tomé and Príncipe costs 24.5 dobras for both buying and selling, while the dollar has a 1.5% gap: on 8 October 2026 the bank bought it at 21.92. We show how to convert old dobras from before 2018 and what to attach to a citizenship contribution transfer.
In short
- The euro always costs 24.5 dobras, the same for buying and selling.
- The dollar on 8 October 2026: 21.92 buying and 22.25 selling.
- Since 2018 1,000 old dobras equal 1 new one.
- The citizenship contribution is from $90,000, in dollars.
In detail
Money is most reliably sent to São Tomé and Príncipe in euros to an account at a local bank: the dobra is pegged to the euro, and the Central Bank of São Tomé and Príncipe exchanges euros at one rate of 24.5 dobras for both buying and selling. A transfer takes 1-3 business days, and the recipient gives the account number, the bank and the name. On 8 October 2026 the bank bought the dollar at 21.92 dobras.
| Method | In 2026 | Timing | What you need |
|---|---|---|---|
| A euro transfer to an account at a bank in São Tomé | works, 24.5 dobras per euro | 1-3 business days | account number, bank, name |
| A dollar transfer | works, 21.92 dobras per dollar | 1-3 business days | account number, bank, name |
| A money transfer company | works | from minutes to a day | the recipient's name and ID document |
| A citizenship contribution | in dollars, to the National Transformation Fund | after preliminary approval | the preliminary approval decision |
The rows were checked on 8 October 2026 against Central Bank of São Tomé and Príncipe bulletin No. 190/2026, dollar sums are rounded up.
24.5 dobras per euro: why the euro is better than the dollar
The dobra has been pegged to the euro since 2010, so in the central bank bulletin the euro costs the same for buying and selling. For the dollar and the pound the gap between buying and selling is 1.5%:
| Currency | Buying, dobras | Selling, dobras | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Euro | 24.50 | 24.50 | none |
| US dollar | 21.92 | 22.25 | 1.5% |
| Pound sterling | 28.94 | 29.38 | 1.5% |
| Central African CFA franc | 0.0374 | 0.0379 | 1.3% |
Central Bank of São Tomé and Príncipe bulletin for 8 October 2026, calculated at a euro-dollar rate of 1.1177 on 7 October. A recipient of 1,000 euros sees 24,500 dobras in the account, while for $1,000 the bank gives 21,920 dobras. If the money is held in euros, it is sent with no exchange, and the recipient on the island knows the sum in advance.
Life in the island's capital is described in the São Tomé guide.
Savings are in dollars or pounds, and the recipient needs euros or dobras? A manager will tell you how best to transfer with one exchange on the way.
Sums in old dobras: how to read contracts from before 2018
On 1 January 2018 the Central Bank of São Tomé and Príncipe removed three zeros from the dobra: 1,000 old dobras became 1 new one. The bank still publishes the rate in old units, 24,500 dobras per euro. Sums from papers drawn up before 2018 are converted as follows:
| In old dobras | In new dobras | In dollars at 21.92 |
|---|---|---|
| 10,000,000 | 10,000 | $460 |
| 100,000,000 | 100,000 | $4,600 |
| 1,000,000,000 | 1,000,000 | $46,000 |
Converted under the central bank rule, dollars rounded up. This matters to a house buyer on the island: in an old deed of sale the price is in old dobras, and it is divided by 1,000 before comparing it with 2026 listings.
Transfers in 2026 are credited only in new dobras, so the recipient on the island sees the same sum in the account as in a calculation at the rate of 24.5.
We will help you send money to São Tomé and Príncipe
Mistakes cost more than fees: euros exchanged into dollars and back on the way, losing 1.5% on each exchange, a sum from an old contract not divided by 1,000, money for the citizenship contribution sent in the wrong currency, a bank on the island with no papers on the origin of the money. We will help you avoid them: we choose a legal transfer route from your country, prepare documents on the origin of the money for the bank in São Tomé and carry out the transfer through licensed partners through to crediting.
Details and the cost are with a manager in the chat: the calculation depends on the amount, the currency and the purpose of the transfer.
From $10,000 to a citizenship contribution: what the bank will ask
A bank in São Tomé and Príncipe asks more questions the larger the transfer. In 2026:
| Amount | The bank's question | What to attach |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $10,000 | to whom and why | account number, name, an explanation for the payment |
| $10,000-$90,000 | where the money comes from | six-month statements, an income certificate |
| From $90,000, a citizenship contribution | the whole path of the money | statements, a property sale contract, the preliminary approval decision |
What to attach to a transfer is explained in proof of source of funds, sending a large sum abroad and moving home sale proceeds abroad.
The citizenship contribution is paid in dollars: $90,000 for a single applicant, $95,000 for a family of up to 4 people and $5,000 for each additional person; a $5,000 fee is paid on application, and the contribution itself after preliminary approval. The programme is described in detail on the São Tomé and Príncipe citizenship page and in the article how much São Tomé and Príncipe citizenship costs.
Preparing a citizenship contribution or a house purchase on the island? A specialist will prepare papers on the origin of the money and carry out the transfer through licensed partners through to crediting; moving all your savings is described on the capital relocation page.
From São Tomé onwards: Portugal, Brazil and Angola
From the island money is sent for studies and to relatives in Portugal and Brazil, and to trading partners in Angola and France:
- Portugal - a euro transfer from the EU arrives in 10 seconds
- Brazil - a 0.38% tax on exchange
- Angola - 913 kwanzas per dollar since the end of 2024
- France - a notary is paid only by transfer
Sending money to neighbouring countries
- Cabo Verde - 110.265 escudos per euro since 1998
- Cameroon - the CFA franc at 655.957 per euro
- Nigeria - a 10-digit account number
- Ghana - the cedi is the only currency within the country
- Gabon - the CFA franc and a currency account
- Equatorial Guinea - euros from Spain and the CFA franc
How to move your savings as a whole is described on the capital relocation page.
FAQ
How many dobras do you get for a euro in 2026?
At what rate does the bank buy the dollar on the island?
What to do with a sum in old dobras from a contract dated before 2018?
In what currency is the São Tomé and Príncipe citizenship contribution paid?
We will suggest the best way to send your money
We will choose a transfer method for your amount and country, prepare the documents on the origin of the money for the bank, make the transfer through licensed partners and follow it until the money is credited. Ask your question in the chat - the manager will suggest the best terms and the cost. The legal side with banks and government bodies is handled by Murblz specialists and locally licensed partners.
Details and cost are with the manager in the chat. Describe your situation and we will reply right away.
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