Moving to Brazil in 2026: is it a good place to live?
A real interest rate of about 9% a year and unemployment near a record low, but tax of up to 27.5% on worldwide income and an election the polls call a dead heat. Prices in São Paulo, Rio and Florianópolis, taxes, residency and who gains from moving in 2026, and who would do better in Paraguay or Uruguay.
Brazil's central bank holds its benchmark rate at 13.75% a year, while inflation over the 12 months to August 2026 was 4.22%. That gap of roughly 9 percentage points is the real return on money held in reais, and it is what keeps capital flowing into the country. For anyone moving with dollars it is both a lure and a warning: rates this high are the price Brazil pays for public debt above 80% of GDP and a jittery market on the eve of an election.
Unemployment is at a record low, the real has strengthened for two years running, and a child born in the country is a citizen by birthright (the rules are on the giving birth in Brazil page). On the other hand, a new resident pays tax on worldwide income at up to 27.5%, and on October 4 and 25, 2026 the country picks a president in a race the polls call a dead heat.
Below are the numbers from primary sources: prices, taxes, residency routes for citizens of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan, and how Brazil stacks up against Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. For a general overview of the country, see Brazil.
What is happening to Brazil's economy in 2026
Brazil keeps growing, but more slowly each year: 3.4% in 2024, 2.3% in 2025 and 1.9% in the first half of 2026. The economy is not shrinking; it is cooling under the highest policy rate in almost twenty years.
The statistics come from IBGE (Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística, the national statistics agency), which measures inflation with the IPCA (Índice Nacional de Preços ao Consumidor Amplo, the official consumer price index). Rates are set by Copom (Comitê de Política Monetária, the monetary policy committee) of the central bank, BCB (Banco Central do Brasil). Selic is the benchmark rate that drives deposit, loan and government borrowing costs. The official dollar rate is called PTAX.
| Indicator | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPCA inflation for the year | 4.62% | 4.83% | 4.26% | 3.11% January-August; 4.22% over 12 months to August |
| Selic rate at year end | 11.75% | 12.25% | 15.00% | 13.75% after the September 16, 2026 meeting |
| GDP growth | 3.2% | 3.4% | 2.3% | 1.9% in the first half |
| Unemployment, October-December | 7.4% | 6.2% | 5.1%, lowest since 2012 | 5.3% in May-July |
| PTAX rate, reais per dollar | 4.84 | 6.19 | 5.50 | 5.20 (September 25, 2026) |
| Gross public debt, BCB method, % of GDP | 73.8% | 76.3% | 78.6% | 82.6% (July) |
Sources: IBGE SIDRA API (tables 1737, 5932, 6381), BCB API (series 432, 1, 13762).
Inflation is heading back toward 5%
Inflation fell through 2025, but the trend broke in spring 2026. The cause was an oil shock linked to the conflict in the Middle East, as both Copom and the IMF say plainly. Prices rose 0.88% in March alone, and annual inflation climbed back to 4.72% in May. The preliminary IPCA-15 index for September came in at +0.70% for the month and 4.47% over 12 months: an August discount on electricity (the Itaipu dam bonus) ended and household power tariffs jumped 7.42%.
The central bank targets 3%, with a tolerance band of 1.5 points either side. It is a long way off. The Focus survey of economists, which the central bank runs every week, expects 4.92% for 2026; the central bank itself projects 5.2% and the IMF 5.6%. In its monetary policy report of September 24, 2026, the central bank put the probability of breaching the 4.5% ceiling at 90%. For a newcomer this means prices in reais rising about 5% a year, so budget rent with that margin in mind.
Selic: cuts in quarter-point steps
Copom raised the rate to 15% in 2025 and held it there until January 2026. Since March it has been cutting by 0.25 points at a time, taking the rate to 13.75% on September 16, 2026, while describing the risks to inflation as tilted upward. The next meetings are on November 3-4 and December 8-9; the market expects 13.50% by the end of the year and 12% by the end of 2027 (Focus).
For savers in reais that is good news with a caveat: in 2024 the dollar gained 27.9% against the real, and a swing like that wipes out a year of interest. Since then the real has firmed: the dollar lost 11.1% in 2025 and another 5.5% since the start of 2026, to 5.1991 reais on September 25. If you earn in dollars, life in Brazil has become noticeably more expensive over two years, even though prices in reais rose only moderately.
Debt and ratings: the country's weak spot
Gross public debt under the BCB method rose from 71.7% of GDP at the end of 2022 to 82.6% in July 2026. Under the broader IMF method it is 97.8% of GDP in 2026 and 100% in 2027. In the Fund's baseline forecast of July 2026, debt reaches 105.3% of GDP by 2031, which is why the IMF urges Brazil to save oil windfalls and tighten the budget. The fiscal rule (arcabouço fiscal, complementary law LC 200/2023) calls for a primary surplus of 0.25% of GDP in 2026, yet over the 12 months to July the central government ran a deficit of 0.55% of GDP.
All three major agencies rate Brazil one or two notches below investment grade: BB at S&P and Fitch, Ba1 at Moody's. Foreign investors are not deterred: according to UNCTAD (the UN Conference on Trade and Development), Brazil attracted 77 billion dollars of foreign direct investment in 2025, fifth in the world.
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The 2026 election: what it means for people moving to Brazil
In a runoff, Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro are neck and neck: in the three latest major polls the gap between them stays within the margin of error. For someone planning a move this is less about politics than about money, because the outcome will shape fiscal policy, the real and taxes for the next four years.
The first round is on October 4, 2026 and the runoff on October 25. The calendar was set by the TSE (Tribunal Superior Eleitoral, the Superior Electoral Court) in resolution 23.760. Alongside the president, voters elect governors, the entire lower house and two thirds of the Senate. Jair Bolsonaro is not running: he is barred from office until 2030 and was sentenced to 27 years in the coup attempt case. The right is led by his son, senator Flávio Bolsonaro of the PL party.
| Poll | Dates and sample | First round: Lula / Flávio | Runoff: Lula / Flávio | Margin of error |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Datafolha | September 22-23, 2026, 2,002 voters | 40% / 36% | 47% / 45% | 2 pts |
| Genial/Quaest | September 17-20, 2026, 2,004 voters | - | 41% / 42% | 2 pts |
| AtlasIntel | September 17-22, 2026, 5,015 voters | - | 47.7% / 47.4% | 1 pt |
TSE poll registrations: Datafolha BR-00304/2026, Quaest BR-06004/2026, AtlasIntel BR-04739/2026. In Datafolha's first round the rest of the field is led by Augusto Cury (5%), Ronaldo Caiado (4%), Renan Santos (3%) and Romeu Zema (1%).
What the two frontrunners propose
Both promise to fix the budget, in different ways and without spelling out the unpopular parts.
- Lula (PT, with Geraldo Alckmin as running mate). Keep the current fiscal rule with possible changes to its parameters and reach a primary surplus of 1.3% of GDP by 2030, up from a deficit of about 0.4% in 2026. Run another across-the-board cut in tax breaks: a 10% cut in breaks not written into the Constitution was already passed in the current term. For 2029-2030, a reform of corporate taxation (replacing the payroll levy with a tax on revenue) and minimum effective rates for companies.
- Flávio Bolsonaro (PL). A new fiscal rule anchored to debt through a constitutional amendment, a fiscal adjustment of about 1.5% of GDP within the first 18 months, reversal of increases in the IOF financial transactions tax, and privatizations. His economic adviser Adolfo Sachsida has proposed freezing spending while gross debt stays above 65% of GDP.
Neither team proposes structural reforms of mandatory spending, the largest part of the budget.
What it means for newcomers
Migration barely features in the campaign: only 4 of 13 candidates mention it in their platforms. Lula promises to continue the National Policy on Migration, Refuge and Statelessness created in October 2025. Zema proposes talent visas, Caiado outreach to the Brazilian diaspora. Flávio Bolsonaro has no concrete migration proposals.
The direct risk for future Brazilians lies in Congress rather than in the platforms. Bill PL 2523/2019 would require 4 years of strictly continuous residence for naturalization, proof of lawful means of support, and a ban for anyone facing criminal proceedings. On April 22, 2026 it was approved by the foreign affairs committee of the Chamber of Deputies; next come the constitution and justice committee and the Senate. The make-up of the new Congress will shape its fate.
A practical tip: avoid converting large sums in voting week and just after it. The real reacts to fiscal news. If your move is already planned, file under the current rules rather than waiting for the result.
What does it cost to live in São Paulo, Rio and Florianópolis
Rents in Brazil are rising twice as fast as prices: over the 12 months to August 2026, asking rents on new listings climbed 9.16% against 4.22% inflation. A 60 m² apartment in São Paulo costs about $790 a month. Day-to-day living outside rent, however, is cheaper than in Buenos Aires or Montevideo.
All figures are in US dollars at the Central Bank of Brazil rate of 4.97 reais per dollar on 6 October 2026. Rents are based on listings in 36 cities (August 2026); living costs are a guide rather than an official figure.
| Item | São Paulo | Rio de Janeiro | Florianópolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent growth over 12 months | +5.74% | +14.18% | +2.82% |
| 60 m² apartment, per month | ~$790 | ~$750 | ~$740 |
| One-bedroom apartment in the center | ~$680 | ~$860 | ~$690 |
| Single person, costs without rent | ~$730 | ~$680 | ~$670 |
| Family of four, costs without rent | ~$2,700 | ~$2,500 | ~$2,500 |
| Basic food basket per adult, August 2026 | ~$190 | ~$180 | ~$180 |
| International primary school, per year | ~$17,000 | ~$14,000 | ~$12,000 |
| Purchase price, per m² | ~$2,500 | ~$2,300 | ~$2,800 |
The basic food basket in the table is for one adult per month. A transit pass costs about $50 in São Paulo and about $85 in Florianópolis; a liter of gasoline is about $1.4.
The surprise is the purchase price in Florianópolis. A square meter there costs more than in São Paulo or Rio: about $2,800, second among state capitals after Vitória and up 8.2% in a year. The island stopped being a cheap alternative to the big cities a while ago. For neighborhoods, transport and daily life, see our guides to São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Florianópolis; for buying a home as a foreigner, see property in Brazil.
Sample budget: a single person and a family
The example below combines average figures. It is a guide, not a quote: real spending depends on the neighborhood, your habits and how often you eat out.
| Sample calculation, per month | Single person, São Paulo | Family of four, Florianópolis | Family of four, São Paulo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | ~$680 (one-bedroom in the center) | ~$1,200 (90 m²) | ~$1,200 (90 m²) |
| Living costs without rent | ~$730 | ~$2,500 | ~$2,700 |
| Total without school | ~$1,410 | ~$3,700 | ~$3,900 |
| International school for two children | - | ~$1,900 | ~$2,800 |
| Total with school | - | ~$5,600 | ~$6,700 |
Private health insurance is not included. Its price depends heavily on age and plan: insurers' rates in São Paulo range from $35 to $410 or more a month. There is no official average premium.
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What salaries look like in Brazil and whether remote income is enough
The average working Brazilian earns about $760 a month. That comes from the PNAD household survey (Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios) for May-July 2026, and in real terms income is up 3.3% on a year earlier. The minimum wage since January 1, 2026 is about $330 under decree 12.797/2025.
The labor market is tight: unemployment is 5.3%, and at the end of 2025 it fell to 5.1%, the lowest since the series began in 2012. For a newcomer without Portuguese that changes little. A local job search makes sense with a rare skill, working Portuguese or an internal transfer at a multinational.
Remote income is another story. Sample calculation: a specialist earns about $4,200 a month from a foreign client, more than five times the average Brazilian income. They rent a one-bedroom apartment in central Florianópolis for $690 and spend about $670 on living costs. If they have become tax resident, tax under the Brazilian scale comes to $970 a month, or 23% of income. After tax, rent and expenses about $1,900 remains. The tax bill is markedly higher than in neighboring Paraguay.
Remote workers also have a dedicated digital nomad visa: details below and on the Brazil digital nomad visa page.
What taxes a new resident of Brazil pays
A Brazilian tax resident pays tax on worldwide income, and the top rate of 27.5% starts at just about $940 a month. For anyone with income from abroad this is the country's biggest surprise: Paraguay and Uruguay mainly tax local income, while Brazil taxes income wherever it was earned.
When residence begins depends on your status (Receita instruction IN SRF 208/2002, article 2):
- with a permanent visa, or a temporary visa tied to an employment contract with a Brazilian company, from the date of entry;
- with a temporary visa without such a contract, such as the nomad or retiree visa, after 183 days of physical presence within 12 months.
Taxes are collected by Receita Federal (the Federal Revenue Service). The main tax for individuals is IRPF (Imposto de Renda da Pessoa Física, personal income tax).
| Tax | Rate in 2026 | Who pays | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRPF, monthly scale | 0% up to $490; then 7.5%, 15%, 22.5%; 27.5% above $940 | residents, on worldwide income | residents pay tax on foreign income themselves every month through the carnê-leão system (literally the lion's payment book; the lion is the popular nickname of the tax office) using a DARF payment slip (Documento de Arrecadação de Receitas Federais) with code 0190, by the last business day of the following month |
| Relief under law 15.270/2025 | tax drops to zero on income up to $1,100 a month; the relief tapers to nothing at $1,500 | all taxpayers | annual equivalent: full exemption up to $13,000, relief up to $18,000 |
| Income from foreign investments (law 14.754/2023) | 15% in the annual return | residents with money and assets abroad | includes crypto and exchange gains; profits of controlled foreign companies are taxed every December 31 even if not distributed; trusts are transparent for tax |
| IRPFM, minimum tax on high incomes | up to 10%: the rate rises in a straight line and reaches 10% at income of $250,000 a year | residents with total income above $130,000 a year, exempt income included | tax already paid is credited; corporate tax plus IRPFM cannot exceed 34% |
| Withholding tax on dividends | 10% | when one company pays one resident more than $11,000 a month | charged on the whole amount with no deductions; profits up to 2025 approved for distribution by December 31, 2025 are exempt |
| IOF, tax on financial transactions when exchanging currency | 3.5% on buying foreign cash and on transfers to your own accounts abroad; 1.1% on transfers for investment abroad | anyone moving money out of Brazil | decree 12.499/2025, reinstated by the Supreme Court on July 16, 2025 |
| Crypto sold inside Brazil | sales up to $7,100 a month are exempt | residents | a temporary measure with a flat 17.5% rate lapsed on October 8, 2025 |
Sources: Receita Federal (2026 tables), the texts of laws 15.270/2025 and 14.754/2023 on planalto.gov.br, Exame.
If you hold a brokerage account or a company abroad, the tax on earnings is joined by 15% on investment income and an annual tax on the profits of controlled companies. Model your tax position before you obtain a status, not after. We explain how the 183-day rule works in our article on tax residence, crypto in our guide to crypto taxes when relocating, and all our tax services are on the taxes in Brazil page.
One more obligation people often miss: if a resident holds assets abroad worth 1 million dollars or more on December 31, they must file the CBE report (Capitais Brasileiros no Exterior, Brazilian capital abroad) with the central bank; penalties for breaches run from $510 to $51,000.
Hiding foreign accounts from Brazil's tax authority makes no sense. Brazil signed the multilateral automatic exchange agreement in 2016 and has exchanged data under the CRS (Common Reporting Standard, the OECD's single standard) since 2018: banks in partner countries report accounts of Brazilian residents to the Receita Federal every year. With the United States Brazil has a reciprocal Model 1 FATCA agreement (Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, the US law on reporting foreign accounts), signed in 2014. A resident lists foreign accounts, brokerage assets and company stakes in the annual IRPF return, in the assets and rights section (Bens e Direitos). The duty to declare foreign accounts and income under the laws of your country of tax residence always remains, including toward the country you left, for as long as you remain its tax resident.
Double tax treaties
Brazil has a double tax treaty in force with Russia (decree 9.115/2017) and with Ukraine (decree 5.799/2006). Belarus and Kazakhstan do not appear on the list of treaties in force. Without a treaty it is harder to credit tax paid in another country, and double taxation is not always fully avoided.
How to get residency in Brazil in 2026
Government fees for Brazilian residency are modest: about $35 to process the application and about $40 to issue the migrant card, about $75 together. The real cost lies elsewhere: proving income, gathering apostilled and translated certificates, and living in the country for years before a passport.
Residency grounds are set by CNIg (Conselho Nacional de Imigração, the National Immigration Council) in its resolutions. Visas are issued by consulates of the foreign ministry, residence permits inside the country by the Ministry of Justice (MJSP), and migrants are registered by the Federal Police (Polícia Federal), which issues the CRNM (Carteira de Registro Nacional Migratório, the national migrant registration card, in effect Brazil's residence card).
| Route | For whom | Main requirement | Length of status | Where to apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital nomad (CNIg resolution 45/2021) | remote workers with an employer or clients abroad | income of 1,500 dollars a month from abroad or 18,000 dollars in the bank | up to 1 year, renewable | consulate (VITEM visa, online since September 1, 2026) or the Ministry of Justice from inside Brazil |
| Retiree (CNIg resolution 40/2019) | pension recipients | pension of 2,000 dollars a month with a monthly transfer to Brazil | up to 2 years, then renewal | consulate or Ministry of Justice |
| Business investor (CNIg resolution 13/2017) | entrepreneurs | investment of $110,000 and a business plan | set by the authority | consulate or Ministry of Justice |
| Real estate investor (CNIg resolution 36/2018) | property buyers | urban property from $210,000, or $150,000 in the North and Northeast, paid with funds from abroad | 2 years, a renewal of up to 2 more, then an indefinite status if the investment is kept; at least 30 days in the country during the permit | consulate or Ministry of Justice |
| Family reunion (law 13.445/2017, article 37) | spouses and partners, children, parents, brothers and sisters of citizens and residents | apostilled and translated proof of kinship | set by the authority | consulate or Federal Police |
| Employment | staff of Brazilian companies | the employer requests the authorization | set by the authority | Ministry of Justice, then consulate |
| Humanitarian visa (MJSP/MRE ordinance 60/2025) | citizens of countries in severe crisis or war on a list set by the Justice and Foreign ministries; since 2026 the ordinance has replaced the separate rules for Ukraine, Afghanistan and Haiti | since January 1, 2026 you need a confirmed place with a Brazilian non-profit that has a cooperation agreement with the government | set by the authority | consulate |
Sources: CNIg resolutions on the Ministry of Justice immigration portal, law 13.445/2017, the Federal Police fees page. Consular fees and processing times vary by consulate and are worth checking before you apply. We cover residency through property purchase in detail on the Brazil residence through property page, and compare similar programs elsewhere in our review of residency through real estate. For choosing between types of status in general, see residence permits worldwide.
How the process works, step by step
Step 1. Entry. Citizens of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus can enter Brazil visa-free for up to 90 days, citizens of Kazakhstan for up to 30. State your real purpose of travel at the border. Border officers decide on entry case by case, based on documents, funds and the purpose of the trip.
Step 2. CPF tax number. The CPF (Cadastro de Pessoas Físicas, the register of individuals) is a free tax number without which you cannot open a bank account and can hardly get by day to day. Non-residents can get one before moving, through a consulate or by email from Receita Federal.
Step 3. Documents from home. Criminal record certificates, birth and marriage certificates, proof of income. Everything must carry an apostille and a sworn translation into Portuguese (tradução juramentada).
Step 4. Application. From abroad, you apply for a VITEM visa (visto temporário, temporary visa) through a consulate. Since September 1, 2026 citizens of visa-exempt countries can obtain it online without handing in their passport; details are in our article on Brazil's electronic visas. From inside the country, many grounds, including the nomad route, are processed as a residence permit through the Ministry of Justice. Apply before your lawful stay runs out.
Step 5. Registration and the CRNM card. Once approved, you register with the Federal Police, give biometrics and receive the migrant card. Give only your real address: the police and the ministry are entitled to check where you live.
Step 6. Renewal and indefinite status. Temporary statuses are renewed and later converted into indefinite ones (por prazo indeterminado). This is critical for a future passport. Processing times depend on the authorities' workload and how complete your file is, so plan your move with time to spare.
State fees for residency are about $75, the rest is paperwork and timing
Applying for Brazilian residency on your own is legal. But mistakes cost more than the fees: a certificate without an apostille or a translation not done by a sworn translator (tradução juramentada) sends the file back, filing after legal stay expires closes the in-country route, and a temporary status not made indefinite in time delays the passport by years. Murblz support removes these risks: we pick the ground, get the CPF, prepare apostilles and translations, file with the consulate or the Ministry of Justice, handle Federal Police registration and make the status indefinite. We guarantee professional work and a transparent process, and in most cases a result on the first filing.
The support fee depends on the residency ground, family size and where you file from; a manager will calculate it in the chat.
Brazilian citizenship: how many years until a passport
The minimum residence period for naturalization in Brazil is 4 years, far shorter than in Portugal, where 10 years have been required since 2026. But the years have to be counted correctly: article 221 of decree 9.199/2017 counts only time spent on an indefinite residence permit. A year on a nomad visa does not, by itself, count toward those 4 years.
The conditions are set by migration law 13.445/2017:
- Article 65, ordinary naturalization. 4 years of residence, the ability to communicate in Portuguese, no criminal record.
- Article 66, reduced period. The minimum falls to 1 year if the applicant has a Brazilian child or a Brazilian spouse or partner, and also for relevant services to the country or professional capacity.
- Article 67, extraordinary naturalization. After 15 years of uninterrupted residence with no criminal conviction.
- Citizens of Portuguese-speaking countries. Under article 12 of the Constitution, 1 year of uninterrupted residence is enough.
Portuguese is proven with documents from a closed list in Ministry of Justice ordinance 623/2020: the Celpe-Bras exam (the official certificate of proficiency in Portuguese), a degree from a Brazilian university, a Portuguese course for migrants at a university and a few other documents. For the second Celpe-Bras session of 2026 the fee is about $50 in Brazil and about $190 abroad.
Applications go through the Federal Police and the decision is made by the Ministry of Justice, which checks residence against official databases (decree 9.199/2017). Brazil naturalized 13,140 people in 2025 and 12,959 a year earlier, and Russian citizens are in the third-largest group along with Cubans and Angolans (OBMigra, the migration observatory of the Ministry of Justice). What a second passport gives you and how to combine it with the first is covered in our article on dual citizenship.
If your family is expecting a child
A child born in Brazil is a citizen by birthright (Constitution, article 12, I, a). A parent of a Brazilian citizen is entitled to residency through family reunion (article 37 of law 13.445/2017, with the procedure in interministerial ordinance 12/2018), and under article 66 the minimum residence before naturalization falls to 1 year. On top of that come the same Portuguese language requirement and criminal record certificates, real residence and registration of every document. None of this happens by itself: these are minimum periods under the law, not a date on which you receive a passport.
It makes sense to budget for the birth based on private clinic prices. All the rules are on the giving birth in Brazil page and in our article on giving birth in Brazil in 2026.
Banks, CPF, Pix and moving money to Brazil
In 2025 Brazilians made about 80 billion payments worth more than $7 trillion through Pix. Pix is the central bank's free instant transfer system that works with a phone number, CPF or QR code, and 148 million people use it. You need a Brazilian bank account to use Pix.
- You need a CPF for everything. No bank will open an account without the tax number.
- Migrant card. Banks usually also ask for the CRNM, but each bank sets its own document list under resolution CMN 4.753/2019 (Conselho Monetário Nacional, the National Monetary Council). A non-resident account exists for people who do not yet have residency.
- Moving money out costs money. A transfer to your own account abroad carries 3.5% IOF. If you keep savings abroad, bring into Brazil what you need to live on and work out the cost of the return trip in advance.
- Crypto is supervised. Since February 2, 2026, BCB resolutions 519, 520 and 521/2025 have required crypto platforms to be licensed and treat international transfers in crypto and stablecoins as foreign exchange operations.
For money coming from Russia, keep in mind the sanctions on Russian banks and plan the transfer route before you move. Help with a personal account is on the personal account in Brazil page, and general rules for opening accounts abroad are in our guide.
Is Brazil safe, and how do healthcare and schools work
Brazil recorded 40,775 intentional violent deaths in 2025, or 19.1 per 100,000 people, the lowest since the series began in 2012 and 8.2% fewer than a year earlier. What matters most is how much the regions differ.
| State or city | Violent deaths per 100,000 people | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Catarina state (Florianópolis) | 7.6 in 2025 | the country's calmest state |
| São Paulo state | 7.8 in 2025 | close to Santa Catarina despite the megacity |
| Federal District (Brasília) | 9.6 in 2025 | the capital is below the national average |
| Rio de Janeiro state | 22.6 in 2025, +2.1% on the year | above average, and getting worse |
| Bahia state (Salvador) | 36.8 in 2025 | one of the most dangerous states |
| City of Florianópolis | 9.7 in 2024 (estimate) | the safest state capital |
| City of São Paulo | 15.3 in 2024 (estimate) | three times calmer than Salvador |
| City of Salvador | 52.7 in 2024 (estimate) | five times more dangerous than Florianópolis |
State figures are for 2025; capital city estimates for 2024 come from IPEA's Atlas da Violência 2026. A low homicide rate does not rule out street theft, so choose your neighborhood and habits as carefully as in any big city.
Healthcare: the public SUS and private plans
SUS (Sistema Único de Saúde, the Unified Health System) is a public system with universal access. The Constitution (article 196) calls health a right of all, and the migration law (article 4, VIII) guarantees access to healthcare without discrimination by nationality or migration status. In practice, planned care in the SUS comes with waiting lists.
That is why 52.9 million Brazilians, roughly one in four, have private health insurance (plano de saúde). The regulator ANS (Agência Nacional de Saúde Suplementar, the national private healthcare agency) capped increases for individual and family plans at 5.11% for May 2026 to April 2027. Group plans have no cap. It makes sense to budget for healthcare based on private insurance and private clinics; options are compared in our article on health insurance when relocating.
Schools
An international primary school costs on average $17,000 a year in São Paulo, $14,000 in Rio and $12,000 in Florianópolis. Public schools are free, but teaching is in Portuguese, and a child without the language will find the first year hard.
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Moving to Brazil from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan
Entry and tax conditions differ markedly for citizens of these four countries, and it is worth checking them before you buy tickets. Russians have it easiest: 90 days visa-free, a double tax treaty and a country that has not joined Western sanctions.
| Passport | Visa-free entry | Double tax treaty | Specifics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Russia | up to 90 days in every 180 | yes (decree 9.115/2017) | bank transfers from Russia are restricted by sanctions on Russian banks |
| Ukraine | up to 90 days | yes (decree 5.799/2006) | since 2026 a humanitarian visa requires a confirmed place with a partner non-profit; those who were in Brazil before December 31, 2025 can obtain a 2-year humanitarian residence through the Federal Police |
| Belarus | up to 90 days per calendar year | no | crediting tax paid at home is harder |
| Kazakhstan | up to 30 days | no | a short visa-free stay: residency documents must be filed quickly or in advance through a consulate |
In late July 2026 there were reports of the deportation of 10 pregnant women; the Federal Police denied it, saying entry is decided case by case on documents, funds and purpose of travel, and that pregnancy in itself is not a ground for refusal. The rules for families expecting a child are on the giving birth in Brazil page. If you are choosing between several destinations, compare Brazil with the list in our article on where to move from Russia in 2026.
Pros and cons of living in Brazil
Brazil in 2026 is a large, growing economy with expensive money, tough taxes and a short road to a passport. Here is what speaks for it and against it.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Visa-free entry for citizens of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus for up to 90 days, Kazakhstan up to 30 | Tax on worldwide income of up to 27.5%, plus 15% on income from foreign investments |
| Minimum period before naturalization is 4 years, or 1 year with a Brazilian child or spouse | Only indefinite residence counts |
| Unemployment at a record low of 5.1% at the end of 2025 | Without Portuguese a local job is nearly impossible to find |
| Policy rate of 13.75% with inflation around 4%: real income on deposits in reais | The real is volatile: in 2024 the dollar gained 27.9% against it |
| Living costs outside rent are lower than in Buenos Aires and Montevideo | Rents rise twice as fast as inflation, and a square meter in Florianópolis costs more than in São Paulo |
| Pix and a well-developed digital banking system | 3.5% IOF when moving money to your own accounts abroad |
| Santa Catarina and São Paulo states have 2.5 times fewer violent deaths than the national average | Rio, Bahia and several states of the North and Northeast are markedly more dangerous |
| Double tax treaties with Russia and Ukraine | No such treaties with Belarus and Kazakhstan |
| Fifth in the world for foreign direct investment, a large domestic market | Public debt of 82.6% of GDP, sub-investment-grade ratings, an election the polls call a tie |
Who Brazil suits and who it does not
Brazil beats its neighbors on scale rather than on taxes or cheapness: a market of more than 200 million people and the shortest minimum path to a passport among its neighbors for families with a Brazilian-born child. The price is tax and paperwork.
It suits:
- entrepreneurs who want to do business in the Brazilian market, not just live in the country;
- families ready to spend several years in the country, learn Portuguese and go through naturalization by the rules;
- remote workers earning 1,500 dollars a month or more who have run the numbers on worldwide income tax and are ready to pay it;
- retirees with a pension of 2,000 dollars a month or more who want a warm climate and private healthcare.
It does not suit:
- people looking for low tax on foreign income: Paraguay and Uruguay work better for that;
- owners of foreign companies and large portfolios who are not ready for annual tax on undistributed profits and 15% on investment income;
- anyone who does not plan to learn Portuguese: without it there is neither naturalization nor a proper job;
- anyone who needs a passport on a predictable timeline: processing depends on the authorities, and naturalization rules may be tightened.
Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay or Portugal: which to choose
Inflation in Brazil is an eighth of Argentina's but almost triple Paraguay's: 4.22% against 33.5% and 1.5% a year. Brazil taxes foreign income far more heavily than its MERCOSUR (Southern Common Market) partners Paraguay and Uruguay, yet it offers the shortest minimum path to a passport for a family with a Brazilian-born child.
| Indicator | Brazil | Argentina | Paraguay | Uruguay | Portugal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inflation over 12 months, August 2026 | 4.22% | 33.5% | 1.5% | 4.55% | 3.3% |
| Living costs without rent vs São Paulo | baseline | Buenos Aires 28.7% higher | Asunción 13.9% lower | Montevideo 39.5% higher | Lisbon 36.1% higher, rent 128.1% higher |
| Tax on a resident's foreign income | taxed on a scale up to 27.5%, plus 15% on investment income | taxed on a 5-35% scale | territorial system, personal income tax 8-10%, with exceptions | mostly territorial, but foreign interest and dividends are taxed at 12%, and since 2026, under law 20.446, foreign capital gains too; new residents get temporary relief | taxed on a progressive scale |
| Minimum period before citizenship under the law | 4 years; 1 year with a Brazilian child or spouse | 2 years; after decree 366/2025 the naturalization procedure is under court challenge | 3 years | 3 years with a family, 5 years without | 10 years; 7 for citizens of the EU and Portuguese-speaking countries |
| Language | Portuguese | Spanish | Spanish and Guaraní | Spanish | Portuguese |
Sources: IBGE, INDEC, the Central Bank of Paraguay, Uruguay's INE, Portugal's INE, constitutions and citizenship laws.
If taxes and low inflation matter most, Paraguay is the first candidate: see Paraguay residency, taxes in Paraguay and our guide to Asunción. If calm matters more than price, look at Uruguay. Argentina wins on Buenos Aires, but decree 366/2025 tightened the rules: permanent residence requires proof of means and a clean record, tourist stays do not count toward residence, and federal hospitals give non-residents planned care only with insurance or prepayment. In 2026 the National Electoral Chamber and several federal courts struck down the decree's citizenship provisions, so the naturalization procedure is now unsettled. See our article is it worth moving to Argentina and our piece on what an Argentine passport gives you. Portugal is a route into the EU, but slower and more expensive; see Portugal residency.
Let us check whether you qualify
Three questions in the chat show which option fits you.
The hidden pitfalls of moving to Brazil
The most expensive mistake in Brazil is a tax one, not a practical one. A remote worker on a nomad visa becomes tax resident after 183 days in the country and from then on owes tax on worldwide income.
- Your foreign company is taxed at home. Under law 14.754/2023 a resident declares the profit of a controlled foreign company every year, even if none was paid out. Restructure ownership before the move, not after.
- Getting money out costs 3.5%. The IOF on transfers to your own accounts abroad turns every round trip of money into a noticeable expense.
- The currency can turn. In 2024 the dollar gained 27.9% against the real, and anyone holding savings in reais lost more than they earned in interest. An election the polls call a tie adds to currency swings.
- Not every year counts. Only residence on an indefinite permit counts toward naturalization. Anyone planning a passport should move to indefinite status as early as possible and keep evidence of real life in the country.
- The rules change. Since January 1, 2026 humanitarian visas require a confirmed place with a partner non-profit, bill PL 2523/2019 could tighten naturalization, and the reform of consumption taxes runs until 2033.
Where the law draws the line: real addresses and genuine documents only
Brazilian authorities check what applicants declare. Under article 136 of decree 9.199/2017 a residence permit is cancelled at any time in cases of fraud or concealment of circumstances that would have prevented it from being granted. Entering false information in a document is a crime under article 299 of the Brazilian Penal Code (falsidade ideológica).
The rule is simple. At the border, state your real purpose of travel. In applications, give the address where you actually live. Submit only genuine certificates and translations. A false address, a purchased certificate or sham residence lead to refusal of entry, cancellation of status and a criminal case, and they also put a future naturalization at risk.
Neighboring Argentina shows where such schemes end. In 2023 federal judge María Servini investigated an agency: raids showed that certificates with non-existent addresses had been filed with the migration service to obtain residency for clients from Russia, including pregnant women. The agency's owners were summoned for questioning as suspects over document forgery, fraud and breaches of the migration law.
Our services in Brazil
We handle relocation from the CPF tax number through to naturalization. Legal representation before the Ministry of Justice, the Federal Police and the courts is handled by Murblz specialists together with partners registered with the bar association OAB (Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil). The main services are below.
Brazil residency
Residency through property purchase and other grounds: we pick the route, assemble the file and handle the application.
Learn more →Digital nomad visa
Status under CNIg resolution 45/2021 for remote workers earning 1,500 dollars a month or more.
Learn more →Taxes and residence
We model worldwide income tax before the move and help with carnê-leão, the annual return and the CBE report.
Learn more →Personal account in Brazil
Opening an account with a CPF, setting up Pix, receiving transfers from abroad.
Learn more →Company and business account
Business registration and a corporate account for working in the Brazilian market.
Learn more →Property in Brazil
Checks on the property and the deal, including for investor residency from $210,000.
Learn more →Plus the formalities where people most often get stuck: apostilles and sworn translations, registration with the Federal Police, the lease. If you want to go deeper into the legal side, see legal support. We do not sell medical services: if you are planning a birth, the clinic contracts with you directly, and we help with documents and the family's status; details are on the giving birth in Brazil page.
Let us look at your situation. Tell us your citizenship, income and family, and we will work out what life in Brazil will cost, which taxes you will pay and which residency route fits you. If Paraguay or Uruguay turns out to be a better deal, we will say so.
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Ready to move to Brazil?
We choose a basis for Brazilian residency, help with the tax ID and bank account and map the route to naturalisation. The catalogue lists residence permits everywhere.
The Murblz consultant replies straight away in the chat on this page. Describe your situation and we will work it out together.
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