Expert: Edison - 6/23/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hi,

My company is looking to potentially setting up an outsourcing center in Brazil (Call center/back office). Are there any significant differences in technology costs (network connectivity/costs of hardware/etc) between cities like Curitiba, Campinas, Belo Horizonte, Sao Paulo, etc?

Where could I find information on differences in costs of living there?

Thanks!

John

ANSWER: Hello John,

I believe that Campinas and Sao Paulo would provide a little cheaper infrastructure; however, they are also a little more expensive to live than Curitiba and Belo Horizonte.

My recommendation is to look for a medium city between Sao Paulo and Campinas (such as Hortolândia - see http://www.aboutsaopaulo.com/city/hortolandia.html), which would provide access to good infrastructure and lower cost of living.

Write me again if you need more details.

Edison


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

QUESTION: Hi Edison,

Thanks for the quick answer. We've been looking at Campinas and Curitiba more closely; you mentioned that Campinas was cheaper in infrastructure, but Curitiba has a lower cost of living; can you provide more details the differences on infrastructure/living costs between the two?

Thanks again,

John

Answer
John,

I don't have numbers, my previous answer was based on the assumption that major IT companies are around Sao Paulo and Campinas, so with better and cheaper IT infrastructure.  Curitiba is not a traditional IT hub, so could a little more expensive to have the same kind of infrastructure.

The cost of living depends where do you live in both cities (as in any large city in the world). But it will not very different (less than 10%). Campinas has excellent universities and close to IBM and other big companies, which provides a good pool of employees.

I recommend to hire a consulting company to provide more detailed cost analysis for you. Here are some names (from the web):

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/3/A5B/569
http://www.relres.com/case/76/optiglobe-telecommunications


Sorry if I could not be more specific.

Edison