Expert: Ken Rapoza Cruz - 5/7/2009

Question
hi ken,
I am thinking to take a project in Sao Paulo/Rio. I would like to understand from you :
- Is sao paulo is more safer or Rio for an expat? If its SP, is it really safe or people just say this because they are used to of it?
- What is the median salary of a person in telecom industry with an exp of around 10 yrs in technical position.
- Can I find Indian groceries and spices in Sao/Rio?
- How about the taxes? If I live around 1-2 years in SP, how tax I need to pay (My salary would be in R$, in local bank in SP). Is there any way I can avoid tax?
- What is the typical Living expanses for family of 3 ( along with wife & Kid)?

Thanks in anticipation...
regards
raj

Answer
You or someone else have asked me this exact question already.

1) Rio is more dangerious. There are slums surrounding the city and nowhere to hide from them. They are everywhere. Slums in Sao Paulo are about an hour away from where you will live.

2) Dunno the avg salary. Depends on your position. I would guess around R$6,000 to R$8,000 a month.

3) I have never seen an Indian grocery store in Brazil, ever. No chutney. Never saw it. Nor have I ever heard of an Indian restaurant in Sao Paulo, though there might be. VERY few.

4)If you are being paid in the local currency, you will need to pay taxes. You will need a CPF, a local ID number for tax authorities. You will declare each March as "self employed" unless the co you are working for takes taxes out of your pay, then yuo will put down the tname of your company and its CNPJ, national private industry registration number. Depending on income, federal income taxes will be between R$3,000 and R$5,000 a year for you, easily. If your company does not take taxes out and you dont have a CPF, then you can probably get away with not paying taxes for two years.

5) Depends where you live. Figure you will have to put your kids in an Enlgish language school providing they dont speak Portuguese. This will cost you a FORTUNE. If your company cant pay this for you, dont come to Brazil unless your kids can speak Portuguese. Private English language schools will cost at least $20,000 annually. regular private portuguese language schools will cost at least R$1,500 a month for two kids (R$600 to R$700 per kid) if you want a good private school. The best will cost R$1,000 each. The worst around R$200 to R$300 each kid.

Rent in a nice neighborhood will cost you at least R$1,200 per month, to as much as R$2,000. Then there are aptarment condo fees that cost anywhere from R$200 to R$800 more each month easily if you want something like a pool or playground for your kids.

I pay around R$1,000 a month for food for me a wife and two kids.

Internet around R$99. I dont have cable TV.
Electric is around R$90 and gas around R$30. My company pays my phone bills.

I pay R$1,900 a month rent in the higienopolis neighborhood for a three bedroom apt, plus R$600 in condo fee and taxes.