With its pleasant climate, sandy beaches, and its vibrant culture, Brazil has everything to make for a perfect expat location. When you are looking for a country with plentiful opportunities to score a job and a laid-back way of life, Brazil is the spot for you. However, when you are planning your move to Brazil, you better come prepared. Eurosender prepared this handy guide to get you ready for immigration to Brazil. Bora pra Praia! (Let’s go to the beach in Portuguese!)
For many, Brazil is far from home but when you are moving to Brazil from the USA, it might seem a bit closer. Although it might seem like a small step, living in Brazil is something completely different. For starters, there is the language barrier. With Portuguese being the national language, you will find out that merely English and/or Spanish is not enough to live in Brazil. So, before you head over to your new dream spot on one of Brazil’s finest beaches, make sure you pick up some of the local lingo. When you let Eurosender take care of your shipping, you can focus on other things such as employment, living space, and entertainment.
With friendly people and a cultural diversity that is rarely found in any other part of the world, Brazil an attractive location to settle down. Before you set out on your new adventure, you will have to be aware of some basic facts when it comes to Brazil.
| Capital | The capital of Brazil is Brasilia (3m). the biggest city is Sao Paulo with 14 million inhabitants. |
| Timezone | In Brazil, there are 4 different time zones ranging from UTC-2 to UTC-5. |
| Currency | Brazilian real, BRL, R$ |
| Population | Brazil has a growing population of some 210 million residents. |
| How do you call someone from Brazil? | Brazilian |
| Official language | The official language is Portuguese |
| International dialing code | +55 |
| Emergency number | There different numbers: 190 (military police) 192(ambulance) 193 (firefighters) 199 (civil defence) |
| Driving | On the right side |
| Tipping | In restaurants, a 10% tip is usually included in the bill. In cafes, this is not the case, though it is common to tip 10% for good service. |
| Unusual fact | Brazil got its name from a tree named Brazilwood. |
When you are relocating from the USA to Brazil, or from another country, you want to feel at home as soon as possible. With the help of Eurosender, this will be as easy as ABC. With our detailed instructions on insurance, pick-up and delivery address, online tracking system and convenient payment systems, you can be sure that you have found the cheapest and most comfortable way to ship your good when you have to deal with international removals Brazil. So what are you waiting for? Contact us today and start living your dream!
You can only really understand the true vibe of a country once you are there and Brazil is no different. In spite of that, let’s take a look at what other expats noticed when they came to Brazil.
Many citizens from countries in South America, the EU and others can visit Brazil up to 90 days without a visa. Others will have to apply for a visa when they want to visit Brazil.
When you have the plan to work in Brazil, you have two options:
Brazilians enjoy a free healthcare system with which every resident of Brazil has the right to free medical care. However, hospitals and other medical institutions often lack the means to offer proper medical care. This means that there are tremendous waiting lists.
To avoid this, most people who can afford it, opt for private medical insurance. With this, you have access to the best medical care in the country. In most cases, your employer will pay the fees for you.
When you travel to Brazil, you should also take the needed vaccinations. Contact your doctor to assess the risk of the area you are visiting. Diseases such as Malaria, Hepatitis A and B and Yellow fever still occur in Brazil.
Public schools are free in Brazil and the system is structured as in the table below. Please be aware that public schooling is underfunded and prone to corruption. Especially in the rural areas there is a lack of educational infrastructure and illiteracy is common.
| Type | age |
|---|---|
| Elementary school | 6-14 |
| Secondary school/high school | 14-17 |
| Higher education (includes university and college) | 17-23 |
When you go to university in Brazil, you need four to six years to complete a bachelor education, depending on the field. This bachelor degree is comparable with a master degree in the EU.
Private education is also available in Brazil and offers much higher quality. Most wealthy people and expats choose to send their offspring to these private educational institutions, as they provide better career opportunities is their children’s future life.
Finding a job in Brazil is not one of the easiest things to do. There is a lot of competition on the job market and when you are not a digital nomad receiving income from another country, you need to find a local job. Most expats in Brazil are employees working for big multinationals in areas such as engineering, oil and gas, and finance. When you want to find a job on your own, it is essential that you speak Portuguese. Knowing several other languages is also a big plus. When you are planning to move to Brazil, it is best to start looking for a job beforehand. Having a job offer will also ease up the visa application.
São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are by far the most expensive cities in Brazil. These are also places where you have the best chance to find employment. In rural areas, rental prices are a fraction of those in the big metropolis. However, there often is a lack of infrastructure, healthcare and education facilities.
For a furnished apartment in an expensive area, you will pay around 50R$ p/m2. For the same option in a cheaper neighbourhood, you will have to pay about R$30 p/m2.
With rent prices going up each year and a lot of choices, it is best to find a trusted real estate agent to help you find a new spot.
When you picked a spot in Brazil and found a job, the next thing you want to do is start looking for a place to live. With the high rental prices, you can easily save money by renting an unfurnished apartment. With Eurosender you have access to the cheapest way to move furniture to Brazil. And that is not all, we can move your entire household to your new sunny surrounding. We often get the question: How much is shipping from the USA to Brazil? With our handy online shipment size checker, you can easily check the cost of moving house to Brazil. When your order is more than the standard dimensions, contact us for an individual offer. You will see that the average moving costs to Brazil, all depend on who ships your precious possessions.
There is a common misconception that life in Brazil is cheap. Especially in big cities, life can be quite expensive. After you pay your rent and utilities, you will also have to pay a fair amount of taxes. Also, the prices for groceries, clothing and other vital things are on the same price level as in the USA or the EU. Here are some tips to save on your monthly expenses.
You can drive with your native driving license in Brazil. However, it is recommended to always have a translation and your passport with you. Here are some other things that you need to know before you hit the road in Brazil:
United Kingdom
When you can choose between a British Beach and a Brazilian beach, which one would you go for? Obviously, this isn’t a hard choice for anyone. With the favourable climate, sandy beaches and the rhythmic sounds of Brazilian music, nothing compares to the beach life in Brazil. So when you want to make your life one big holiday, moving to Brazil from the UK might be a good idea. While this might need some investment, with Eurosender you can cheaply get your furniture, motorcycle, paintings, piano or any other possession safely shipped to your new location.
Disclaimer: The materials provided in this article were collected from other credible resources to be used for general information purposes only. Given that the legislative basis of the country and its economic development have a changing nature, the information provided in the article could be subject to change. Whilst we endeavour to keep the information up-to-date and correct, Eurosender will not be liable for any inappropriate, incomplete, or inaccurate information. Certain links will lead to websites which are not under control of Eurosender. Thus, Eurosender accepts no liability in respect of materials, products or services being not under control of Eurosender.