Expert: Ken Rapoza Cruz - 11/5/2009

Question
QUESTION: Dear Ken
I am 26 years old and will be leaving and working in Santos in two months from now...I have been browsing websites abt life in BRZ in general and in Santos in particular, found some answers to some of the questions I have, and still looking for some others.
I have a question specifically abt rent in Santos, I have a budget of 2500 reais, wld it be enough to rent a 2 rooms apartment with nice facilities? Is it common to find fully furnished apartment or maybe kitchen equiped? If not the case, wld u advise to bring white goods from my country instead of buying them in BRZ? I have one more specific question abt food...Will I be able to find Halal food in BRZ?
Thank you very much in advance for your kind help.
Mouna

ANSWER: R$2,500 a month budget will be tough. But Im sure you can find a hotel flat for around R$1500 in Santos, fully furnished, with kitchen. Not a problem. Look up "flats" + "Santos, Brasil" and see what you find. I dont know of any there off the top of my head.

Usually these hotel flats are decent. Some will have pools and restaurants. Room service, clearning service. You have to pay extra for laundry service. The facilities will be a bedroom, bathroom and a small living room and kitchen. Around 20 to 30 square feet, maybe?

DO NOT bring major appliances into Brazil. You should use your Spanish banking card and buy stuff here on credit. That would be much easier.

Hmmmm....halal food. I dont know about that, especially in Santos. Sao Paulo, yes, but Santos. I dont know.





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

QUESTION: Dear Ken
Thank you very much for the quick reply.
Actually my company's 'housing' budget is 2500 reais, so I guess -based on your reply above- it will be more than enough to rent something nice and secure, maybe furnished...
Sorry to ask again, but why shouldn't I bring major appliances into BRZ? is it forbidden by customs for example? The thing is that I think they're gonna be cheaper here, although not sure...I am moroccan, so I won't be using my spanish credit card:) and I will probably have to pay in cash at the beginning (until I open a bank account).
Thanks a lot for your help
Mouna

Answer
Oh, housing budget of R$2,500. Yes, you will live very very nicely in Santos. Thats near luxur living. I pay a little more than that and I have a 140 square meters apartment in one of the richest areas of Sao Paulo with a heated swimming pool, the works. And that is Sao Paulo, which is way more costly than Santos.

Why would you want to bring a stove, or a fridge, or even a blender to Brazil? What a pain in the ass. Just buy it here. Yes, if you dont have euros, then it will be a little more expensive. But if you are looking for a furnished apartment...why bother bringing in big home appliances? Not worth the hassle at all. Do you have an international master card? What currency will you earn in? Reals? If you have a Mastercard or a Visa, just buy here. Actually, maybe its just better you get a furnished pad as you are here teporarily anyway and by yourself.