Moving to Brazil from Massachusetts

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Massachusetts to Brazil — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Massachusetts to Brazil, you would find that Brazil is 53.7% cheaper than Massachusetts. A $75,000 salary in Massachusetts would need to be roughly R$157,707 in Brazil to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Brasilia averages 80°F vs 59°F in Boston, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Massachusetts to Brazil.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 R$157,707

To maintain the same standard of living in Brazil

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 61.5% less

Groceries

pay 54.1% less

Transportation

pay 23.2% less

Housing

pay 78.5% less

Childcare

pay 79.7% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 68.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 5.22 BRL (August 2026)

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 65% less than cities in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts

Cambridge 85%
Worcester 73%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Massachusetts to Brazil, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
22,410 ↑ 9% vs 2015

people born in United States live in Brazil · UN DESA

Who's moving to Brazil?

Top countries of origin for Brazil's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Massachusetts and Brazil stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MA
28.8%
BR
22.1%

Brazil performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

MA
91.9%
BR
81.0%

Massachusetts performs better than Brazil across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MA
4.7%
BR
8.0%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MA
$87,892
BR
$18,600

Massachusetts generally does better on employment & economy, though Brazil leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

MA
79.0 yrs
BR
75.9 yrs

Massachusetts 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.

Boston Rain: 43.8 in/yr (1112 mm)
59° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Brasilia Rain: 61.1 in/yr (1552 mm)
80° / 61°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Boston Brasilia
Jan–Mar 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C) 80°/63°F (27°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) 78°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Jul–Sep 78°/62°F (25°/17°C) 80°/58°F (27°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/38°F (11°/3°C) 80°/64°F (27°/17°C)
View all months
Month Boston Brasilia
Jan 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C) 80°/63°F (26.9°/17.4°C)
Feb 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C) 80°/63°F (26.7°/17.4°C)
Mar 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C) 81°/64°F (27.1°/17.5°C)
Apr 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.8°C)
May 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C) 78°/59°F (25.7°/15.0°C)
Jun 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C) 77°/56°F (25.2°/13.3°C)
Jul 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C) 77°/55°F (25.1°/12.9°C)
Aug 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C) 81°/58°F (27.3°/14.6°C)
Sep 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C) 83°/61°F (28.3°/16.0°C)
Oct 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C) 82°/63°F (27.5°/17.4°C)
Nov 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C) 80°/64°F (26.6°/17.5°C)
Dec 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°C) 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.5°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia 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

United States passport holder visiting Brazil

Visa Online (e-Visa)
United States passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Brazil.
Brazil passport

Brazil passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Brazil passport holders need a visa to enter United States.

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 Brazil than Massachusetts?

Generally yes: Brazil runs about 60% cheaper than Massachusetts on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Brazil?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around R$39,427 in Brazil for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Brazil?

Working remotely from Brazil's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Massachusetts and Brazil.

How is healthcare in Brazil compared to Massachusetts?

Brazil performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Brazil compared to Massachusetts?

The average high temperature in Brasilia is 80°F, compared to 59°F in Boston. Brasilia receives around 61.1 in of rainfall per year, while Boston gets 43.8 in.

What language do they speak in Brazil?

The official language in Brazil is Portuguese. In Massachusetts, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

BR
Population 6,547,629 217,240,060
Currency United States Dollar ($) Brazilian Real (R$)
Languages English Portuguese
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +55
Time zones 11 4
Emergency number 911 190