Expert: Ken Rapoza Cruz - 7/15/2009

Question
Me and my husband along with a 2-year-old kid will be moving to Brazil for a few years on an office assignment to Limeira or Camacari.  We are strict vegetarians.  Any information regarding Indian grocery stores and restaurants will be highly appreciated.  Is it easy to get a house for rent and how much does it cost? What would be the approximate expenditure for a month (minimum)?  Is 5000 BRL would be enough to run a family there? I will be waiting for your reply.  Thanks

Answer
Okay, a couple of things. First, I dont know those towns at all. I only know where they are located geographically.

Being a vegetarian in Brazil is difficult, but not impossible. Going out to eat will be kind of hard, especially with friends. Meat is big  here. But you can find plenty of vegetarian foods to cook at home at supermarkets like Pao de Acucar, and find a few vegan and vegetarian restaurants. Im in Sao Paulo. Otherwise, you will be doing a lot of cooking.

I have never ever seen an INdian grocery store in Brazil, nor have I ever seen or heard of an Indian neighborhoods and I would wager that there are none in Limeira or Camacuri. There are very few of you. That said, you can always make chutneys at home with fresh fruits from Brazil.

Depending on where you want to live, the approximity to work, and whether you want a home or an apartment, rent will vary greatly.

Limeira is in the interior of Sao Paulo, which is built up, middle class, and nice. Unlesss there is an Indian community there, forget about shopping at Indian groceries. Find yourself a Pao de Acucar supermarket and buy whatever you can there to make as authentic indian food as you possibly can. I have a British colleague here in Sao Paulo who makes chutneys and cooks INdian food at home and he makes it all fresh. So can you. Brazil is going through sort of a fetish of all things Indian, so you might even find places that sell Indian style clothing, incense, home decor, etc.

Camacari is in Bahia, near the city of Salvador. Bahia is VERY different than Sao Paulo. While there you will be near beautiful beaches, the people are generally less educated and poverty is severe. Not like India, but not great either.

I think R$5,000 would be okay for a family of three in Limeira, but not so sure about Salvador, which is very expensive. In Bahia, you are either a rich white or lucky black person, or you are a very poor black person.  There is very little there for the middle classes, as there will be in Limeira. In Salvador, Id want at least R$7,000 for a family of three.

The other question is, who is paying yoru taxes? Is your company in Brazil taking taxes out of your pay? Meannig your R$5,000 will really be about R$4,100. Or are you responsible for filing your income, and can therefore lie about  your income and pay less...or just not file at all. Tho I would not advise this for a long period of time. You can get away without paying taxes if you are responsible for it on your own, for a year. After that, it will be risky.

Now, personally, Im thinking that with a two year old kid, and as foreigners, you might be happier in Salvador, but only if you can afford all the amenities. NICE apt of say 100 square meters with a doorman and 24 hour security; and things like swimming pool and playground in the building for you and your child, and preferably an exercise room for you, in a neighborhood within walking distance to a Pao de Acucar or similar supermarket, or malls, or hospital. You WANT that, no matter where you are. But especially in Salvador where traffic SUCKS and the people drive like animals. Its not hard to find, if you have the money. Figure R$2,200 per month for rent and condo fee should get you in a very nice place in Salvador. I pay a litle more than that in Sao Paulo, which is more expensive, and I have an extremely nice apartment in a very very nice and safe neighborhood within a 10 minute max walking distance to malls, restaurants, doctors, dentists, and supermarkets.

Also in Salvador you will be near beeautiful beaches, and your child can enjoy that. Luckily, you wont have to put your kid in school. Otherwise taht would be very costly in Salvador and hard to find a bilingual school in Limeira.

Now, Limeira is in the interior of the richest state in the nation, surrounded by trees and farms, but very far away from the sea. Im used to the sea. Dunnoo about you. There you will live MUCH MUCH safer and cheaper, but your life will be relatively boring as there is just not much going on, and not a lot to do there.

So in short...
Limeira on R$5,000 is doable, but your life could be boring.
Salvador on R$7,000 is better, but you will want the best of the best, otherwise the downside of Salvador, Bahia will outweigh the ameneties and natural beauty of the place.

Good luck.

Ken