Moving to United States from Brazil
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Brazil to United States — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Brazil to United States, you would find that United States is 2.8 times more expensive than Brazil overall. A R$388,871 salary in Brazil would need to be roughly $190,836 in United States to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Washington averages 66°F vs 80°F in Brasilia, making it significantly cooler.
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How your spending power changes when you relocate from Brazil to United States.
What does your salary buy?
R$388,871 → $190,836
To maintain the same standard of living in United States
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.6 times more
Groceries
pay 2.4 times more
Transportation
pay 47.3% more
Housing
pay 4.6 times more
Childcare
pay 4.2 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.0 times more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in United States cost about 208% more than cities in Brazil.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Brazil to United States, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Brazil to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
19.517,519
Brazil
Key Indicator Comparison
How Brazil and United States stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
United States performs significantly better than Brazil across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Brazil generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Brazil generally does better on environment, though United States leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
United States generally does better on infrastructure, though Brazil leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Brazil generally does better on employment & economy, though United States leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
United States performs significantly better than Brazil across all family life metrics.
Data: Secretaria da Receita Federal do Brasil, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Brasilia | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/63°F (27°/17°C) | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/59°F (26°/15°C) | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 80°/58°F (27°/14°C) | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 80°/64°F (27°/17°C) | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Brasilia | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°/63°F (26.9°/17.4°C) | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) |
| Feb | 80°/63°F (26.7°/17.4°C) | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) |
| Mar | 81°/64°F (27.1°/17.5°C) | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) |
| Apr | 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.8°C) | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) |
| May | 78°/59°F (25.7°/15.0°C) | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) |
| Jun | 77°/56°F (25.2°/13.3°C) | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) |
| Jul | 77°/55°F (25.1°/12.9°C) | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) |
| Aug | 81°/58°F (27.3°/14.6°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) |
| Sep | 83°/61°F (28.3°/16.0°C) | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) |
| Oct | 82°/63°F (27.5°/17.4°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) |
| Nov | 80°/64°F (26.6°/17.5°C) | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) |
| Dec | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.5°C) | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) |
Data:
Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Brazil and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Brazil passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States passport holder visiting Brazil
Visa Online (e-Visa)Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in United States than Brazil?
Day-to-day costs in United States run about 154% higher than Brazil on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to United States?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a R$388,871 comparable salary, that's around $47,709 in United States for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from United States?
With 37.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, United States can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Brazil and United States.
Is United States safe for expats?
United States performs significantly better than Brazil across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United States is 6.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 20.6 in Brazil. About 63% of people in United States feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in United States compared to Brazil?
Brazil generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United States, compared to 21.4 in Brazil. United States scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Brazil: 80).
What's the weather like in United States compared to Brazil?
The average high temperature in Washington is 66°F, compared to 80°F in Brasilia. Washington receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Brasilia gets 61.1 in.
What language do they speak in United States?
The official language in United States is English. In Brazil, the official language is Portuguese.
