Cost of living in Brazil in 2026

Cheryl Moderator

Member since 15 October 2018

CherylModerator21 January 2026 04:36:08

15299

Hello everyone,

Every year, we invite you to share your experiences with the cost of living in Brazil, especially in the region or city you live in. Your insights will greatly help members planning their move to Brazil or already living there.

Here are some points to guide you; the idea is to provide average prices for each category:

What is the cost of renting or buying an apartment or house in Brazil?

What are the typical fares for public transportation such as buses, subways, trains, trams, or taxis?

Could you share the average monthly cost of your grocery shopping?

How much does health insurance cost? What is the price of a medical consultation in Brazil?

What are the tuition fees for children?

What are the average monthly costs for utilities, such as electricity, gas, water, internet, and phone plans?

How much do you spend monthly on leisure activities?

If there are other expenses you find relevant, please feel free to share them!

Thank you for your contribution.

Cheryl
Expat.com Team

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Roddie Simmons Active member

Member since 31 August 2022

Roddie SimmonsActive member29 January 2026 20:50:40

@Cheryl

Thanks for asking Cheryl, As I have mentioned previously, we are very, very comfortable. We live in a small village in Northeastern Brazil and have a compound with three houses. One for me and SIMBA. One for my wife, the caretaker in chief, my 99yr old mother, her mentally challenged brother-in-law and PANDORA. I have now been here for three years. We built, paid for and furnished my house. I also purchased a car for my wife. Basically, we OWN everything and do not rent or lease. In addition, there is a community pool (not on purpose, all the kids just started coming over), a very, very popular SORVETE SHOP and very cool motorcycle. It is a very quiet friendly village, but we have a massive gate circling the property and SIMBA and PANDORA really protect us from the wildlife (Bulls, Cows, Pigs etc.).

In terms of grocery. I usually spend R$ 200 - $R 300 reis every week in a half. As long as the Exchange Rate stays the same, we are fine.

As I mentioned I purchased a car for my wife when I arrived and I have a MAN FRIDAY that takes me out on Tuesday for grocery shopping, computer stuff, medicine etc. for $100 REIS

My leisure activities are streaming every known channel in my house. For my wife, her Sorvete Shop is Insanely Popular (We stopped traffic outside our compound for the easter egg hunt), so most of her leisure is there.

Medical Insurance, she takes care of since the cost is very affordable without the monthly insurance costs.

My challenges are the conversion rate American to Brazilian dollars are creeping up at the ATM.
We are subject to Electric Storms and losing electricity and Internet for long periods of time.

We have one child and she lives in the USA and does not attend any college. She is successfully self-made.

Roddie in Retirement😎

Bhavna Team

Member since 01 June 2015

BhavnaTeam30 January 2026 00:59:05

42890

@Roddie Simmons

Thank you for sharing your experience, Roddie. Real-life examples like yours, and the detailed overview of your lifestyle and expenses, are very helpful for members considering retirement in Brazil and exploring different living arrangements and cost structures.

All the best

Bhavna