Moving to Brazil from California
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from California to Brazil — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from California to Brazil, you would find that Brazil is 56.5% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly R$153,921 in Brazil to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from California to Brazil.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → R$153,921
To maintain the same standard of living in Brazil
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 62.5% less
Groceries
pay 56.5% less
Transportation
pay 33.3% less
Housing
pay 79.6% less
Childcare
pay 80.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 69.1% less
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 Brazil cost about 66% less than cities in California.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Brazil
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from California to Brazil, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from California to Brazil.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Brazil performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
California performs better than Brazil across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
California generally does better on employment & economy, though Brazil leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
California performs better than Brazil across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sacramento | Brasilia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) | 80°/63°F (27°/17°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) | 78°/59°F (26°/15°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) | 80°/58°F (27°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) | 80°/64°F (27°/17°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sacramento | Brasilia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) | 80°/63°F (26.9°/17.4°C) |
| Feb | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) | 80°/63°F (26.7°/17.4°C) |
| Mar | 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) | 81°/64°F (27.1°/17.5°C) |
| Apr | 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) | 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.8°C) |
| May | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) | 78°/59°F (25.7°/15.0°C) |
| Jun | 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) | 77°/56°F (25.2°/13.3°C) |
| Jul | 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) | 77°/55°F (25.1°/12.9°C) |
| Aug | 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) | 81°/58°F (27.3°/14.6°C) |
| Sep | 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) | 83°/61°F (28.3°/16.0°C) |
| Oct | 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) | 82°/63°F (27.5°/17.4°C) |
| Nov | 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) | 80°/64°F (26.6°/17.5°C) |
| Dec | 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.5°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and Brazil. To live, work, or study long-term in Brazil, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Brazil's immigration authority.
United States passport holder visiting Brazil
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Brazil passport holder visiting United States
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Brazil than California?
Yes — Brazil is on average about 61% cheaper than California. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Brazil?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly R$38,480 in Brazil on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Brazil?
Usually fine from major cities in Brazil. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Brazil compared to California?
Brazil performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Brazil compared to California?
The average high temperature in Brasilia is 80°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Brasilia receives around 61.1 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in.
What language do they speak in Brazil?
The official language in Brazil is Portuguese. In California, the official language is English.
