Best beach town for young expat to live in long term

Want to stay near a beach with a good atmosphere friendly people and other people around ages 21-35. Looking for some cities I want to visit on my next trip to Brazil in a couple months

Do you have more detail of what you may be looking for?  Some safe beach cities with decent nightlife include Florianopolis and Balneario Camboriu as well as some other coastal cities in Santa Catarina.  I'm sure there are many others.

@freshbatchoflean Sounds Like A Plan! I am one of the few Expats that live in the North East. Most of your recommendations will be a stones throw from Sao Paulo.


My claim to fame is that I Iive in Parazinho in Ceara. We are a very small village about 20 minutes from Jericoacoara.


Jericoacoara is a virgin beach hidden behind the dunes of the west coast of Jijoca de Jericoacoara, Ceará, Brazil. Selected by The Washington Post as one of the Top 10 most beautiful beaches in the world, "Jeri" consists of blue lagoons, calm seas, kite boarding and huge dunes with lots of dune buggies.. Google "Jericoacoara" on You Tube and decide for yourself.


Roddie in Retirement1f575.svg

I'm in Ubatuba now and it's perfect for living vs. just a beach town for vacationing.  Get a bike, surf, learn some Portuguese. It's a very chill life !

Balneário Camboriú is my favorite so far, but it gets a little chilly in the winter - primarily because of the wind and rain (and I'm not being a weenie, originally from North East US). Depending on your budget Pria Brava is a cool spot, but for my living requirements rent was $2,800-3,300 a month in Pria Brava. Around Christmas the city gets a major influx of people. It's super fun, but can be stressful. It goes from a low-key beach vibe to summer in the Hamptons Vibe for 4-8 weeks - so that two minute coffee turns into 10-15 mins. There are tons of good looking people and things get lively on the weekend. If a beach view isn't important, then head into the Balneario and you can save yourself a solid $500-1000 on rent each mont during peak season. Also, in BC you can get way more for you money.

I'd go to the northeast,


It's too cold down south.

Do you have more detail of what you may be looking for? Some safe beach cities with decent nightlife include Florianopolis and Balneario Camboriu as well as some other coastal cities in Santa Catarina. I'm sure there are many others.
-@BRBC

You forgot to mention that this is the most expensive place to live in Brazil. It is the Brazilian like Palo Alto or Montecito, California. The residents are well-off Brazilians. If you can afford it, that is great

I second Florianopolis. It was mentioned that it is pricey, but I think it's worth it. It's a bit chilly in the winter. I'm willing to pay more and experience a little chill in exchange for the amazing energy and safety here. There are lots of different areas with different vibes depending on your taste. Lagoa area is great for a chill restaurant and bar scene, being close to nature, and having lots of convenience.

I would take Florianopolis out of the list. Simply put, since they redid the Hercilio Luz Bridge, that links the island to the mainland, that place has grown to the point of irrecognition.


Resulting in soaring crime, runaway real estate speculation, auto traffic mini gridlock, is what  I hear from my grapevine.


You want it affordable, quaint, and a short drive to quality health care infra-structure, here are my recommended ones....



  1. Sao Paulo's North Shore ( Litoral Norte ). Stay clear from Ilhabela, Bertioga. Give it a try to Ubatuba, Caraguatatuba.  Anything closer to the road that links to Parayba Valley ( through Paraibuna, Salesopolis ), that will lead you to Taubate and Sao Jose dos Campos./ 
  2. Santos.  It's odd, but i would give a hard look at it. Poluted shoreline, but decent hospitals ( two of them, one being City Run, the Santa Casa ). Very laid back atmosphere. Lots of elderly folk. Affordable cost of living.
  3. Anything close to Vitoria and Vila Velha on Espirito Santo.
  4. If you do not mind cold winters, the Estuary by Porto Alegre, over the Laguna ( Rio Grande, Porto Alegre, Pelotas and vicnities ). Gauchos are very environmentally conscious. And they put great effort to conserve their architectural gems and heritage. Plenty preserved shoreline municipalities.
  5. Fortaleza. It's a boom oceanside boom town. Lots of smart money flowing in from Europe. Progressive State House policies, this going back since the eighties ( an oligarchy runs the State House ).
  6. Natal, RN. Sleepy seaside metro region.  Watch for sharks at the shoreline.  Slow pace of living. An American Satellite site means , lots of American Expats.


Those are my five cents.

Another vote for Natal here.


We're actually looking closely at Cabo Frio and Buzios for our beach house acquisition when we go on holidays this Dec/Jan.


    Another vote for Natal here.
We're actually looking closely at Cabo Frio and Buzios for our beach house acquisition when we go on holidays this Dec/Jan.
   

    -@Gasparzinho 777


My mantra for beach home investments was always: about an hours drive from an international airport with direct flights to North America and Europe; max 30 mins drive to large supermarkets, malls, etc; local shops, restaurants, hospital, etc in the beach town itself - but we did not want a large city location. Hence we moved to the island of Itamaracá 16 years ago - search for Itamaraca tourism if you want more info. We also have a small but knowledgeable group of expats on the island, and several others who visit for weeks or months at a time...

My criteria are the same as yours.


Buzious and CF have large and very accommodating SUS locations too. They never seem busy and it takes 30 min to be processed thru if you need health care. That's a big deal as my wife worked in health care down there as well as up here.