So if you are planning to visit Brazil soon or somewhere in the future (when things are probably going to be more expensive), you should prepare accordingly.
I think every hard core traveler considers the possibility of visiting this superlative nation. Also, the real has valorized like never before and the dollar has taken a plunge lower than the Grand Canyon.īrazil is an interesting, diverse, cosmopolitan and beautiful country (and this is my impression after the few places I experienced). As a result, increased wealth and inflation have augmented the prices. In recent years, the Brazilian economy has boomed.
The research firm Employment Conditions Abroad (the firm studies living costs of international assignees) ranks Rio de Janeiro as 23th most expensive city in the world in its Cost of Living Survey.Then I met two couples from London and they told me Rio is as expensive as London. I decided Rio de Janeiro was the second most expensive city I have visited after London.However, food and transportation are also costly in other areas. They told me how some services are less expensive in other areas of the country. I compared notes with other travelers I met on the road (some have been all over Brazil).Another guy told me that the country’s economic expansion is not necessarily benefiting the lower classes. A guide told me the minimum salary was 340 dollars a month and that it was difficult for some to keep up with the prices. I found out that I wasn’t the only person noticing the high cost of life in Brazil. As a traveler, I wanted to take that opportunity to learn about the economics and ways of live in Brazil. I wasn’t questioning this as the horrible witch that comes from the United States and was expecting to find affordable prices in all countries in South America. Let me clarify that I wanted to investigate the topic because it was my desire to understand better the country. They charge you for something as simple as a guy playing a guitar and singing.Īfter experiencing this kind of prices (and more expensive ones), I wanted to understand if more people were feeling the pain when paying for food and services (because maybe Rio is expensive and the rest of the country is not that bad).
There is a 10% service tax and most restaurants charge you for the entertainment offered while dining.Typical lunch of rice, beans and chicken fillet – 8 dollars (more expensive if you order meat, drink is not included).Subway Footlong (without chips or drink) – 10 dollars.You can find private double rooms for 20 or less in other countries in the area. Private double room at a hostel = 60 dollars (and I am talking about a bare bones, small room).Keep in mind prices can ouble during high season (and more than double during Carnaval). This does not necessarily mean Brazil has gotten more affordable (actually, I believe it is the reverse). Nowadays, it is more like 1 dollar = 5 reales. Note: When I visited, 1 dollar = 1.5 reales. Here is an example of some of the prices. Let me get you an idea of what I am talking about. After a while, I started to ask myself: it is me or is everything expensive in here? I couldn’t get over (and still can’t) the prices. Well, I was able to get use to most things except for one. However, I was able to overcome the shock and get into the local vibe after a couple of days. Everything looked very different from what I have seen in other South American countries. While riding to Copacabana, I was faced with favelas (slums), intricate graffiti, rough streets and terrible traffic at the Centro (downtown area). When I visited Brazil, a rush of emotions invaded my body as soon as I got out of the airport. In this article, I discuss why I found Brazil expensive (from a traveler’s perspective) and provide cost-saving tips.