Most middle management jobs in São Paulo pay around R$7000 - R$8000 per month. The cost of living in São Paulo is quite high and climbing steadily so if you are considering a job here you will want to try and negotiate a salary that starts at about US $4,000.00 per month or better.
Accommodations
Renting an apartment in a decent neighborhood near the city center is on the top of the list. An unfurnished one bedroom apartment will cost upwards of R$1000 per month, plus condominium fees (where applicable) which can be almost equal to the rent in some cases. In most cases you will also have to pay the property taxes and rental insurance too. If you are willing to spend some time commuting to work (a hassle but manageable if you know the shortcuts and how the transit system works) you can save a great deal on rent which you can plough back into other areas of your budget.
Not everybody can afford the rents in Itaim Bibi, Jardins, Paulista, Morumbi, etc., but there are some rather nice neighborhoods that still have reasonable rents and property values a bit farther from the city center. If you can manage it, visit a few real estate agencies in a neighborhood that might interest you. Most of them will have a bulletin board with photos and details of their rental and sale properties available. Remember, if you move farther from the city center for cheaper rents you will want to try and find a place that is as close as possible to a train or subway station or to one of the transit bus terminals in order to facilitate and reduce the time of your daily commute. Rental contracts are fixed by law at 30 months, nothing less.
Only furnished apartments come with appliances and they are outrageously expensive, so you will most likely need to buy appliances. Refrigerators here range from the lowest price of around R$900 upwards to over R$2000 depending on the features you want. Washing machines are about the same and clothes dryers are almost unheard of here in Brazil. A basic 4 burner gas range/oven with automatic ignition will cost about R$500 and the more burners or features the price only goes up from there. Air conditioners are about R$1000 if you want one of those. Electric heaters (central heating is non-existent here) depending on the size are also expensive. In case nobody has told you, winter in São Paulo can get rather chilly and you will probably be more comfortable with at least a small heater. If your budget doesn't allow for buying expensive new appliances many bairros have small shops called "Topa Tudo" which sell used appliances, furniture, electronics, etc. You can usually find real bargains. If you buy a new mattress, for example, you can save buy purchasing a beautiful bed frame and headboard that is used. Other items like appliances, kitchen cabinets, etc., as long as they are clean and in good working condition what does it matter if they are new or used? I don't know if I would go so far as buying a used sofa, I guess that would depend on the amount of use it had seen.
Grocery Shopping and Eating Out
A trip to the supermarket can be frightening; prices are constantly rising on everything. A single person should budget about R$500 a month at minimum perhaps more if you like to eat a lot. Depending on where you go eating out can range from very inexpensive to rather expensive. Small "self-serve" restaurants offer ready-made dishes the average price in São Paulo is R$10 (higher in upscale neighborhoods). You can usually get a good meal at one of them (by weight) for about R$15. Good restaurants can charge about R$30 or more for a decent meal.
You can economize on your grocery budget by organizing your shop; stock up by buying larger quantities of the products that dont spoil quickly, buy a large quantity of a specific product this shop and then something else the next shop. If you can buy your vegetables at one of the many local street markets you may be able to save over the produce prices in supermarkets. Keep your eye on the supermarket flyers and watch for bargains.
Another way to economize on grocery costs (if you can adapt to the Brazilian rice & beans standard diet) is to buy a cesta básica each month. It is a standardized selection of the basic food and other items that comes pre-packaged, don't buy it from the supermarket even if they do sell it because they charge too much. Look around, ask people until you find some individual who sells the cesta básica. Chances are that they will even deliver it to your door in most cases. It is usually much cheaper than buying the very same items and quantities separately. You will only have to augment this with some of the perishable foods that the cesta básica doesn't contain. Ask your employer if they are already in the government program that provides a cesta for their employees as a benefit of their employment.
If you live alone and dont eat a great deal at a sitting you can economize quite a lot by finding a small self-serve that has a decent variety on their lunch menu and order a marmitex. This is a prepared meal that comes in an aluminum take-out container which consists of rice, beans, sometimes a small amount of salad, farofa and a portion of meat, chicken, etc. The quantity of food is sufficient for an average person (who doesnt gorge themselves) for lunch and dinner. Depending on the part of the city the price averages around R$10, so you could consider that as a cost cutting measure if you have to buy a lunch at work anyway.
If you do have the time to cook at home you can cut that cost substantially by shopping wisely. You can make a healthy and nutritious meal like a "marmitex", for example a drumstick, rice, beans, a vegetable. salad and juice for just a bit over R$3.
Other Shopping
If you buy anything, especially clothing and accessories, in the large shopping centers in São Paulo you will pay astronomical prices. Shopping in neighborhoods away from Morumbi, Itaim Bibi, Paulista, etc., you generally can find the same or similar products at considerably lower prices in small shops. You can really save thousands of Reais yearly if you look a little farther from home for bargains. What is your time worth? Is the convenience of popping into that giant shopping center near you worth the extra money you pay?
I buy all household accessories and gadgets at a R$1,99 store whenever possible. These shops can be found almost everywhere and stock a wide variety of useful items. You can outfit your entire kitchen with pots and pans, cuttlery and chinawear, etc., at rock bottom prices. Many other handy household items, decorations and tools can be found there too.
Utility Bills
Utilities in São Paulo are also expensive. Electricity for a single person who uses lots of lighting and a computer will probably run around R$120 per month, water R$30, For a TV/internet/telephone basic plan you can count on paying at least R$175 per month without any extras and not counting long distance phone charges. Since many apartments do not have piped gas you will also have to pay for CNG to be delivered. The tank costs about R$90 the first time, then each further delivery they exchange it with a full tank and this costs about R$45. If you cook a lot or use the oven frequently it will generally last a single person only 3 months.
Cutting costs in the area of utilities can be a bit tricky, but it is possible. Remember always turn off the lights when you are actually not using them and buy low-energy fluorescents. Since most showers are electric, take shorter showers and use the low heat setting and if possible confirm that the pressure restriction plug has been installed between the shower head and outlet pipe. Turn off the faucet whenever possible and dont let water run unnecessarily. If your toilet doesnt already have an economy flush valve you could fill a plastic bottle with water and place that in the tank to reduce the amount of water used for each flush.
Many people dont even bother with having a landline fixed telephone and use cellular phone service exclusively and save money by doing this, think about your needs. Long distance telephone charges are cheaper on Sunday, at night and on holidays so organize your long distance calling habits to maximize savings. The strategic use of public phones and their phone cards can save significantly if you are making long distance calls.
If you dont watch a lot of TV dont waste money on cable television, you can get a lot of great programs on the internet at sites like www.megatvonline.org or www.assistatvonline.com this is an option for those who have internet service.
Cutting cost on the gas bill, prepare meals that mostly use the stove-top and limit the use of your oven. This will generally extend the period your gas bottle will last substantially. Get a good microwave oven recipe book and learn to use your machine for more than just defrosting frozen foods and making popcorn. You will save money and be much healthier too.
Driving/Cars/Transportation
Unless you REALLY need a car and plan on doing a great deal of driving every day you should forget about buying a car here in Brazil, they are just too expensive when you factor in all the additional expenses. Popular compact cars here (manual transmission) and no options start around R$23000 and go up from there. The larger cars run from R$50000 and up. Insurance is super-expensive and the list of things that it DOESN'T cover is frightening. Taxes paid every year like IPVA, DPVAT are horrible too, then there is fuel which depends on the system your car has, alcohol for "flex" cars is around R$1,25 a liter, regular gasoline around R2,20, diesel R$1,90 and natural gas is around R$1,50. Add to that high maintenance costs, tires, etc.
Then too the bureaucracy involved in either having your (home country) drivers license translated and accepted here or getting a Brazilian license is absurd. If you come from Canada/USA/Mexico/Central or South America you can get a Inter-Americas Drivers Permit (IADP) which will allow you to drive here for 1 year with a valid drivers license from home. An International Drivers Permit (IDP) is NOT valid in Brazil since it is not one of the signatory countries.
If your company doesn't provide you with a car and driver when needed you will probably save money in the long run by taking taxis when you really need one rather than buy a car.
Public transportation in São Paulo is not the worlds greatest but it remains a viable option despite the fact that the cash fare for the bus or subway/train are the highest in Brazil at R$3,00. If you purchase a Bilhete Unico pass and keep it topped up with credits you can save money since using the pass permits using four different buses in a two hour period on weekdays, or two buses and subway/train. If you are paying cash there are no transfer privileges like those with the pass. If you know how the system works and you use the internet Google Maps and the SP Trans website to plan your trips you can find shortcut that will save you time and money making public transportation more attractive and worth the added inconvenience.
FORUM ANIMATOR'S NOTE: While these comments are made with specific reference to Greater São Paulo the tips hold true for any place in Brazil. We live on a planet with finite resources, we have (unless you're the Sultan of Brunai or Bill Gates) finite incomes. Use your head and think about what you buy, what you use and how you buy or use it means money in YOUR pocket.
High cost of living in SP and how to economize
Thanks..Good list of suggestions...Keep writing
Great article, thanks a lot..
Another serious concern about grocery shopping is the fact that there are no less than six (6) different taxes built into the shelf price for all the things you buy. They are not listed separately, rather they are hidden in the price. On average you pay 22.5%, some products are less than that others considerably higher, up to 57% or more. You really should do an internet search of the tax rates that apply to all the various items. You may want to consider changing many of your buying habits to cut down on the tax load. No more sinful stuff or comfort foods..... they really get hit hard with taxes. Chocolate costs more here in Brazil where we grow the stuff than it does in the USA where it is imported, just because of the high tax load.
Here are some of the sobering figures:
Chocolate drink powder 38.6%, sugar 32.33%, water 37.88%, mineral water 43.91%, rice 17.4%, potatoes 11.22%, cookies 37.30%, cachaça 81,87%, coffee 19.98%, shrimp 33.29%, beef 17.47%, chicken eggs 20.59%,turkey & ham 29.32%, chocolate 38.6%, wheat flour 17.34%, beans 17.24%, yeast 38.48%, milk 18.65%, milk powder 28.17%, butter 36.01%, tomato sauce 26.05%, vegetable oil 26.05%, French bread rolls 16.86%, fish 34.48%, juice/drink mixes 36.30%, soft drinks (can) 45.80% (bottle) 43.91%, juice (ready to drink) 36.21%, wine 54.73%, whisky 61.22%.
But wait! If you think that you've had enough and you are just going to eat out from now on… don't forget that the tax built into restaurant meals is 32.31% so you can't win no matter how hard you try.
Cheers,
William James Woodward - Brazil Animator, Expat-blog
As Brazil Animator I often get asked about the cost of shipping personal belongings to Brazil from abroad. My advice is always the same so I am adding it to this C.O.L. posting.
The cost of shipping household furnishings is prohibitively high, so unless your employer here in Brazil will pay the costs or the furniture you have consists of rare antiques or items that have great sentimental value and thus can't be replaced - FORGET THE IDEA COMPLETELY. You will probably be able to replace much of what you left behind with brand new furnishings here for what the shipping costs would be.
One must also consider that many electrical items such as household appliances and electronics may not even work here, or require expensive modifications in order to make them work. Depending on where you live in Brazil you will find that you will have either 110v or 220v service. Most items will require either an adaptor plug or having a new power plug installed by an electrician or technician. Some items will require either step-up or step-down tranformers depending on voltage. Depending on your country of origin televisions may not even function here because of the type of signal system.
Another factor involved is the legal liability for using electrical, gas or other items that are shipped to Brazil. These will not bear the INMETRO seal proving that the product has been tested and meets Brazilian safety standards. While your appliances obviously will bear a similar seal issued by your home country, it is NOT recognized here and you could end up with a whole pile of headaches and legal problems should something you've brought into the country malfunction and injure someone or cause a fire for example.
Many things such as desktop computers, notebooks, netbooks, tablets and cellular phones will work here and it is worthwhile bringing them with you. You should however be aware of the legal issues involved by them not having the INMETRO seal and be willing to accept the risks involved.
The most economic way to bring personal belongings with you to Brazil by far is to pack up the 'must have' things that you simply cannot replace or do without into several sturdy boxes and bring them as excess baggage on the aircraft you fly here in. The big advantage here is that it arrives were you arrive, when you arrive and the excess baggage charges are quite low. (Check your airline).
Cheers,
William James Woodward - Expat-blog
Hi,
William thanks, very interesting information you have.
You can add to this, save money on own purchases.
EXAMPLE:
salary around R$7000 - R$8000 per month.
- Renting an apartment: R$1000 per month
- Condominium fees, "can be almost equal to the rent": R$1000 per month
(property taxes, rental insurance)
- Grocery Shopping and Eating Out: R$500 per month per person
- clothes
- cosmetics
- petrol, car
- pleasure (cinema, theater, restaurant, clubs)
- trips, holidays
- doctor, dentist, optometrist
- services: it, clining, car service, hairdresser, etc.
- etc.
If you add all expenses, I think that will be R$4,000 - R$5,000per month
Then subtract 1-2% cash back is: R$40-80 - R$50-100 per month
Every year is: R$480-960 - R$600-1,200
Enough for something?
Everybody doing shopping, why not take refund from purchases?
William, I'm wrong?
Regards,
HI WOODWARD,
UR WRITING ARE VERY HANDY FOR ANYBODY WHO WISH TO
LIVE IN BRAZIL.CAN U PLEASE LET ME KNOW,WHAT IS THE
BEST WAY TO COME TO BRAZIL FOR WORK AND LIVE.
THANKS
[email protected]
Hello kevigaru -> I suggest you to start a new thread on the Sao Paulo forum with your questions. 
PS: Please lower your caps lock when writing so as to ease the reading.
Thank you,
Aurélie
thanks very helpful
This is great info! Thanks a lot 
Tks for the invalueable information on cost of living
hi can u please tell me the cost of second hand cars in Sau Paulo??
phatima,
It depends on what you want but you can get a general idea by checking out the automobiles section in the São Paulo pages of
www.bomnegocio.com
Also, you need to be aware that you are only permitted to drive in Brazil with a translated foreign dirivers license for a maximum of 180 days (six months) beyond that point you must have a Brazilian drivers license.
Cheers,
William James Woodward - Brazil Animator, Expat-blog Team
Very helpful! Thanks!
Thanks. Very useful and helpful information.
If you're a single working person and accustomed to having a light breakfast it's probably not even worth your time, effort and money to make breakfast at home.
In almost every commercial district in Greater São Paulo you'll find street vendors who sell coffee, hot chocolate, cakes, sandwiches and other pastries in the early morning hours. They're everywhere, but predominantly near subway and train stations, major bus terminals, shopping malls. If any of you have been to Itaim Bibi or Morumbi you'll know exactly what I mean.
When I lived in São Paulo I programmed my bus connection to allow me time to grab a coffee and cake or a sandwich between buses. The vendor set up her stand at the end of the line for my first bus. The products were very inexpensive, fresh every day, delicious and wholesome too. Not only that, but if you live alone and you always frequent the same stand you get to know folks. It's always nice to see a friendly face and engage in animated small talk first thing in the morning, kind of starts your day off on the right foot.
Cheers, 
William James Woodward – Brazil Animator, Expat-blog Team
Hi Woodward, I am here in Brazil now and living very close of Novo Brooklyn, infact walking distance from Morumbi mall. I got a car from my company to drive. Initially I had issue in keeping lanes and sides due to India being a Right hand drive and Brazil is Left Hand drive, but within couple of hours I am back to normal, ALthough I am still very careful since I am not fully aware of all the laws and regulation in Sao Paulo, which brings me to the question or help I need - Do you have a comprehensive guide for the driving signs and rules in our blog? if yes then can you help me with sending the link of it.
If no then where and how to get this information.
Hello Raj,
You should be able to pick up a driver's handbook at any office of DETRAN (Departamento Estadual de Transito) or at a driving school in your neighborhood. Cheers,
William James Woodward – Brazil Animator, Expat-blog Team
Thanks a lot Woodward I will try and if successful will provide it too you too.
Thank you for this article.. As an American in SP, I am shocked in my first month how much things cost and how can people afford any of it. .it looks like there are ways to get around. At this point, I have stopped converting Reais into USD and just buy the things I really need..
Hello lost,
If you're here in Brazil for any length of time you really have to start doing things just like the Brazilians do - you have to learn the fine art of haggling for prices. If you buy your fruits and veggies at a street market and not the supermarket then you can always talk the vendor down a little, usually by offering to buy something else too. You should alway pay cash and ask for at least a 10% discount for doing so, you'll almost alway get it (or come very close).
You've got to avoid the large shopping malls, they inflate the cost of everything to cover the exorbitant rents they pay. Shopping in the small shops in bairros a bit removed from the beaten path you'll always find lower prices.
Cultivate friendships with the vendors you need to use most. Let them get the better of the deal from-time-to-time, it makes them feel good. Make small talk, ask about their family, their life, anything that will show you're interested in them as a person. This will score you lots of points and save you lots of bucks. People tend not to overcharge those they consider friends.
When you find a good price, an honest vendor who treats you good then treat him/her good too. Talk him up, remembering that word of mouth is his best form of advertising. Send friends to him and make sure they let him know you sent them. Somebody like this is a gold mine to you, so always go back and try never to deal with anybody else, be LOYAL.
Hope this, along with the tips in the original post will help you pare back the expenses considerably. Cheers,
William James Woodward – Brazil Animator, Expat-blog Team
Amazing advice!!
A couple of things I would like to add through opinion!!
Rent wise, although you are fixed into a 30 month contract, you can leave after 18 moths with no penalty, sometimes, if you find another tenant to replace you, you can negotiate a transfer of the deposit. Most landlords require a 'Fiador' or guarantor rather than a deposit. This can be tricky as the person must own and have finished paying their Mortgage and their property usually must be located within the city, although they may except a close city like Guarulhos for example. If you are unable to get this, Caixa Economica provide an 'ínsurance' guarantee, usually a month and a half of rent, non-refundable per year to be your guarantor.
If you are from the UK, most things may appear cheap, especially rent. My rent is 1100 rent and condo combined for a ground floor 2 bed 90m2 apt with sole access and use of the yard and BBQ in Santana 10mins from the station and opposite a school. My rent for a 40m2 ex-project/council apt in London in zone 2 set me back 800 sterling a month in rent (around 3000 reis per month), so you can see I was pleasantly surprised at this.
Gas, for a Brit, is insanely cheap! The gas bottle lasts around 3 months, and I cook twice a day, every day! Thats the equivalent of 10 pounds every 3 months. Piped in gas costs a little less, around 10-12 reis per month for similar usage.
Petrol again for Brits is much cheaper than the UK where we pay around 1.35 pounds per litre (you Americans have it easy!!!) Here in Sao Paulo it's between2.50 and 3 reis. Alcohol can provide a cheaper alternative if you have the option, however, it is only viable if the price of alcohol is 30% or more cheaper than petrol as it burns around 30% quicker than standard unleaded. Also, it is worth noting that you should monitor the mileage of a full tank!!!. Some gas stations add extra alcohol to their petrol or lower grade fuel in order to economize. This is geting better, but there are often reports of the practice continuing. Gas is always has a little alcohol in the mix anyway, but there are some seriously unscrupulous stations around so be careful. When you find a good one, stick with it and always fill up there. Also, keep an eye on the attendant, sometimes they start spilling the gas on the floor to increase the cost, so eyes open!
Also, Woodward mentioned the eggs, this is a serious point! In the U, all eggs by law are stamped with the red lion mark and are individually dated. They are also never refrigerated in the UK as this is unnecessary with the stamped quality, eggs have been good to me up to 3 months after the best before date. Here, do not even try it. Only buy eggs from large chains of markets, never buy from smaller ones. I know some places where they re package the eggs after the sell by date, up to 3 times!!! so follow Woodwards advice and crack each individually to ensure they are good.
When travelling on a budget around the city, Metro and bus can be quite good. Peak hours are a nightmare however, and you should budget at least 1.5 hours to get from a-b until you are comfortable with the timing. Costs are 3 reis per journey standard. If you get a bus within 3 hours of your metro, the cost for that journey is then 1.65 and then a subsequent bus is free, as long as it's within the 3 hours. If you use only busses, it's 3 reis for 3 journeys on the bus (maybe 4) within the 3 hour period, so you can work out ways of moving around for less, especially if you teach in company! Just be careful not to show your devices on the metro, leave your tablets and iphones away, that's how I got robbed last time, for reading a bloody kindle on the mtreo and then walking into an armed gang who were waiting for me outside the station and who specifically asked me for my brown cased tablet! I ended up losing my laptop, wallet, phone, kindle, all of my newly bought teaching materials and 6 months of hand written class notes and 2 years of digital archives and was then shot at! Be careful, eyes open, and you'll be fine!
Edit: No idea why I mentioned the egg thing here, I was reading two topics at the same time and got all mixed up!!!
Thanks a lot wjwoodward. Very useful info and very nice aproach for all new people in SP
BR
Hi All,
You can get a good idea of the cost of living in most Brazilian cities at the following site:
http://www.custodevida.com.br/brasil/
Just type in the name of the city and state you wish to consult.
Cheers,
William James Woodward - Brazil & Canada Expert, Expat-blog Team
I want to mention that being healthy in São Paulo is cheaper than California! Healthy fresh food bought from the street fairs (or even from the large market chains) are generally cheaper. This would include dairy products, fruits, vegetables, fresh meat, and uncooked grains. You can stay fit on a well-balanced meal that you prepare everyday for much less than what it would cost in the United States. You can also go to SESC, or some of the gyms for quite a bit cheaper, and walking when taking the public transportation is usually necessary.
Also, not to ridicule Brazil or anything, but with the taxes on luxury items like TV, video games, electronics in general, and household appliances then it means a lot more house work and less time sitting around on in-home entertainment. A lifestyle in Brazil should be healthier and happier.
I want to add that William's original post was extremely helpful and informative.
Really useful article, thanks!
A little daunting at the same time though. I'm arriving in Sao Paulo in three weeks to teach English for 6 months. I've done a lot of research and understand teaching doesn't pay very well but it's what I enjoy doing.
Looking at your costs of living, will I even break even most months? I'm hoping to find a apartment share rather than rent myself to help keep costs down.
Any info you have on teaching, salaries expected etc would be great!
Thanks,
Jody
Hi Jody,
As a matter of fact, having taught for many years in São Paulo, I can tell you!
For pay scale in the traditional classroom setting you will be looking at around R$23 - R$28 per hour of class time (i.e. actual teaching time) usually they do not pay for class preparation time or correcting homework and some will pay for time spend administring tests, while others won't. Some schools will pay for bus fare to and from work, but many don't. Class cancellations (especially private classes) can be a problem, while the school may require you to remain on site if a student is a no-show you need to check with them beforehand if you'll get paid when the student misses a class without prior notice.
For "in-company" classes given either in the workplace or private residences the pay scale in São Paulo is around R$30 - 35 per hour. You will need to check with the individual school regarding their policy for payment of your transportation costs, some will include it in the pay others will pay you a separate allowance based on the number of classes, in general terms none of them will pay ALL of the actual costs involved in transportation. Some schools will at least help offset this by trying to schedule back-to-back classes in the same general area of town, it helps a bit.
Shared accommodations here in Brazil are almost unheard of, you might find another teacher at your school in the same boat though. Other than that what I would recommend to cut costs is to look for a very small apartment or kitchenet in one of the bairros (neighborhoods) more removed from the city center. You'll take longer to get to classes, but the extra time in transit will be compensated by lower rents.
Good luck and if you want more information on COL, try www.numbeo.com type in the city and country name in the search fields and BINGO you get lots of info back.
Cheers,
William James Woodward, Expat-blog Experts Team
Hi,
I was very lucky to find a room with a friend in Vila Pompéia. I pay R$1600 a month to live in a 3 bedroom house. This includes all utilities, water, electricity and internet. I was wondering if this was a good price? How much is rent in neighborhoods like Pompéia?
Thanks so much.
Since you're talking about a house and all the utilities are covered in the rent then it's not bad for the area. The neighborhood is quite nice and much closer to the city center than other much more expensive areas. Is it already furnished? If so then I'd say it is even a bargain. While you might not save much on transportation costs you will certainly cut down your travel time, so that has value.
While it is more than you'd pay to rent a kitchenet and probably about what you'd pay to rent an unfurnished 1 bedroom apartment you would also have to factor in condominium fees and IPTU (property tax) on top of the rent, so even there you come ahead with your arrangement, more so still if it is furnished. Believe me, if you were paying condo fees, IPTU, utilities and had to buy furniture it could be a killer!
Enjoy!
Cheers,
William James Woodward, Expat-blog Experts Team
Oh great. It is furnished so I am glad it's a great deal:) Was just wondering cause it's almost the same price as my NYC rent though this is a house and my NYC apt was a tiny tiny apt.
Dear Woodward,
Amazing insights, thank you. What can you tell me about Scooters in the city? I have lived in Shanghai for the past 7 years and am relocating to Sao Paulo very soon. We get around here on electric scooters and don't need a license to drive one. Would that be the same in Sao Paulo do you think? How is the infrastructure for bikes?
Any advice appreciated!
Thanks,
Elizabeth
In Brazil there are no electric motor scooters that I know of. There are several makes of electric bicycles, but they are absurdly expensive here and their range is rather limited.
The only other option, without a motorcycle license, would be a moped/mobilete 50 cc and under that have gasoline engines.
Other than that one would require a motorcycle license, and I'm not up on the legislation here in Brazil so I can't say whether you'd be able to operate a motorcycle here with a valid foreign motorcycle license as you can with an automobile with a conventional foreign license.
Cheers,
William James Woodward, EB Experts Team
Thank you for this info.
Is biking very popular in Sao Paulo? Do they have bike lines?
~ Elizabeth
They have some and are creating more all the time, but it is extremely dangerous in SP, the motorists are crazy. Cyclists are killed almost every week.
Hello James..
Your reply was more than adequate to get a picture of live in Brazil and where I would probably stand in the social scale there.
Life in Brazil seems to be similar to life in India (my motherland) or Maldives (my present residence).
Having understood your theory of survival there, it still seems like a sweet risk to take. If I manage to save atleast R$ 2000 monthly, it would be of good value in India.
Now my next questio is how would I start to look for jobs in Brazil and are there very stringent laws regarding work permit/visa?
Yes, it is extremely difficult for expats to obtain jobs here, since employers must prove to the Ministry of Labor that they have exhausted all efforts to place a qualified Brazilian in any job vacancy before they are allowed to hire any foreign national to fill it.
In order to qualify for a VITEM-V Work Visa you must first have a confirmed offer of a CLT work contract from a Brazilian company. Really the only expats who do not have great difficulty in securing employment here are those who have degrees in any of the STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) professions.
Without some kind of degree it's very difficult and you can count on earning the Minimum Wage or thereabouts. The Minimum Wage as of Jan. 1 will be R$788 (BRL) per month, not very much indeed.
Cheers,
James Expat-blog Experts Team
Dear sir,
Excellent I am really glad full to you. And I am Fascinated to read your writing.
Thanks a lot sir. It is really help everyone to live in sao paulo.
Thanks
Mohammad Monerul Ahasan
James,
Your information is quite helpful. But unfortunately, quite dated. Any chance you could do some updating? I'm also thinking that if you're married to a Brasilian citizen, you should have fewer problems finding employment too, correct?
cfmurray wrote:James,
Your information is quite helpful. But unfortunately, quite dated. Any chance you could do some updating? I'm also thinking that if you're married to a Brasilian citizen, you should have fewer problems finding employment too, correct?
I´m sorry to say James already passed away. Sorry also to say that being married to a Brazilian citizen
does not expedite or help in anyway to obtain employment. Unless of course the employer is family. You should have a good command of Portuguese to be able to hold employment in Brazil and citizens have the preferential treatment or more chances of being picked. If no one qualifies, then your chance suddenly soared. Good luck and don´t be discouraged!
robal
Being married to a Brazilian makes you eligible to apply to the Federal Police for permanent residency in Brazil. Once you have that, you are able to apply for a Labor Card, and can then be hired by a Brazilian employer without requiring the Labor Ministry clearance that James discussed: that's required for foreigners seeking permission to live in Brazil for employment, but not for foreigners who have permanence thanks to a family connection.
Your Labor Card, however, will clearly state that you're a foreigner (it's even a different color, green as opposed to the blue that citizens have), so you'll still be confronted by the preference to hire Brazilians, especially if your Portuguese is less than perfect.
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