Expert: Ken Rapoza Cruz - 12/3/2008

Question
QUESTION: I am considering a move from India to Sao Paulo. I am married with a 4 yr old daughter. What would an average IT consultant salary be?

Can you tell me how much it will cost for our family, along with my father, to live in Sao Paulo and send my daughter to an english medium school there? Is it very costly?

thanks,
Srini


ANSWER: Depends on the company, so I cant answer that. Figure between BRL2,500 and R$10,000. Are you married to a Brazilian? Because I cant see how you will work here without any legal ties to the country.

Sao Paulo is massive and you will want to live in clean, liveable parts of the city. I dont know what your standard of living requirements are, but all of this depends on your income, so I cant really make any recommendations. If you are making R$10,000 a month your self, Id recommend as close to your office as possible. If youre making R$2,500, Id recommend getting used to driving in traffic and moving 30 minutes out of the city.

If you want to send your daugther to an English only language school for international kids or rich Brazilians, you are looking at at least $2,500 per month, if not more. It is EXTREMELY expensive. It is for very very rich Brazliians or expat Americans and Brits who are on a corporate package (their co pays the bills).

K

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your reply. My company says I will make something equivalent to 30000 to 40000 US dollars. I think that comes to around R$60000 to R$80000 before tax. I assume this would mean it would not work out for a family especially my kid education. Am I right?

Thanks.

Answer
You wil not get your kid in a private school on that salary. I have two kids in school and pay R$1,300 per month! And that's a regular Brazilian, Portuguese language Catholic school.

If your child doesn't speak Portuguese you are limited to the English only grade schools. Stans Duel costs $2,000 a month, and is the cheapest one I've seen. The British-American School, St. Paul's Academy, costs $25,000 a year! Let's put it this way....you know who's kid goes to the school? Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger! He's one of hte richest men in showbiz!

If you're making R$80k a year, and paying 22% in taxes, that's take home of about R$63,000.  It's comfortable, for say you and your daughter. You can live in a small 50 square foot apartment in a nice neighborhood with all the amenities (tho your apt will be very basic), but you wont put your kid in an English school on that pay. Forget it.

If you're married to a Brazilian and he is making the same pay, now we are talking...but schools are going to be a big big problem for your English only child. Does this kid want to move here too?

Why dont you see what Tata is up to in Brazil and try to get hired by them. You will need a transfer. If you get hired locally, they arent going to give you any special treatment: ie, no help to find housing, a good niehbhorhood and zero school support.

Why do you want to move to Sao Paulo?

k