Expert: Ken Rapoza Cruz - 7/9/2007

Question
Dear Ken,
My name is Mehran Fard, a Ph.D. candidate in civil engineering. I supposed to come in Brazil in 6 month period to follow my research in Federal University of Bahia in Salvador.
Frankly I have no information about living cost in this City or even in Brazil. I would appreciate if you advise me how much I should pay for a safe life in this city which includes apartment (rent fee, electricity, gas, Telephone), Food, transportation and all of things which is needed for a student life.
As for your information I am single and I have a limited budget for living in overseas a visiting student (500 USD).
I am eagerly looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Bests,  

Answer
Hi Mehran:
Where are you from? Male or female? I ask this cuz it might matter on the advice I give.  Look, Brazil is very expensive and getting more so.  $500 per month is about R$950 per month today.  That could change and I would wager that it changes for the WORSE as the dollar is very weak here and gettign weaker. Now, can you find a place to live fro R$250 or R$400 per month.  Yes.  Is it going to be nice? No. So you are going to have to look for student housing, near the school.  that will be nice and safe and will likely include electric and cooking gas.  Some apts will be old so you will not have a gas line, which means you, or the apt owner, will have a gas TANK, which costs about R$35 per month and depending on how much you cook, will need to be refilled with gas each month.

How well is your Portuguese?

Bahia is a very very poor state.  Salvador is rich, so you will be fine there. You will find anyting you need.  But overall, Bahia is poor, service is poor. Things happen S L O W L Y. And few people in the restaurants, in the supermarktes, will speak english.

Id talk to your school about your living arrangements and Im sure they will point you in the right direction. Live in student housing.  You will be hard pressed financiallyl if you are paying R$500 to R$600 per month in rent. Food is relatively cheap, but figure another $150 per month. Eelctric, at least R$50, maybe R$100, tho I live in Sao Paulo, where it is much more.  Maybe Bahia is way cheaper cuz of government subsidies.  I really dotn know.  But its not going to be more than R$130, thats for sure.  

Also, why I say you want to stay near the school is because you can have school bus transportation, or maybe even walk.


If you can read portuguese, this is the page you need:

http://www.prograd.ufba.br/set.asp

Tchau.

Ken