Chapter 7

Living in Brazil
Understanding everyday living in Brazil wil l
make your life here more enjoyable. The main
tip: go with the flow.
THE REAL COST OF LIVING IN BRAZIL
The currency of Brazil is the Brazilian Real (plural Reis) R$ (pronounced
respectively, Hayawl and Heeyezh) and rough conversion rates, at the time of
writing, are R$1 =$US0.5, GB0.25, 0.375 or US$1 =R$1.95, GB1 =R$3.94
and 1 =R$2.66. The Real is currently strong against these and other currencies.
In 2005, the exchange rate to the GB was R$5 = GB1.
Doing a comparison of two families living in a five bedroombeach house which has
been purchased for cash, produces the following:
A frugal family can survive on just over R$1,000 a month and an extravagant
family would be spending in excess of R$6,000.
Utilities
Water
Water comes in various ways, for various purposes: it comes bottled (most
expensive) for drinking and is about R$4 for a 20 litre tub which you invert over
a simple dispenser or a more expensive one with a cooler. There is street water
which some prefeituras provide through certain street pipes several days a week
and which is siphoned off on a meter system and stored in underground cisterns.
This is quite cheap about R$15 for 10,000 litres and is drinkable. There is
artesian well water which is good enough for bathing and washing, but you would
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