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Americas · Portuguese · updated 2026-10

Moving to Brazil: visas, cost of living & citizenship

A single person needs about $1,200 a month to live in São Paulo, and a family of four about $2,650, including rent. Brazil usually lets you apply for permanent residence after 4 yrs, with citizenship after 4 yrs, and dual citizenship is allowed. You can move here without a job offer through the Digital nomad visa (VITEM XIV).

Monthly budget
$1,200
Very low cost
Safety
17
High risk
Stability
35
Fragile
Family
34
Fair
Main city
São Paulo
Language
Portuguese
Permanent residence
4 yrs
Citizenship
4 yrs
Dual citizenship
Allowed
Digital nomad visa
Yes
What can your passport do in Brazil?Pick your nationality to see your exact access, visit rules and personal score.
Open the interactive index →

Cost of living in Brazil, per month in US$

One person
$1,200
Family of four
$2,650
RentGroceriesTransportUtilities & internetEating out & leisureOther
1-bed flat, São Paulo centre
$500
Estimate
3-bed family flat
$950
Estimate
Price level
46
US = 100
Income per person
$879
GNI ÷ 12, World Bank

Safety

Safety score
17
High risk
Homicides per 100k
19.28
US 5.8 · UK 1.0 · Japan 0.2

Political stability & governance

Political stability−0.38
Rule of law−0.49
Control of corruption−0.38
Government effectiveness−0.04
−2.5 weak0strong +2.5

Worldwide Governance Indicators, World Bank. Fragile overall (35/100).

Family-friendliness

Family score
34
Fair
Child outcomes (HCI)
0.551
Health & schooling, 0–1
Under-5 mortality
14.2
per 1,000 births
Life expectancy
76 yrs
at birth
Health spending
$1,010
per person / year
Education spending
5.6%
of GDP

Visa & residence routes

Remote work
Digital nomad visa (VITEM XIV)Remote workers with $1,500/month foreign income or $18,000 in savings. 1 year, renewable.
Job offer
Temporary work visaNeeds a Brazilian employer and labour authorisation.
Investment
Investor residenceR$500,000 in a Brazilian company, or R$150,000 for innovation projects.

Some passports also get: Reduced naturalisation period (1 year) for Portuguese-speaking countries.

Who gets easier access to Brazil

The Mercosur Residence Agreement gives 2 years of residence with work rights, then permanent residence. No job offer needed.

Flag of ArgentinaArgentinaFlag of BoliviaBoliviaFlag of ChileChileFlag of ColombiaColombiaFlag of EcuadorEcuadorFlag of ParaguayParaguayFlag of PeruPeruFlag of UruguayUruguay

Reduced naturalisation period (1 year) for Portuguese-speaking countries (8 nationalities)

Reduced naturalisation period (1 year) for Portuguese-speaking countries.

Flag of AngolaAngolaFlag of BrazilBrazilFlag of Cape VerdeCape VerdeFlag of Equatorial GuineaEquatorial GuineaFlag of Guinea-BissauGuinea-BissauFlag of MozambiqueMozambiqueFlag of Sao Tome and PrincipeSao Tome and PrincipeFlag of Timor-LesteTimor-Leste

Visiting: 103 passports can visit visa-free, 0 with an electronic travel authorisation, 0 get a visa on arrival, 0 can apply for an eVisa and 95 need a visa in advance (Passport Index dataset).

Road to permanent residence & citizenship

ArrivePRCitizen024681012+ yrs
Permanent residence
4 yrs
Citizenship
4 yrs
1 year for nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries
Dual citizenship
Allowed

Last checked 2026-10.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to live in Brazil?

About $1,200 a month for one person and $2,650 for a family of four in São Paulo, including rent. A city-centre 1-bedroom flat costs around $500 a month and a 3-bedroom around $950. Prices are 46% of US levels. Brazil is the 14th cheapest of the 76 countries in the index.

Is Brazil safe to live in?

Brazil scores 17/100 for safety (high risk), ranking 72nd of 76. The homicide rate is 19.28 per 100,000 people (US 5.8, UK 1.0, Japan 0.2).

Is Brazil politically stable?

Brazil scores 35/100 for stability (fragile), ranking 67th of 76, based on the World Bank's indicators for political stability, rule of law, control of corruption and government effectiveness.

Is Brazil good for families?

Brazil scores 34/100 for family-friendliness (fair), ranking 68th of 76. Life expectancy is 76 years and under-5 mortality is 14.2 per 1,000 births.

How long does it take to get permanent residence in Brazil?

Usually 4 yrs of legal residence.

How long until I can become a citizen of Brazil?

Usually 4 yrs of residence. 1 year for nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries. Dual citizenship: allowed.

Can I move to Brazil without a job offer?

Yes. Digital nomad visa (VITEM XIV): Remote workers with $1,500/month foreign income or $18,000 in savings. 1 year, renewable.

Does Brazil have a digital nomad visa?

Yes: the Digital nomad visa (VITEM XIV). Remote workers with $1,500/month foreign income or $18,000 in savings. 1 year, renewable.

Who can live and work in Brazil without a visa?

The Mercosur Residence Agreement gives 2 years of residence with work rights, then permanent residence. No job offer needed. (Mercosur Residence Agreement: Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru.)

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See also: cheapest countries to live · safest countries · most stable countries · best countries for families · where citizens of Brazil can move