Expert: Ken Rapoza Cruz - 7/21/2009

Question
Hi ken
Can you please tell me hows life Esp for Indian in Sao Paulo and whether We can find good Indian food thereand cost of living Index an all.

Answer
Apparently there are a lot of INdians moving to Brazil these days because this is practically the only question I get. I dont know how many Indians there are in Sao Paulo. But nationwide there are only 375 INdian families living in the whole nation, with most being in Brazil. VERY minor population. Here is the website of the Indian Association of Sao Paulo. I dont know how active it is. It is probably a one or two man operation. http://iaspblog.blogspot.com/

Brazil is going through somewhat of an INdia fetish, thanks to a new soap opera called Journey to India that is a big hit. Brazilians seem to be very interested in India these days.

There are some Indian restaurants in Sao Paulo, tho i have never been cuz Im allergic to fresh curry and mango chutney, which I love by the way.

http://www.delhipalace.com.br/

Govinda Restaurant is another one in the Brooklin neighborhood, very nice I hear.

I have a British colleague who cooks INdian food and buys all of his ingredients at the Pao de Acucar supermarket chain. You can find things like chick peas, fresh mango, curry powder, lentil beans, etc.

Sao Paulo is ENORMOUS, so you want to live close to your work. Cost of living varies greatly by neighborhood, but here is a ballpark figure, as we say in teh states.

Lets assume you are making $55,000 a year, or R$100,000 per year. And let's assume your office is on Avenida Paulista. In that case, i would recommend the Higienopolis neighborhood. Easily accessible on foot or by public transportation. It is a mostly Jewish neighborhood, but very upscale and there you will find all you need.  Rent there for a two bedroom apartment around 120 square meters will cost you around R$2,600 per month, rent and condo fee and taxes included.  Figure you will pay at least R$1,500 a month for a decent neighborhood and a two bedroom.

Being a foreigner,  you want to live in the nicest place possible so you feel comfortable in your new surroundings, trust me.

k