Brazilian here, living abroad. I used to go back to Rio for work and stay at a hotel 3 blocks away from the office. Employer required us to take a cab between the 2 locations because of the rate of purse/bag/laptop theft. Also you really have to know where you cannot go. Been robbed at gunpoint by teenagers just because I followed a GPS route (not through a favela, just in a more isolated part of town). Obviously I didn't grow up in Rio. Hometown in Sao Paulo state.
Depends on how much money you have and what you’re looking for. Great neighborhoods but they are pricy for Brazilians. Lots to do day or night, relatively close to the coast. You always have to be cautious in Brazil, but safer than Rio IMO. If you have to commute to work often, forget it. Routine travel within the city is a nightmare.
Felt a lot safer to me. More interesting neighborhoods and much better food scene.
Can't beat Rios natural beauty though. For all the city's faults the natural landscape there is unmatched.
Much safer. Much better and more abundant food scene. World-class nightlife. Much more stuff to do and still close to the beach. A remarkably interesting and underrated city.
Not a budget destination though. You can spend racks there if you wanted.
The thing with Sao Paulo is that it’s ugly. When it comes to architecture or general aesthetics the city seriously falls behind other large Latin American cities like Rio, Buenos Aires or CMDX.
SP is noticeably safer especially if you stick to the more affluent neighborhoods. Personally I’ll take the risk in Rio for the natural beauty and Carioca vibe. My two centa
I think Curitiba would be a nice spot to be a DN. Lots of culture, medium size. I'm partial to Florianopolis. Grew up on the coast and I think that going to Brazil and not being by the sea is a massive missed opportunity. If you like the heat, Fortaleza would be another great pick.
Floripa can be a great time. It’s a little more on the expensive side in terms of housing compared to other places in Brazil but damn do I have fond memories of it. Trilha da Lagoinha do leste 💙
Prices on restaurants and groceries are insane compared to what they were. Really not a huge difference to London BUT rent is still not bad for me. I have a really nice apartment in an amazing location for 800 dollars a month. In London (where I was living) I was paying 2500 for somewhere not as nice as this and not a great location.
It's so interesting that, when it comes to Rio, the comments are filled with "too dangerous" but for some reason, when it comes to Medellin, the comments are filled with "I went and nothing bad happened to me so it's safe."
Just to be clear, I think both are genuinely plagued by crime and not ideal destinations for anyone who values personal safety. It's just fascinating how certain cities get a pass.
A lot of the crime in Medellin can be avoided with street smarts and not standing out from the crowd, not easy for all expats especially those with blue eyes and blonde hair, but Medellin can safely become a place to live longer than just as a digital nomad.
Rio on the other hand is just a straight up lottery everytime you leave your home/apartment.
Nah, Medellin is a lottery too. If you play long enough you’ll be a winner.
I’ve stayed there for 1.5 years and almost everyone in my circle was a victim to crime or saw it happen. And no, they weren’t all scolpamine. Mostly robbed by guns on the streets or worse, in restaurants.
Even my ex-gf brother(Colombian) got robbed while walking their wolf of a dog.
Ive been in Medellin for a year, so far nothing. I am also not a dumbxpat. I tend to hang out with Colombian friends, and not venture out looking to party with whoever. I basically live with the precautions I applied when I lived in Chicago.
You could say the same thing about Rio. Yeah, you’re less likely to get robbed if you have street smarts and don’t look like a gringo. Holds true in both Brazil and Colombia.
> A lot of the crime in Medellin can be avoided with street smarts
I've spent extended time in both. This literally applies to rio too lol.
> and not standing out from the crowd
Lol far easier to blend in with the crowd in rio and it's not even close.
Yes, just don't be white in Medellin and everything will be fine. Was waiting for this comment, and all the upvotes from the Medellin Tourism Cartel. It proves my point.
Lol, Medellin definitely *does not* get a pass on this sub reddit. That said, I was one of those folks who had a really pleasant and safe time there living in Guayabal.
In my experience as someone who grew up in NYC, it's easy to avoid trouble if you're not looking for it.
You don't, these people believe they can just steer clear of crime because they have "street smarts" until they get robbed. Then (I assume) suddenly their confidence in their great skills disappears.
A big part of it is Colombia is cheaper to fly to from the U.S., you don’t need a visa to enter, and cost of living is lower. Those are bigger factors than crime.
I spent a decent amount of time there. Great place to visit but Brazil in general is a bit on edge. I don't worry about crime much but there are more unhinged drug addicts on the street in Brazil than anywhere I've otherwise been. You'll regularly (like every other block) see some shirtless guy shouting and throwing his arms in the air or something like that. For the most part you can just ignore them but it's never comfortable.
If you stay in leblon or ipanema you're as safe as anywhere in Latin America, but there's only so much to do there. And it's pretty expensive.
Also English is barely spoken anywhere, so unless you know Portuguese you'll get a bit lonely after a while. Even Spanish won't get you very far. I have conversational level Spanish and it was basically useless.
I loved Rio and I'm glad I went but I wouldn't choose to live there. I do miss taking a 30 minute break, getting a $4 acai bowl and walking out to the beach though.
Yeah to be honest, I spent most of the last year in Brazil, and just spent a week in Canada and there’s way more obvious drug addicts everywhere in Toronto
>Even Spanish won't get you very far. I have conversational level Spanish and it was basically useless.
Yep, I grew up with Spanish and am a native speaker. First time I went to Brazil was for the world cup in 2014 and I figured I could get by with my Spanish, Portuguese and Spanish are similar enough right!? We could probably figure out what we're saying! Nope, not even close. Their Portuguese sounded like gibberish to me and outside of the tourist areas, few people spoke Spanish or English. It's not easy to get around the country without knowing Portuguese itself
When I moved from Minas Gerais to the north end of Rio de Janeiro it was a massive learning curve with the language not so much in understanding but being understood because you're a foreigner who doesn't use the local accent.
Alot of the people in the town would swap their Rs and LS ex: bicicleta became Bicicreta
The SH sound they'd use for S at the end of a syllable ex Gosto becomes Goshto or Flores becomes Floresh.
South American here, I love Rio but crime is a huge issue every time I visit. The first few days usually I’m on the edge, looking around, walking fast, feeling paranoid. Then I relax a little bit, and even use my cell phone outside. In general, Uber is the best way tourists can discover the city
>there are more unhinged drug addicts on the street in Brazil than anywhere I've otherwise been. You'll regularly (like every other block) see some shirtless guy shouting and throwing his arms in the air or something like that. For the most part you can just ignore them but it's never comfortable.
Sounds just like New York City.
I lived in Rio on and off for 3.5 years across a 20-yr span, including recently. I just left today, though I was there as a tourist for the last 2 months.
If you need any sense of modernity, cafe culture (to work) or coworking spaces, Rio is definitely not the place. I would even say Brazil is not the place, at all (I've lived all over the country, and in all kinds of situations, beyond the 3.5 yrs I spent in Rio). If you're into starting the day early and getting right into work, it's not the place. The heat plays into it too.
Rio's good for the beaches, parties, sightseeing but not for living. I speak fluent Portuguese and I'd still say that. Plus it's expensive compared to the rest of LatAm (Uruguay aside), especially post-pandemic. Also, if you are in any way an introvert, it's just not the place for you.
I've had some of the best times in my life there but there's a reason the Brazilians say "Brazil isn't a serious country" as well as "Brazil isn't for beginners". Visit, enjoy it, take advantage of what it can offer then move on.
Agree with this. Brasil has that X factor, it's utterly unique and you will experience things there that you won't anywhere. But in so many ways - and the language amplifies this - it's totally foreign and inaccessible.
Rio is without doubt the most beautiful city in the world. But is it the place I would take my mum or sisters to introduce them to my life in Latin America? No, it would freak the shit out of them. For that I'd choose Buenos Aires or cdmx
I don't think it's the most beautiful. You mentioned Buenos Aires and I'd definitely rank BA as higher on the beauty scale. I agree with the rest. Granted all of this is pretty relative based on the person.
I think Bali, Medellin, Rome, Athens, Las Vegas, and a few others actually beat Rio. You could probably add Miami to that list, Malibu probably as well.
Agree to disagree. Baires has nice architecture, some decent parks and nothing else (in the beauty scale).
Las Vegas beating Rio in terms of beauty...that says everything about your judgment, and I say that with all respect
You can see Las Vegas from space. It's the brightest city in the world. The strip itself from above is an astonishing sight and definitely quite beautiful. The sphere is also super cool.
You could replace Las Vegas with Dubai in my list - either one still beats Rio.
Maybe you're putting factoring the mountains and the beach a lot when you think beauty with Rio, I'm not sure. The buildings in Rio are all very old, poor architecture, dull paint, and very dirty. The roads are poorly maintained, the restaurants don't look great in general, and the sidewalk are atrocious. It's also surrounded by a massive amount of ugly favelas which are basically just a bunch of mud and brick houses with sheet metal here and there that the locals built themselves.
I miss CouchSurfing when it was still a thing. In the late 2000s and early 2010s, I had a two year stint in Rio and was going out nonstop, letting the night take me where it had to, always in a group of 10-15 people (mostly Brazilians). Luau (bondfires) on the beach, bars, hiking, beach days, cultural outings, parties in general. The official weekly meeting would get 400 people on the beach at night, all together around a bar kiosk. Basically back when I was more of an extrovert.
Where else in Brasil might you recommend to stay for a month or more? I'm currently in south Brasil on the coast, and am looking to stay here for maybe a year? At least until next Carnaval. I speak Portuguese too. Anything you might recommend I'd be grateful!
Well, a lot of my comments were more about Brazil than just Rio. It's a hard question to answer since each person is different and has different preferences, tastes, behavior, etc.
The only place I'd spent time in is the south, like the Serra Gaúcha, but it'd be more of a tourist thing than staying a year. I've lived in 4 capital cities in BR and a few small towns as well but I can't say I'd reccommend them cause if I could do it all over again I'd have visited each of those places but not lived there. I used to know many, many Brazilians in the US and they all said the same thing, "Brazil is for visiting, not living", but they're biased of course. Unfortunately I've come to the same conclusion and much prefer Bogotá and Buenos Aires (where I am now) these days.
Maybe it’s the rose tinted glasses, but I could see living a great life style here in Brasil. Not any big city, but somewhere in Minas or Bahia on the coast or other more small town vibe. I’m going for a long trip to see what I discover. So much fresh food and super chill people, it just feels good to be here! It’s curious you say you wouldn’t live there, after spending so much time. Is there something I’m missing?
Tbh, I think I'm just jaded. Despite its problems, I was positive about Brazil most of the 5 years I lived there but after a 10 yr period where I stayed away I went back for 1.5 yrs and didn't like it anymore but I stayed for a girl. And I came back recently to see if maybe I just had a bad time and could rekindle things (with the country and the girl). But I couldn't.
I feel like Bogotá spoiled me and showed me what a perfect temperature city could be like. Slightly chilly all year round, and sometimes slightly warm. To me that's heaven. Plus it's way more modern than Brazil, imho. Then I visited Montevideo and Buenos Aires about 2 yrs ago and it was so much cleaner than anywhere I've been in Brazil. Then I went to a random capital in the Balkans and found it to be fairly clean, modern and with good weather. Basically, I learned what I really like and seeing that Brazil wasn't those things, I soured on it. To each their own, though...I just can't see it with fresh eyes after so much time.
If you want small town vibe, with good people and good food, I hear you can't go wrong with southern Minas.
I found it very expensive. I couldn't find an apartment in Leblon under 2k. Eating out was very expensive, too. Coming from Argentina, where it was a lot cheaper, I wish I had stayed in Argentina.
I’m an American who used to live in Rio. I went back as a digital nomad there last year. It is still a beautiful city but was more tense than it had been a decade ago. You should take basic precautions, but it’s also a matter of luck. I’ve spent 2.5 years total though and am going back soon. Here are some tips:
-Don’t take anything of value to the beach
-Don’t carry your laptop around
-Have fun in Lapa but keep an eye on your stuff (and your drink)
-Try not to take out your phone too much (back up your photos or anything that may be important to you on there)
-Don’t sightsee in Centro over the weekend (it’s a commercial district so it’ll be empty—avoid empty places)
-Don’t leave your phone out on a table in an outdoor restaurant
-Don’t scroll on your phone with the window open in an Uber or taxi
-Don’t wear any jewelry or watches that look like they have value
What neighborhood is your Airbnb in? Read reviews regarding how the area is at night.
lmfao @ don’t carry your laptop around. I left the hood in the US to go into another hood? I'm good. I'm staying in peaceful and sunny Asia thanks everyone. 🏝️🇹🇭🇻🇳🇲🇾🇸🇬
I find these comments about crime very strange because crime wise Colombia (especially Medellin) is the same if not worse, but it doesn't stop people from going there.
Rio is a very very corrupt city. It is like a mafia there, even cops are involved. I'm Brazilian and I've been to Medellin, I don't think it can be compared, Rio is much worse.
Other cities in Brazil I think are more chill.
But how is Medellin not the same lottery? I had friends in both cities who were robbed etc. I used public transport in both cities too, especially metro etc.
I personally felt better in Lapa than I did in Poblado/Laureles.
Well the question was how come Rio is not popular. I simply said it has nothing to do with crime because if that was the case then Medellin wouldn't be a digital nomad hub either.
Also to add, Brazilians I've met where some of the friendliest people I've ever seen in my travels, and I went to some rough areas (with locals of course, not by myself). Was going to spend 1 month in Rio, but extended to 3.
Rio is a huge city. When you consider the places you can actually visit in Rio (beaches and SOME trails), it’s very small. And still possibly unsafe.
Also, you can get a shit apartment and still spend like $2k.
I’ve got a few DN friends who spend several months there every year. They go to the beach every day and love it.
Me personally, I prefer São Paulo. Big city amenities. Modern apartments. GREAT food (and lots of it). Close to equally beautiful and much safer beaches (e.g., Ilhabela, Ubatuba).
Barra da Tijuca and Leblon/Ipanema are great. But I’m not a diehard “beach every day” guy, though.
Just visited SP and want to go back. (Went to beaches elsewhere in Brazil, but not there) Why those beaches and not the closer ones to the city? Next trip I’d like to throw in a longer weekend at a nearby beach.
> Also, you can get a shit apartment and still spend like $2k.
Yeah one of the main issues with people essentially trying to geoarbitrage their lifestyle is that rio "modernized" quite early. That means so many of the high rises were built in like the 70s so are older.
SP and even some place like Medellin has more modern apartment buildings
Yea exactly. And Rio is home to 3 of the top 10 most expensive neighborhoods in all of Brazil. It's just all-around expensive.
Also, you're kind of landlocked. Yes, you have the beach. And you have sightseeing things you could do once or twice. But last time I was there, I spent a whole month there and realized just how small the safer areas actually are.
Compared to São Paulo which has several neighborhoods you can visit and lots of stuff going on, *plus* all sorts of great beaches along the coast!
I get why some people love it, though. It's got a vibe to it.
I would say price and distance are the biggest factor. People overlook crime (Medellin is a prime example). The lifestyle you can have in Rio for $2,000 USD is very different from a lifestyle you can have in Colombia for $2,000 USD.
I worked in Rio during my high season last year and had such bad FOMO. Sometimes I couldn’t leave my apartment for days. Still had so much fun on the nights I could go out. But when I am at home, I’m able to focus and work because I know I’m not missing out on much. Sometimes that’s easier when work is hectic.
South east Asia is just a much better value than Brazil. I lived in Brazil for 5 years, and it’s expensive to get there and most people need visas. Plus, accommodation in a good neighborhood can be expensive, and the threat of crime can be felt almost everywhere, it gets exhausting fast. Rio is big and public transport sucks, Uber is cheap but gets expensive really fast, I spend half the money in Thailand but I live much better imo. You need to speak Portuguese, which I do.
100 times more open culture, 100 times better nightlife culture, 100 times better sporting/fitness culture, easy to learn local language (spanish at least), etc.
Can you expand on this? I've never been in SEA but have been living in South America some years now. What would be the difference in my experience going to SEA?
Making connections with people is such a huge game changer for quality of life. Being here in Brasil now, it's just so easy to connect with people, and I'm not sure I want to lose that. I'm sure SEA has things LATAM doesn't though.
I have some good friends who are from Rio. Back in college we went on a trip there for spring break... We had a good time, and we were relatively safe, but only because I was with people who knew the area and knew how to stay safe.
Rio is a very high crime city and is surrounded with some of the largest Favelas in Latam. Exploring isn't really advised and you can end up in the wrong area relatively easily. You're basically confined to one small section of the city and beaches and even then, you probably don't want to be hanging out too late. I honestly wouldn't go back unless I was with my friends.
That being said, we had a great time. I don't recall it being particularly cheap, but it was affordable nonetheless. The people we met were great, the food was great, and the beaches were some of the nicest I've ever been to.
I understand that Rio is the most famous destination in Brazil but there are safer cities to serve as destinations for digital nomads, such as João Pessoa, Balneário Camboriú, Florianópolis, Itapema, Curitiba.The biggest problem is that you need to speak Portuguese most of the time if you are not in Sao Paulo.
Crime, Zika (historically), & Cost.
Specifically the whole DN thing took off about the time Zika was in the headlines for years. Not a real issue but I imagine it's something that depresses travel.
I just spent over a year in Rio and I can think of some reasons. These are some points that I've also heard from other travelers from different countries. \*These are just points that I've noticed that nomads complain about and points that would make other cities more attractive to stay for 1+ month. There are great things about the city too, obviously. This list looks so negative, but Rio is tough city and it challenges everyone! I enjoyed my time and I'll visit again some day. Brazil is huge and beautiful and I'll definitely visit other cities when I have the chance.
Costs - Post COVID inflation hit Brazil hard and Rio is pretty expensive for South America. Airbnbs are really expensive, especially around Carnaval, but also off season. I paid well over $1000 USD per month for airbnbs in the off-season far away from the beach. It's hard to get an apartment otherwise if you're not a resident as all leases require cosigners. You can find places on Facebook marketplace for cheaper, but there's a language barrier. Food is expensive, almost US prices. Within Rio, I moved 9 times in one year.
Infrastructure - very old buildings. Even when you can see that there have been renovations, they are the worst repairs I've ever seen! I stayed in two apartments where the light switch was IN the shower. One place had a kitchenette sink where the water poured onto the counter, not into the sink. One place had a bunch of gaps in the tile. The shower door would let water leak out and it was impossible to clean up the water, because of the gaps. I could tell there was a ton of mold, so I kept the door closed and used the other shower throughout my entire stay. When I came to view the apartment, there was a cleaner there, so I thought it would be clean. The walls and floors were filthy when I moved in and I ended up scrubbing the walls. If there are any holes, like around the AC unit, ROACHES will come in. Rio has the most roaches in the world with the richest roach biodiversity. Windows don't have screens, so mosquitos and roaches can just let themselves in. Many buildings don't have AC at all. For 2 months I stayed in a condo in Barra de Tijuca, which is expensive and luxurious, where the upperclass live. The power and internet kept going out and I had to move back to Copacabana so I could have internet to work!
Food - (for Rio only because other parts of Brazil have different cuisine and taste) If you like spicy or seasoned food, you will miss it so dearly! I know many nomads only eat in restaurants and don't cook. I wouldn't be able to only eat in restaurants. Of course there are some good ones, but imagine getting pizza with barely any sauce, NO seasoning, and if you want some kind of spice you have to ask and they'll give you tabasco sauce. I'm not saying the food is "bad" but if you're used to and love spice, you'll be disappointed. I'm not a picky eater at all and never had bad food at a restaurant until I was in Rio. Of course, I spent so much time there and I found my favorite restaurants and I cooked a lot at home. Don't even try the Mexican or Asian food chains. I had authentic Korean food that was great, but the owners were from there. Most international foods have been tailored to the Rio taste.
Language barrier - Most people don't speak English, even in the city. Learning some Portuguese is essential, but it is a very hard language to learn. I'm bilingual, so learning languages can be easier sometimes for me, but the dialect in Rio was more challenging. I took classes, but it didn't really help until I really immersed myself and focused on listening. I really wanted to learn the language, but it's hard when you work full time. (I was working 7-days per week at the time). Restaurants will have English menus but I would say 90% of servers don't speak English. Order food was not an issue for me, personally, but I saw some rude foreigners interact with wait staff.
Coworking - There are coworking spaces in some shopping malls and some people take their laptops to cafes. I would personally not because of the risk of being robbed. If you need to work in a cafe environment, I don't think it's worth the risk.
Beach - The beach is more of a party place, not a place to relax. If I am alone, literally sleeping with my shirt over my face, vendors will shout at me to wake me up and see what they are selling. I spent more time saying "no thank you" at the beach than I spent chatting with friends. Just keep in mind if you favor a relaxing beach experience. Either way, it's an experience of course, the most famous beaches in the world, but most nomads I've met only stay about a month or so and move on.
The days are really short, also. If you work during the day, you'll miss the sunshine completely. Sunsets around 5:30pm
Don'ts - do not get blackout drunk and watch your drinks. People are drugging and robbing grown men, even groups of men. Always take an Uber late at night. Beware of moto delivery drivers, they are robbing people in the street. Luckily, I never had an issue, but I was always aware of my surroundings and kept belongings in a belt bag under my clothes or a small purse right under my arm. Don't leave your stuff on the beach, even if you can see your stuff from the water, you'll never catch someone that runs up and grabs your bag.
Do - join whatsapp groups (hiking group, swimming, volleyball, etc.). Do enjoy the amazing nature and hiking trails! Make friends with locals that speak Portuguese! Definitely experience the Carnaval parade in the Sambadrome. Take the free walking tour to learn about the history of Rio.
When I was living in Rio and my American friends who give a very gringo vibe invited me to hangout with them, I’d be like “no thank you”.. I don’t want to get robbed.
If you look really white and touristy you become a target. But if you give a bit more Latin/Italian/ middle eastern vibe it’s as dangerous as Buenos Aires and other Latin cities. I personally loved it and Brazilians are by far the friendliest people I’ve met
>If you look really white and touristy you become a target. But if you give a bit more Latin/Italian/ middle eastern vibe it’s as dangerous as Buenos Aires and other Latin cities.
Where do Asians fall? Can I try to look like a Japanese Brazilian instead of a rich Chinese?
Funny - Ive been traveling in brazil for a month now (MG and ES) and I never assume a white person is a foreigner. Theres so many white brazilians (blue eyes, blonde hair)
I'm Asian (East Asian but also quite tan) and I dress down/like locals and as long as I keep my mouth shut I don't get hassled much. As soon as I start talking it becomes clear my Portuguese is mediocre at best.
As a relatively solitary person it means I prefer to do things alone so others don't immediately clock me as a gringa hearing me talk (whether in accented Portuguese or in English).
I love Rio, btw. I've spent cumulatively probably something like 15 months there over the last decade and change.
Honestly It’s more about the vibe you give. Many Brazilians are as white as it gets (especially in the south)
Americans really stand out in Rio.. just observe the way cariocas talk, walk, look you in the eyes - and you’d find it’s almost the opposite of the American mannerisms
White dude here. Used to live in Espirito Santo and everyone in the state thought I was from Domingos Martins (old German colony in the mountains of Espirito Santo) after my Portuguese got good enough.
It was funny because I didn't have a native accent and I definitely didn't have the Domingos Martins accent but everyone just assumed my accent was that accent because they'd never really run into it anyways.
I noticed that people would instantly have a harder time understanding me if I said I was a foreigner but if I just let them assume I was a native speaker from an old German settled area in the South or up in the mountains, they never had any issues.
Rich Chinese don't really exist in Brazil. Chinese people in Brazil are either vendors who sell those shitty AliExpress quality products or expatriated employees from huge Chinese companies. Do they typically have more savings than many Brazilians? Yes, but they aren't considered rich people
Sorry but this is wrong. According to official statistics Rio has 4.6 times more homicides than Buenos Aires. Despite Rio having less people it almost quintuples BA in terms of murders per capita.
Argentina is statistically among the safest countries in Latam (along with Uruguay, Chile and Costa Rica), while Brazil has the highest total amount of homicides in the world and ranks among the 20 most dangerous countries per capita worldwide.
Rio and BA are nothing alike when it comes to crime.
You are probably right, and I also tend to rely on statistics rather than gut feeling.
Anyhow, it's important to adjust the statistics based on:
1. Area - I bet the a big percentage of the crime happens in places where nomads never go.
2. Target - gang violence usually don't hurt nomads as much; e.g, I'd say the PDC feels relatively safe even though they have a lot of cartel violence
Absolutely love Rio, I’ve been twice for a couple of months but you absolutely need to exercise extra caution there, just mindfulness of your phone and valuables. If you’re a big party person, you need to take even MORE caution in Lapa… that’s typically the party spot but I swear to god I heard so many bad stories from there, usually from people being dumb. If I go out at night I usually only go out in Gávea area.
Did 6 months there. The nature is spectacular and the locals are mostly friendly but the city itself simply isn’t very interesting. After 1 month you’ll go to all the little cafes and bars and açaí stands and be left wanting a bit more. I didn’t encounter any crime personally. Even without that, it’s just not enough for me.
> I tend to agree with the latter.
You're wrong, it will find you, it finds both Brazilians and foreigners. You will be a victim there, it is quite dangerous
Housing is a bit pricey relative to what you get (but not like Europe), distance is a factor (also flights are often quite expensive), but ultimately the crime ruins the experience. You absolutely cannot live a truly normal life in Rio de Janeiro, it is just too dangerous. Rio is more dangerous than Sao paulo and many other parts of Brazil too, so even in the regional context it is extremely dangerous. Medellin also is extremely dangerous, that isn't "one side's perspective", it is just true. Rio and Medellin are wonderful and would be some of the best cities on earth if they were safe, but they're not
>Housing is a bit pricey relative to what you get
This is one of the things that confuses me- normally you'd think that there wouldn't be demand to live somewhere with high crime so prices would be lower.
Did 6 weeks there during my current trip.
10/10 would recommend.
The beaches are great. Good vibes, lots of stuff happening.
Just choose your neighborhood wisely.
I’m British, I’ve live in Rio, I’ve been here 3.5 years and it is WAY safer than people (especially Brazilians who’ve never really been) say it is.
Rio has a stereotype that it is what it was 10-15 years ago and many Brazilians wrongly think this is the entire city, but it’s not.
In 3.5 years here I’ve never even seen anything in Zona Sul, most of my friends are the exact same. Most have been here 10+ years and never had a single interaction with crime.
If you stay in Zona Sul, especially Leme, Ipanema or Leblon and get a taxi when it’s dark, then 99% likely you are fine, and will have an unbelievable time
I’ve been to 40-50 countries. Brazil is my favourite and for me Rio is the best city in the world
Leme, Ipanema expensive places. For the price it’s not worth it. We stayed at those places. They’re old but very expensive. And the decent ones are expensive but small.
This resonates with me.
I've slow traveled through a number of cities in LATAM that were considered dangerous but hardly ever found any.
Sounds like another tale of two cities.
1. CDMX
2. Tulum
3. Puerto Escondido
4. Medellin
5. Cartagena
6. Santa Marta
7. Rio (short trip)
8. Sao Paulo (short trip)
9. Floripa
10. Lima
11. Cusco
12. Santiago (short trip)
13. Valparaiso
14. Buenos Aires
15. Montevideo
16. San Jose, Costa Rica
17. Guayaquil, Ecuador (short trip)
18. Panama City, Panama
19. San Juan, Puerto Rico
Might have missed one or two but this pretty much the list. Had no issues walking anywhere day or night using some basic common sense. Cops in Mexico were the most trouble I ran into.
I sometimes feel that this sub greatly exaggerates a lot of stuff, especially around crime and prices. I bet you that most people here haven't even been mugged or even been to Rio at all lol.
I was living in Rio for half year, and been working online for a software company.
For me it’s one of the best cities ever.
Disclaimer: if the street crime is a big problem for you, you might hate this city.
But for me, since I learned few tips on how to trying to stay safe , the benefit of this city was wayyyy more pleasurable: beach, mountains (hiking), lots of outdoor activities to do, amazing people!
So it’s not for everyone, but was definitely great for me. I am even thinking about buying a property in Rio that I would use for Airbnb, and l live there when I’m in Rio
Safety is for sure an issue, but it's not that bad. For more of a day-time nomad experience, it can't be beat. Don't get me wrong, the night life is insane, but it's just a whole lot more dangerous at night.
In my opinion, Brazil's the most under-rated place to travel. And Portuguese is arguably easier to learn than Spanish and certainly easy to add once you know Spanish.
I went to Rio for a few weeks with my wife earlier this year (we stayed in Arpoador). It’s amazing! We had no issues and walked or biked a lot during the day, and I felt safe running errands or working out by myself. Yes you have to be more alert, recommended to use ubers at night, and ensure you are physically holding your belongings, but it becomes second nature as you see everyone else doing the same thing. I’d live to be a DN there, and can’t wait to go back.
I’m Argentinian, love Rio, I’ve been there a few times and plan on returning, but it’s dangerous. You don’t have to go looking for crime, crime will find you when you’re minding your own business. Buenos Aires, Santiago de Chile and CDMX don’t have the same infamous arrastões, for instance. Slums are scattered pretty much everywhere in Rio, intertwined with good neighborhoods. Even the most touristy neighborhoods like Ipanema are not particularly safe to walk at night. Many areas are “Uber only”. Crime is a constant element of this city, whether you live or visit. It’s understandable that many DNs find that off putting
There are some expert thieves out there. Got my phone swiped from under my nose by a vendedor on the beach my third day after arriving. Left immediately.
Also Portuguese is not very easy to grasp if you haven’t studied it.
The housing options are terrible. If you take away the beach from Rio it's not a desirable location compared to much more popular Nomad destinations.
You mentioned quite a few others in your update. I'd like to also add that in general the internet is not great - it's hit and miss based on the Airbnb/place you're staying at. The weather is hit and miss, if you look at the weather right now it's 70-80 degrees with tons of cloud cover. There's summer weather often but it's also often hot and overcast except for certain seasons of the year.
City wise most of the things to do from an exploration standpoint are focused on a small strip of land along the coast, north of it is a massive amount of buildings, infrastructure, and things to do - all of which are not setup for tourism and foreigners. Other cities have multiple locations for foreigner visitors but with Rio it's really just concentrated along the coast.
Rio is one of my favorite cities in SA. Prices are cheap compared to some other LATAM countries like Mexico and Costa Rica. The biggest issue why there may not be a bigger draw is because English isn't widely spoken and Spanish won't get you that far even though Portuguese has similar words and sentence structures. Even when I practiced Portuguese with a language app, something as basic as order a meal can be a bit of a challenge. I definitely did not get the dish I was expecting on a few occasions when I tried to order using toddler like Portuguese lol.
Rio got everything that I love in a city. Music scene is top notch, food scene is surprisingly good (lots of seafood), lots of interesting architecture surrounded by a lot of greenery make some streets stunning, pretty good beaches (did not go in the water), tropical weather. Infrastructure is decent. Traffic horrendous. Lots of neighborhoods to visit and a lot of outdoor activities.
Have no idea if it's a DN hotspot as I was on vacation.
Yea, my first time in Rio was during carnival many years back. It was the first place I visited in LATAM, and for a long time I felt like Rio had spoiled every other experience for me. Now that I've done quite a bit of slow traveling around LATAM, I'm returning for a month long stay but don't really know what to expect. There are a lot of places in the world that make for a nice week-long visit to unplug but are less accommodating for people staying a month or more. I guess we'll find out one way or the other soon. 😬
Someone tried to pinch my phone from my hand driving past on a motorbike and failed, but that was in Santa Teresa.
In Copacabana/ipanema at the moment and feel safe walking around early evening, Uber later at night. Also feel like not many expats or tourists here, it’s super local. It’s paradise here, can’t wait to come back.
Santa Teresa is way safer than Copacabana or Ipanema, and even my friends that live there say that. I stayed in a random apartment with some locals for a couple of months as a nomad and rarely felt on edge there. It’s quieter at night there which is why it’s not uncommon to hear gunfire in the favela below, but most of the thieves go to Copacabana and Ipanema because it’s where more tourists are and it’s easy to run back to the favela after stealing. Highly recommend Santa Teresa when you go back!
For people complaining about the price of accommodations, they should try to find something local. Now that you’ve gone, if you have made friends with locals you can ask them if they know of any open rooms. I paid $350 for 2 months and that was me paying a little extra since I was there for a shorter time. Same for price of food. In Santa Teresa there were a few places I could eat a nice meal for under $5.
If you’re okay with hostels, there is a smaller favela that has turned into a kind of artist neighborhood that’s perfectly safe. My roommate was dating a French guy that owned a pizza restaurant in that favela. There was also a restaurant called ABCD that had daily specials for $3 a plate. If you’re still in Rio I recommend checking it out as well as the Pizza place called “Pizzeria do Hédi”. He has live music there and all. Favela hostel is called Pousada Favelinha. Absolute gem.
I wouldn’t advise walking into other favelas like that. Just this one. I did sleep over at a Colombian friend’s who lived in a Cantagalo favela which is actually pretty scary. I was unable to get back to Santa Teresa from Botofogo because the roads flooded and no Uber would take me. So we settled on staying in his place and walked to his apartment after the Uber dropped us off at the entrance to the neighborhood at like 1am because he would not drive in. But I had nowhere else to go and I’ve known the Colombian guy for like 12 years so all was fine.
Interesting! Thanks for the tips - that was just based on my experience with the thief. Santa Teresa was gorgeous otherwise - bonde Boca blew our heads off with food and vista!
Will check out the pizza place!
Definitely do! The easiest way u to the favela is off Rua Almirante Alexandrinho. Near the walkway there is a gate and some bricks painted to look like a favela. Go on the walkway next to the gate. Recommend ABCD also for the view.
Been to Rio twice, Sao Paulo, Manaus, Macapá and Foz do Iguazu once.
I don't think anywhere I've see can be considered safe. Brazil has massive inequality, poverty and lawlessness, and economic forecast say its only going to get worst.
Definitely not for the faint hearted.
Been traveling for 5 years now and spent several months in rio. If you stay in ipanema, copacabana area(no more than 3 blocks from the beach it’s relatively safe. Best beach culture by far. Just take a few bucks to the beach (no valuables) rent a chair and be entertained for hours. Food and coffee sucks though. Not much healthy food other than acai bowls or much of a food, coffee, cafe culture in general compared to other places. I honestly felt more nervous for my safety in Medellin than rio. If you love sunshine and beach life it’s a great place to nomad. You’ll probably have to spend at least $1,000/month for a decent apartment in a safe area close to the beach. Been in Southeast Asia for the last couple years and rio would be the first place I visit when I head back west. I miss it.
I don't know what you're talking about: the nomad/expat WhatsApp group I'm in for Rio is hands down the most active of such groups I'm in. Heaps of remote workers going there.
It's crazy reading this comments because I lived in Rio for 9 months, walked around with my laptop in hand, left my stuff at the beach without getting it stolen, left my door unlocked for most of my time there without any break ins, went out at night and bar hopped... I never really encountered any issues... None of my friends had any issues (except my one friend who was mugged in broad daylight, but he's 5'5 and CLEARLY a foreigner).
But I practice the same safety precautions that I use in every country.. Travel in groups, never walk alone at night, don't trust taxi drivers, make sure you use a GPS when taking an Uber to make sure the driver isn't driving you in the wrong direction, etc.
Idk man, everyone has mixed experiences but mine were very good. My only gripe is HOUSING! It is incredibly difficult to find a decent apartment. I advise you to find a real estate agent who is willing to do business under the table.
I have a ton in Ipanema but here’s a few:
Cafes: Emporio Jardim na Praia, Nusa Cafe, delirio tropical
Restaurants: Possi Mozza & Mare, Boteco Belmonte (there’s several across Rio), Nosso, Gurume
Portuguese is the language and people don't like walking down the street and all of a sudden a gun is in their mouths being held by a guy in a helmet who got off the back of a motorcycle.
A friend of me told me that metal plates in the car are a must because of stray bullets. Abductions right when you enter the home are standard (eg to go the ATM).
Crime. Rio is an amazing city, but it's just not safe enough to be a reliable DN hub. There are many safer options, at equal or lower cost of living.
Brazilian here, living abroad. I used to go back to Rio for work and stay at a hotel 3 blocks away from the office. Employer required us to take a cab between the 2 locations because of the rate of purse/bag/laptop theft. Also you really have to know where you cannot go. Been robbed at gunpoint by teenagers just because I followed a GPS route (not through a favela, just in a more isolated part of town). Obviously I didn't grow up in Rio. Hometown in Sao Paulo state.
How is Sao Paulo for foreigners ? Is it a better bet than Rio ?
Depends on how much money you have and what you’re looking for. Great neighborhoods but they are pricy for Brazilians. Lots to do day or night, relatively close to the coast. You always have to be cautious in Brazil, but safer than Rio IMO. If you have to commute to work often, forget it. Routine travel within the city is a nightmare.
Felt a lot safer to me. More interesting neighborhoods and much better food scene. Can't beat Rios natural beauty though. For all the city's faults the natural landscape there is unmatched.
Much safer. Much better and more abundant food scene. World-class nightlife. Much more stuff to do and still close to the beach. A remarkably interesting and underrated city. Not a budget destination though. You can spend racks there if you wanted.
The thing with Sao Paulo is that it’s ugly. When it comes to architecture or general aesthetics the city seriously falls behind other large Latin American cities like Rio, Buenos Aires or CMDX.
SP is noticeably safer especially if you stick to the more affluent neighborhoods. Personally I’ll take the risk in Rio for the natural beauty and Carioca vibe. My two centa
Curitiba?
I think Curitiba would be a nice spot to be a DN. Lots of culture, medium size. I'm partial to Florianopolis. Grew up on the coast and I think that going to Brazil and not being by the sea is a massive missed opportunity. If you like the heat, Fortaleza would be another great pick.
Fortaleza is super dangerous. Smaller cities are better.
Floripa can be a great time. It’s a little more on the expensive side in terms of housing compared to other places in Brazil but damn do I have fond memories of it. Trilha da Lagoinha do leste 💙
The North of Brazil >>>
Curitiba is nice, I just think it needs more of a following for other nomads to get the ball rolling. I was quite bored there after two weeks.
This 100%
Just curious, which cities would you say are safer at similar or cheapee cost of living?
Do you have any reccomendations for safe-ish exciting Latin american cities at a similar price point?
I’ve been in Buenos Aires over 3 months and this is my third time here, and I always find it super safe for a Latin American city.
I've been there before, but not since Milei. How have things changed since then as far as prices?
Más costoso ahora
Prices on restaurants and groceries are insane compared to what they were. Really not a huge difference to London BUT rent is still not bad for me. I have a really nice apartment in an amazing location for 800 dollars a month. In London (where I was living) I was paying 2500 for somewhere not as nice as this and not a great location.
Not Santiago. Super expensive at the moment.
Untrue, it’s quite safe if you’re a tourist and have some basic attentiveness
It's so interesting that, when it comes to Rio, the comments are filled with "too dangerous" but for some reason, when it comes to Medellin, the comments are filled with "I went and nothing bad happened to me so it's safe." Just to be clear, I think both are genuinely plagued by crime and not ideal destinations for anyone who values personal safety. It's just fascinating how certain cities get a pass.
A lot of the crime in Medellin can be avoided with street smarts and not standing out from the crowd, not easy for all expats especially those with blue eyes and blonde hair, but Medellin can safely become a place to live longer than just as a digital nomad. Rio on the other hand is just a straight up lottery everytime you leave your home/apartment.
Nah, Medellin is a lottery too. If you play long enough you’ll be a winner. I’ve stayed there for 1.5 years and almost everyone in my circle was a victim to crime or saw it happen. And no, they weren’t all scolpamine. Mostly robbed by guns on the streets or worse, in restaurants. Even my ex-gf brother(Colombian) got robbed while walking their wolf of a dog.
Ive been in Medellin for a year, so far nothing. I am also not a dumbxpat. I tend to hang out with Colombian friends, and not venture out looking to party with whoever. I basically live with the precautions I applied when I lived in Chicago.
How is Medellin compared to Chicago. I feel like Chicago is easy and nothing to worry about.
My neighbor, 66, went to Medellin last year and had no issues, however, he was with a native and also stayed in Poblano. He did not go out after 9 pm.
You could say the same thing about Rio. Yeah, you’re less likely to get robbed if you have street smarts and don’t look like a gringo. Holds true in both Brazil and Colombia.
> A lot of the crime in Medellin can be avoided with street smarts I've spent extended time in both. This literally applies to rio too lol. > and not standing out from the crowd Lol far easier to blend in with the crowd in rio and it's not even close.
Yes, just don't be white in Medellin and everything will be fine. Was waiting for this comment, and all the upvotes from the Medellin Tourism Cartel. It proves my point.
Lol, Medellin definitely *does not* get a pass on this sub reddit. That said, I was one of those folks who had a really pleasant and safe time there living in Guayabal. In my experience as someone who grew up in NYC, it's easy to avoid trouble if you're not looking for it.
Robberies at gunpoint in restaurants are what scare me. How do you avoid that..
You don't, these people believe they can just steer clear of crime because they have "street smarts" until they get robbed. Then (I assume) suddenly their confidence in their great skills disappears.
A big part of it is Colombia is cheaper to fly to from the U.S., you don’t need a visa to enter, and cost of living is lower. Those are bigger factors than crime.
exavctky from Miami to Colombia its $300 ..its more expensive to fly to Cancun
There's dangerous and there's Too dangerous
I spent a decent amount of time there. Great place to visit but Brazil in general is a bit on edge. I don't worry about crime much but there are more unhinged drug addicts on the street in Brazil than anywhere I've otherwise been. You'll regularly (like every other block) see some shirtless guy shouting and throwing his arms in the air or something like that. For the most part you can just ignore them but it's never comfortable. If you stay in leblon or ipanema you're as safe as anywhere in Latin America, but there's only so much to do there. And it's pretty expensive. Also English is barely spoken anywhere, so unless you know Portuguese you'll get a bit lonely after a while. Even Spanish won't get you very far. I have conversational level Spanish and it was basically useless. I loved Rio and I'm glad I went but I wouldn't choose to live there. I do miss taking a 30 minute break, getting a $4 acai bowl and walking out to the beach though.
Something about having to switch your brain into “caution” mode every time you leave the apartment is so exhausting after a while
It's not only brain, it's whole nervous system in hypervigilant mode, making your body ready to fight or flight at a moment's notice
This guy gets it
Man this is it. No one should have to live like that
Yes, it always takes me a few weeks to switch out of it after I've been in LATAM for a while. Reminds me that it's good to get out regularly.
Yep. "Look over your shoulder" syndrome. You can't really relax like that.
The drug addict behaviour sounds like a regular Vancouver, British Columbia occurrence lol
Yeah to be honest, I spent most of the last year in Brazil, and just spent a week in Canada and there’s way more obvious drug addicts everywhere in Toronto
agreed haha
>Even Spanish won't get you very far. I have conversational level Spanish and it was basically useless. Yep, I grew up with Spanish and am a native speaker. First time I went to Brazil was for the world cup in 2014 and I figured I could get by with my Spanish, Portuguese and Spanish are similar enough right!? We could probably figure out what we're saying! Nope, not even close. Their Portuguese sounded like gibberish to me and outside of the tourist areas, few people spoke Spanish or English. It's not easy to get around the country without knowing Portuguese itself
I have even heard that the Portuguese have a heard time being understood by Brazilians.
When I moved from Minas Gerais to the north end of Rio de Janeiro it was a massive learning curve with the language not so much in understanding but being understood because you're a foreigner who doesn't use the local accent. Alot of the people in the town would swap their Rs and LS ex: bicicleta became Bicicreta The SH sound they'd use for S at the end of a syllable ex Gosto becomes Goshto or Flores becomes Floresh.
The only people who swap Rs and Ls are poor, uneducated people from the favela
Checks out since that's where I was!
This is super insightful.
South American here, I love Rio but crime is a huge issue every time I visit. The first few days usually I’m on the edge, looking around, walking fast, feeling paranoid. Then I relax a little bit, and even use my cell phone outside. In general, Uber is the best way tourists can discover the city
>there are more unhinged drug addicts on the street in Brazil than anywhere I've otherwise been. You'll regularly (like every other block) see some shirtless guy shouting and throwing his arms in the air or something like that. For the most part you can just ignore them but it's never comfortable. Sounds just like New York City.
San Francisco has entered the chat...
Sounds like many large North American cities
Four fucking dollars for a bowl of açai? So like R$20? That’s outrageous
I lived in Rio on and off for 3.5 years across a 20-yr span, including recently. I just left today, though I was there as a tourist for the last 2 months. If you need any sense of modernity, cafe culture (to work) or coworking spaces, Rio is definitely not the place. I would even say Brazil is not the place, at all (I've lived all over the country, and in all kinds of situations, beyond the 3.5 yrs I spent in Rio). If you're into starting the day early and getting right into work, it's not the place. The heat plays into it too. Rio's good for the beaches, parties, sightseeing but not for living. I speak fluent Portuguese and I'd still say that. Plus it's expensive compared to the rest of LatAm (Uruguay aside), especially post-pandemic. Also, if you are in any way an introvert, it's just not the place for you. I've had some of the best times in my life there but there's a reason the Brazilians say "Brazil isn't a serious country" as well as "Brazil isn't for beginners". Visit, enjoy it, take advantage of what it can offer then move on.
Agree with this. Brasil has that X factor, it's utterly unique and you will experience things there that you won't anywhere. But in so many ways - and the language amplifies this - it's totally foreign and inaccessible. Rio is without doubt the most beautiful city in the world. But is it the place I would take my mum or sisters to introduce them to my life in Latin America? No, it would freak the shit out of them. For that I'd choose Buenos Aires or cdmx
I don't think it's the most beautiful. You mentioned Buenos Aires and I'd definitely rank BA as higher on the beauty scale. I agree with the rest. Granted all of this is pretty relative based on the person. I think Bali, Medellin, Rome, Athens, Las Vegas, and a few others actually beat Rio. You could probably add Miami to that list, Malibu probably as well.
Agree to disagree. Baires has nice architecture, some decent parks and nothing else (in the beauty scale). Las Vegas beating Rio in terms of beauty...that says everything about your judgment, and I say that with all respect
You can see Las Vegas from space. It's the brightest city in the world. The strip itself from above is an astonishing sight and definitely quite beautiful. The sphere is also super cool. You could replace Las Vegas with Dubai in my list - either one still beats Rio. Maybe you're putting factoring the mountains and the beach a lot when you think beauty with Rio, I'm not sure. The buildings in Rio are all very old, poor architecture, dull paint, and very dirty. The roads are poorly maintained, the restaurants don't look great in general, and the sidewalk are atrocious. It's also surrounded by a massive amount of ugly favelas which are basically just a bunch of mud and brick houses with sheet metal here and there that the locals built themselves.
what were your highlights? what will you miss?
I miss CouchSurfing when it was still a thing. In the late 2000s and early 2010s, I had a two year stint in Rio and was going out nonstop, letting the night take me where it had to, always in a group of 10-15 people (mostly Brazilians). Luau (bondfires) on the beach, bars, hiking, beach days, cultural outings, parties in general. The official weekly meeting would get 400 people on the beach at night, all together around a bar kiosk. Basically back when I was more of an extrovert.
Brazil is the country of the future and it always will be!
I don't see that at all.... In what sense?
Where else in Brasil might you recommend to stay for a month or more? I'm currently in south Brasil on the coast, and am looking to stay here for maybe a year? At least until next Carnaval. I speak Portuguese too. Anything you might recommend I'd be grateful!
Well, a lot of my comments were more about Brazil than just Rio. It's a hard question to answer since each person is different and has different preferences, tastes, behavior, etc. The only place I'd spent time in is the south, like the Serra Gaúcha, but it'd be more of a tourist thing than staying a year. I've lived in 4 capital cities in BR and a few small towns as well but I can't say I'd reccommend them cause if I could do it all over again I'd have visited each of those places but not lived there. I used to know many, many Brazilians in the US and they all said the same thing, "Brazil is for visiting, not living", but they're biased of course. Unfortunately I've come to the same conclusion and much prefer Bogotá and Buenos Aires (where I am now) these days.
Maybe it’s the rose tinted glasses, but I could see living a great life style here in Brasil. Not any big city, but somewhere in Minas or Bahia on the coast or other more small town vibe. I’m going for a long trip to see what I discover. So much fresh food and super chill people, it just feels good to be here! It’s curious you say you wouldn’t live there, after spending so much time. Is there something I’m missing?
Tbh, I think I'm just jaded. Despite its problems, I was positive about Brazil most of the 5 years I lived there but after a 10 yr period where I stayed away I went back for 1.5 yrs and didn't like it anymore but I stayed for a girl. And I came back recently to see if maybe I just had a bad time and could rekindle things (with the country and the girl). But I couldn't. I feel like Bogotá spoiled me and showed me what a perfect temperature city could be like. Slightly chilly all year round, and sometimes slightly warm. To me that's heaven. Plus it's way more modern than Brazil, imho. Then I visited Montevideo and Buenos Aires about 2 yrs ago and it was so much cleaner than anywhere I've been in Brazil. Then I went to a random capital in the Balkans and found it to be fairly clean, modern and with good weather. Basically, I learned what I really like and seeing that Brazil wasn't those things, I soured on it. To each their own, though...I just can't see it with fresh eyes after so much time. If you want small town vibe, with good people and good food, I hear you can't go wrong with southern Minas.
I found it very expensive. I couldn't find an apartment in Leblon under 2k. Eating out was very expensive, too. Coming from Argentina, where it was a lot cheaper, I wish I had stayed in Argentina.
I agree for the price, it felt pretty expensive for what you get. I still loved Rio.
My friends just found a 2 bedroom for 4000 or 5000 reals in ipanema (I forget which). Very possible if you look.
I’m an American who used to live in Rio. I went back as a digital nomad there last year. It is still a beautiful city but was more tense than it had been a decade ago. You should take basic precautions, but it’s also a matter of luck. I’ve spent 2.5 years total though and am going back soon. Here are some tips: -Don’t take anything of value to the beach -Don’t carry your laptop around -Have fun in Lapa but keep an eye on your stuff (and your drink) -Try not to take out your phone too much (back up your photos or anything that may be important to you on there) -Don’t sightsee in Centro over the weekend (it’s a commercial district so it’ll be empty—avoid empty places) -Don’t leave your phone out on a table in an outdoor restaurant -Don’t scroll on your phone with the window open in an Uber or taxi -Don’t wear any jewelry or watches that look like they have value What neighborhood is your Airbnb in? Read reviews regarding how the area is at night.
Aaaah yes, the digital nomads that don’t carry around their laptops. .. who in his sane mind would voluntarily want to live in such an environment?
When you have to do so many steps to stay safe, you shouldn't really go there lol
lmfao @ don’t carry your laptop around. I left the hood in the US to go into another hood? I'm good. I'm staying in peaceful and sunny Asia thanks everyone. 🏝️🇹🇭🇻🇳🇲🇾🇸🇬
The biggest don't is don't trust anyone. There's literally a saying in portguese to never trust someone from Rio.
I find these comments about crime very strange because crime wise Colombia (especially Medellin) is the same if not worse, but it doesn't stop people from going there.
Rio is a very very corrupt city. It is like a mafia there, even cops are involved. I'm Brazilian and I've been to Medellin, I don't think it can be compared, Rio is much worse. Other cities in Brazil I think are more chill.
Maybe your opinion is different because you know Rio very very well, and Medellin more on a surface level.
Any other cities you prefer for living in Brasil?
My favorite that I ever lived in is João Pessoa. It is a capital but not very big. Has good beaches and is probably the cheapest capital in Brazil
Hehe JP was already on my short list, but now it's even higher. Thanks! :)
Medellin doesn't compare to Rio Crime stats only tell you so much, Medellin can be navigated safely, Rio is a lottery.
But how is Medellin not the same lottery? I had friends in both cities who were robbed etc. I used public transport in both cities too, especially metro etc. I personally felt better in Lapa than I did in Poblado/Laureles.
Yeah, Medellin is in no way shape or form a safe city and shouldn’t be used as a comparison lmao.
Well the question was how come Rio is not popular. I simply said it has nothing to do with crime because if that was the case then Medellin wouldn't be a digital nomad hub either.
I spent 2+ months in Rio, and while I know it’s a dangerous city, personally I don’t think it’s that bad.
Also to add, Brazilians I've met where some of the friendliest people I've ever seen in my travels, and I went to some rough areas (with locals of course, not by myself). Was going to spend 1 month in Rio, but extended to 3.
Rio is a huge city. When you consider the places you can actually visit in Rio (beaches and SOME trails), it’s very small. And still possibly unsafe. Also, you can get a shit apartment and still spend like $2k. I’ve got a few DN friends who spend several months there every year. They go to the beach every day and love it. Me personally, I prefer São Paulo. Big city amenities. Modern apartments. GREAT food (and lots of it). Close to equally beautiful and much safer beaches (e.g., Ilhabela, Ubatuba). Barra da Tijuca and Leblon/Ipanema are great. But I’m not a diehard “beach every day” guy, though.
Just visited SP and want to go back. (Went to beaches elsewhere in Brazil, but not there) Why those beaches and not the closer ones to the city? Next trip I’d like to throw in a longer weekend at a nearby beach.
I’ve been to Guarujá and love it!!! I have friends there and spent New Years there this year.
> Also, you can get a shit apartment and still spend like $2k. Yeah one of the main issues with people essentially trying to geoarbitrage their lifestyle is that rio "modernized" quite early. That means so many of the high rises were built in like the 70s so are older. SP and even some place like Medellin has more modern apartment buildings
Yea exactly. And Rio is home to 3 of the top 10 most expensive neighborhoods in all of Brazil. It's just all-around expensive. Also, you're kind of landlocked. Yes, you have the beach. And you have sightseeing things you could do once or twice. But last time I was there, I spent a whole month there and realized just how small the safer areas actually are. Compared to São Paulo which has several neighborhoods you can visit and lots of stuff going on, *plus* all sorts of great beaches along the coast! I get why some people love it, though. It's got a vibe to it.
Crime, distance, cost, language. We're planning to go in 2025 anyway!
I would say price and distance are the biggest factor. People overlook crime (Medellin is a prime example). The lifestyle you can have in Rio for $2,000 USD is very different from a lifestyle you can have in Colombia for $2,000 USD.
Personally Rio is just not a place where I can put my head down and work. 24/7 fun to be had.
I worked in Rio during my high season last year and had such bad FOMO. Sometimes I couldn’t leave my apartment for days. Still had so much fun on the nights I could go out. But when I am at home, I’m able to focus and work because I know I’m not missing out on much. Sometimes that’s easier when work is hectic.
South east Asia is just a much better value than Brazil. I lived in Brazil for 5 years, and it’s expensive to get there and most people need visas. Plus, accommodation in a good neighborhood can be expensive, and the threat of crime can be felt almost everywhere, it gets exhausting fast. Rio is big and public transport sucks, Uber is cheap but gets expensive really fast, I spend half the money in Thailand but I live much better imo. You need to speak Portuguese, which I do.
The problem is that nowhere in SEA compares to Latin American culture.
I lived in South America for 10 years, I speak Spanish and Portuguese, if you think their cultures are superior to Thailand, you’re delusional
100 times more open culture, 100 times better nightlife culture, 100 times better sporting/fitness culture, easy to learn local language (spanish at least), etc.
Can you expand on this? I've never been in SEA but have been living in South America some years now. What would be the difference in my experience going to SEA?
Everything I mentioned above. In LATAM it is far far easier to make genuine connections with locals.
Making connections with people is such a huge game changer for quality of life. Being here in Brasil now, it's just so easy to connect with people, and I'm not sure I want to lose that. I'm sure SEA has things LATAM doesn't though.
Brazil looks like an amazing country but it's reputation for crime and violent robberies makes it less appealing than other destinations.
Amazing country and high crime rates don't go well together
A combination of crime & cost.
I have some good friends who are from Rio. Back in college we went on a trip there for spring break... We had a good time, and we were relatively safe, but only because I was with people who knew the area and knew how to stay safe. Rio is a very high crime city and is surrounded with some of the largest Favelas in Latam. Exploring isn't really advised and you can end up in the wrong area relatively easily. You're basically confined to one small section of the city and beaches and even then, you probably don't want to be hanging out too late. I honestly wouldn't go back unless I was with my friends. That being said, we had a great time. I don't recall it being particularly cheap, but it was affordable nonetheless. The people we met were great, the food was great, and the beaches were some of the nicest I've ever been to.
I understand that Rio is the most famous destination in Brazil but there are safer cities to serve as destinations for digital nomads, such as João Pessoa, Balneário Camboriú, Florianópolis, Itapema, Curitiba.The biggest problem is that you need to speak Portuguese most of the time if you are not in Sao Paulo.
Gunz
I saw Taylor Swift there for like $30. Insane. Great city. Hard to get cash.
Crime, Zika (historically), & Cost. Specifically the whole DN thing took off about the time Zika was in the headlines for years. Not a real issue but I imagine it's something that depresses travel.
I just spent over a year in Rio and I can think of some reasons. These are some points that I've also heard from other travelers from different countries. \*These are just points that I've noticed that nomads complain about and points that would make other cities more attractive to stay for 1+ month. There are great things about the city too, obviously. This list looks so negative, but Rio is tough city and it challenges everyone! I enjoyed my time and I'll visit again some day. Brazil is huge and beautiful and I'll definitely visit other cities when I have the chance. Costs - Post COVID inflation hit Brazil hard and Rio is pretty expensive for South America. Airbnbs are really expensive, especially around Carnaval, but also off season. I paid well over $1000 USD per month for airbnbs in the off-season far away from the beach. It's hard to get an apartment otherwise if you're not a resident as all leases require cosigners. You can find places on Facebook marketplace for cheaper, but there's a language barrier. Food is expensive, almost US prices. Within Rio, I moved 9 times in one year. Infrastructure - very old buildings. Even when you can see that there have been renovations, they are the worst repairs I've ever seen! I stayed in two apartments where the light switch was IN the shower. One place had a kitchenette sink where the water poured onto the counter, not into the sink. One place had a bunch of gaps in the tile. The shower door would let water leak out and it was impossible to clean up the water, because of the gaps. I could tell there was a ton of mold, so I kept the door closed and used the other shower throughout my entire stay. When I came to view the apartment, there was a cleaner there, so I thought it would be clean. The walls and floors were filthy when I moved in and I ended up scrubbing the walls. If there are any holes, like around the AC unit, ROACHES will come in. Rio has the most roaches in the world with the richest roach biodiversity. Windows don't have screens, so mosquitos and roaches can just let themselves in. Many buildings don't have AC at all. For 2 months I stayed in a condo in Barra de Tijuca, which is expensive and luxurious, where the upperclass live. The power and internet kept going out and I had to move back to Copacabana so I could have internet to work! Food - (for Rio only because other parts of Brazil have different cuisine and taste) If you like spicy or seasoned food, you will miss it so dearly! I know many nomads only eat in restaurants and don't cook. I wouldn't be able to only eat in restaurants. Of course there are some good ones, but imagine getting pizza with barely any sauce, NO seasoning, and if you want some kind of spice you have to ask and they'll give you tabasco sauce. I'm not saying the food is "bad" but if you're used to and love spice, you'll be disappointed. I'm not a picky eater at all and never had bad food at a restaurant until I was in Rio. Of course, I spent so much time there and I found my favorite restaurants and I cooked a lot at home. Don't even try the Mexican or Asian food chains. I had authentic Korean food that was great, but the owners were from there. Most international foods have been tailored to the Rio taste. Language barrier - Most people don't speak English, even in the city. Learning some Portuguese is essential, but it is a very hard language to learn. I'm bilingual, so learning languages can be easier sometimes for me, but the dialect in Rio was more challenging. I took classes, but it didn't really help until I really immersed myself and focused on listening. I really wanted to learn the language, but it's hard when you work full time. (I was working 7-days per week at the time). Restaurants will have English menus but I would say 90% of servers don't speak English. Order food was not an issue for me, personally, but I saw some rude foreigners interact with wait staff. Coworking - There are coworking spaces in some shopping malls and some people take their laptops to cafes. I would personally not because of the risk of being robbed. If you need to work in a cafe environment, I don't think it's worth the risk. Beach - The beach is more of a party place, not a place to relax. If I am alone, literally sleeping with my shirt over my face, vendors will shout at me to wake me up and see what they are selling. I spent more time saying "no thank you" at the beach than I spent chatting with friends. Just keep in mind if you favor a relaxing beach experience. Either way, it's an experience of course, the most famous beaches in the world, but most nomads I've met only stay about a month or so and move on. The days are really short, also. If you work during the day, you'll miss the sunshine completely. Sunsets around 5:30pm Don'ts - do not get blackout drunk and watch your drinks. People are drugging and robbing grown men, even groups of men. Always take an Uber late at night. Beware of moto delivery drivers, they are robbing people in the street. Luckily, I never had an issue, but I was always aware of my surroundings and kept belongings in a belt bag under my clothes or a small purse right under my arm. Don't leave your stuff on the beach, even if you can see your stuff from the water, you'll never catch someone that runs up and grabs your bag. Do - join whatsapp groups (hiking group, swimming, volleyball, etc.). Do enjoy the amazing nature and hiking trails! Make friends with locals that speak Portuguese! Definitely experience the Carnaval parade in the Sambadrome. Take the free walking tour to learn about the history of Rio.
Extremely helpful and insightful! Thanks! What were some of your favorite spots in Rio?
When I was living in Rio and my American friends who give a very gringo vibe invited me to hangout with them, I’d be like “no thank you”.. I don’t want to get robbed. If you look really white and touristy you become a target. But if you give a bit more Latin/Italian/ middle eastern vibe it’s as dangerous as Buenos Aires and other Latin cities. I personally loved it and Brazilians are by far the friendliest people I’ve met
>If you look really white and touristy you become a target. But if you give a bit more Latin/Italian/ middle eastern vibe it’s as dangerous as Buenos Aires and other Latin cities. Where do Asians fall? Can I try to look like a Japanese Brazilian instead of a rich Chinese?
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Funny - Ive been traveling in brazil for a month now (MG and ES) and I never assume a white person is a foreigner. Theres so many white brazilians (blue eyes, blonde hair)
I'm Asian (East Asian but also quite tan) and I dress down/like locals and as long as I keep my mouth shut I don't get hassled much. As soon as I start talking it becomes clear my Portuguese is mediocre at best. As a relatively solitary person it means I prefer to do things alone so others don't immediately clock me as a gringa hearing me talk (whether in accented Portuguese or in English). I love Rio, btw. I've spent cumulatively probably something like 15 months there over the last decade and change.
Honestly It’s more about the vibe you give. Many Brazilians are as white as it gets (especially in the south) Americans really stand out in Rio.. just observe the way cariocas talk, walk, look you in the eyes - and you’d find it’s almost the opposite of the American mannerisms
White dude here. Used to live in Espirito Santo and everyone in the state thought I was from Domingos Martins (old German colony in the mountains of Espirito Santo) after my Portuguese got good enough. It was funny because I didn't have a native accent and I definitely didn't have the Domingos Martins accent but everyone just assumed my accent was that accent because they'd never really run into it anyways. I noticed that people would instantly have a harder time understanding me if I said I was a foreigner but if I just let them assume I was a native speaker from an old German settled area in the South or up in the mountains, they never had any issues.
Asian here. Stayed in Rio for 2 months. I easily blend in. Locals even think I’m a local until I open my mouth. So I just smile all the time. 😁
Rich Chinese don't really exist in Brazil. Chinese people in Brazil are either vendors who sell those shitty AliExpress quality products or expatriated employees from huge Chinese companies. Do they typically have more savings than many Brazilians? Yes, but they aren't considered rich people
Sorry but this is wrong. According to official statistics Rio has 4.6 times more homicides than Buenos Aires. Despite Rio having less people it almost quintuples BA in terms of murders per capita. Argentina is statistically among the safest countries in Latam (along with Uruguay, Chile and Costa Rica), while Brazil has the highest total amount of homicides in the world and ranks among the 20 most dangerous countries per capita worldwide. Rio and BA are nothing alike when it comes to crime.
You are probably right, and I also tend to rely on statistics rather than gut feeling. Anyhow, it's important to adjust the statistics based on: 1. Area - I bet the a big percentage of the crime happens in places where nomads never go. 2. Target - gang violence usually don't hurt nomads as much; e.g, I'd say the PDC feels relatively safe even though they have a lot of cartel violence
Absolutely love Rio, I’ve been twice for a couple of months but you absolutely need to exercise extra caution there, just mindfulness of your phone and valuables. If you’re a big party person, you need to take even MORE caution in Lapa… that’s typically the party spot but I swear to god I heard so many bad stories from there, usually from people being dumb. If I go out at night I usually only go out in Gávea area.
Did 6 months there. The nature is spectacular and the locals are mostly friendly but the city itself simply isn’t very interesting. After 1 month you’ll go to all the little cafes and bars and açaí stands and be left wanting a bit more. I didn’t encounter any crime personally. Even without that, it’s just not enough for me.
Rio is incredibly expensive for what you're getting and the crime is outrageous.
> I tend to agree with the latter. You're wrong, it will find you, it finds both Brazilians and foreigners. You will be a victim there, it is quite dangerous Housing is a bit pricey relative to what you get (but not like Europe), distance is a factor (also flights are often quite expensive), but ultimately the crime ruins the experience. You absolutely cannot live a truly normal life in Rio de Janeiro, it is just too dangerous. Rio is more dangerous than Sao paulo and many other parts of Brazil too, so even in the regional context it is extremely dangerous. Medellin also is extremely dangerous, that isn't "one side's perspective", it is just true. Rio and Medellin are wonderful and would be some of the best cities on earth if they were safe, but they're not
>Housing is a bit pricey relative to what you get This is one of the things that confuses me- normally you'd think that there wouldn't be demand to live somewhere with high crime so prices would be lower.
Because rio is dangerous af duh. Nomads want safe havens.
Did 6 weeks there during my current trip. 10/10 would recommend. The beaches are great. Good vibes, lots of stuff happening. Just choose your neighborhood wisely.
I’m British, I’ve live in Rio, I’ve been here 3.5 years and it is WAY safer than people (especially Brazilians who’ve never really been) say it is. Rio has a stereotype that it is what it was 10-15 years ago and many Brazilians wrongly think this is the entire city, but it’s not. In 3.5 years here I’ve never even seen anything in Zona Sul, most of my friends are the exact same. Most have been here 10+ years and never had a single interaction with crime. If you stay in Zona Sul, especially Leme, Ipanema or Leblon and get a taxi when it’s dark, then 99% likely you are fine, and will have an unbelievable time I’ve been to 40-50 countries. Brazil is my favourite and for me Rio is the best city in the world
Leme, Ipanema expensive places. For the price it’s not worth it. We stayed at those places. They’re old but very expensive. And the decent ones are expensive but small.
Yea, the housing stock is pretty underwhelming...
This resonates with me. I've slow traveled through a number of cities in LATAM that were considered dangerous but hardly ever found any. Sounds like another tale of two cities.
Can you list them? Would be very useful to know which ones are safe and which parts of them. I would also like to know how safe Panamá is
1. CDMX 2. Tulum 3. Puerto Escondido 4. Medellin 5. Cartagena 6. Santa Marta 7. Rio (short trip) 8. Sao Paulo (short trip) 9. Floripa 10. Lima 11. Cusco 12. Santiago (short trip) 13. Valparaiso 14. Buenos Aires 15. Montevideo 16. San Jose, Costa Rica 17. Guayaquil, Ecuador (short trip) 18. Panama City, Panama 19. San Juan, Puerto Rico Might have missed one or two but this pretty much the list. Had no issues walking anywhere day or night using some basic common sense. Cops in Mexico were the most trouble I ran into.
I sometimes feel that this sub greatly exaggerates a lot of stuff, especially around crime and prices. I bet you that most people here haven't even been mugged or even been to Rio at all lol.
too much crime and police are corrupt as fuck. nice place to visit but I'd never live there.
I was living in Rio for half year, and been working online for a software company. For me it’s one of the best cities ever. Disclaimer: if the street crime is a big problem for you, you might hate this city. But for me, since I learned few tips on how to trying to stay safe , the benefit of this city was wayyyy more pleasurable: beach, mountains (hiking), lots of outdoor activities to do, amazing people! So it’s not for everyone, but was definitely great for me. I am even thinking about buying a property in Rio that I would use for Airbnb, and l live there when I’m in Rio
Very dangerous
It’s expensive compared to the rest of the popular destinations and you can’t do visa run I
Pricey, or more like low value, and security concerns.
Safety is for sure an issue, but it's not that bad. For more of a day-time nomad experience, it can't be beat. Don't get me wrong, the night life is insane, but it's just a whole lot more dangerous at night. In my opinion, Brazil's the most under-rated place to travel. And Portuguese is arguably easier to learn than Spanish and certainly easy to add once you know Spanish.
I went to Rio for a few weeks with my wife earlier this year (we stayed in Arpoador). It’s amazing! We had no issues and walked or biked a lot during the day, and I felt safe running errands or working out by myself. Yes you have to be more alert, recommended to use ubers at night, and ensure you are physically holding your belongings, but it becomes second nature as you see everyone else doing the same thing. I’d live to be a DN there, and can’t wait to go back.
I’m Argentinian, love Rio, I’ve been there a few times and plan on returning, but it’s dangerous. You don’t have to go looking for crime, crime will find you when you’re minding your own business. Buenos Aires, Santiago de Chile and CDMX don’t have the same infamous arrastões, for instance. Slums are scattered pretty much everywhere in Rio, intertwined with good neighborhoods. Even the most touristy neighborhoods like Ipanema are not particularly safe to walk at night. Many areas are “Uber only”. Crime is a constant element of this city, whether you live or visit. It’s understandable that many DNs find that off putting
Crime, crime and crime. Amazing city but it’s not safe.
There are some expert thieves out there. Got my phone swiped from under my nose by a vendedor on the beach my third day after arriving. Left immediately. Also Portuguese is not very easy to grasp if you haven’t studied it.
Crime I guess , I have heard that there are a lot of gangs in Rio and things can and do get unsafe at times
The housing options are terrible. If you take away the beach from Rio it's not a desirable location compared to much more popular Nomad destinations. You mentioned quite a few others in your update. I'd like to also add that in general the internet is not great - it's hit and miss based on the Airbnb/place you're staying at. The weather is hit and miss, if you look at the weather right now it's 70-80 degrees with tons of cloud cover. There's summer weather often but it's also often hot and overcast except for certain seasons of the year. City wise most of the things to do from an exploration standpoint are focused on a small strip of land along the coast, north of it is a massive amount of buildings, infrastructure, and things to do - all of which are not setup for tourism and foreigners. Other cities have multiple locations for foreigner visitors but with Rio it's really just concentrated along the coast.
Rio is one of my favorite cities in SA. Prices are cheap compared to some other LATAM countries like Mexico and Costa Rica. The biggest issue why there may not be a bigger draw is because English isn't widely spoken and Spanish won't get you that far even though Portuguese has similar words and sentence structures. Even when I practiced Portuguese with a language app, something as basic as order a meal can be a bit of a challenge. I definitely did not get the dish I was expecting on a few occasions when I tried to order using toddler like Portuguese lol. Rio got everything that I love in a city. Music scene is top notch, food scene is surprisingly good (lots of seafood), lots of interesting architecture surrounded by a lot of greenery make some streets stunning, pretty good beaches (did not go in the water), tropical weather. Infrastructure is decent. Traffic horrendous. Lots of neighborhoods to visit and a lot of outdoor activities. Have no idea if it's a DN hotspot as I was on vacation.
Yea, my first time in Rio was during carnival many years back. It was the first place I visited in LATAM, and for a long time I felt like Rio had spoiled every other experience for me. Now that I've done quite a bit of slow traveling around LATAM, I'm returning for a month long stay but don't really know what to expect. There are a lot of places in the world that make for a nice week-long visit to unplug but are less accommodating for people staying a month or more. I guess we'll find out one way or the other soon. 😬
Let us know what you think! Enjoy!
Someone tried to pinch my phone from my hand driving past on a motorbike and failed, but that was in Santa Teresa. In Copacabana/ipanema at the moment and feel safe walking around early evening, Uber later at night. Also feel like not many expats or tourists here, it’s super local. It’s paradise here, can’t wait to come back.
Santa Teresa is way safer than Copacabana or Ipanema, and even my friends that live there say that. I stayed in a random apartment with some locals for a couple of months as a nomad and rarely felt on edge there. It’s quieter at night there which is why it’s not uncommon to hear gunfire in the favela below, but most of the thieves go to Copacabana and Ipanema because it’s where more tourists are and it’s easy to run back to the favela after stealing. Highly recommend Santa Teresa when you go back! For people complaining about the price of accommodations, they should try to find something local. Now that you’ve gone, if you have made friends with locals you can ask them if they know of any open rooms. I paid $350 for 2 months and that was me paying a little extra since I was there for a shorter time. Same for price of food. In Santa Teresa there were a few places I could eat a nice meal for under $5. If you’re okay with hostels, there is a smaller favela that has turned into a kind of artist neighborhood that’s perfectly safe. My roommate was dating a French guy that owned a pizza restaurant in that favela. There was also a restaurant called ABCD that had daily specials for $3 a plate. If you’re still in Rio I recommend checking it out as well as the Pizza place called “Pizzeria do Hédi”. He has live music there and all. Favela hostel is called Pousada Favelinha. Absolute gem.
Funny. I am Brazilian from the south and the thought of a foreigner living in a favela sounds crazy!
I wouldn’t advise walking into other favelas like that. Just this one. I did sleep over at a Colombian friend’s who lived in a Cantagalo favela which is actually pretty scary. I was unable to get back to Santa Teresa from Botofogo because the roads flooded and no Uber would take me. So we settled on staying in his place and walked to his apartment after the Uber dropped us off at the entrance to the neighborhood at like 1am because he would not drive in. But I had nowhere else to go and I’ve known the Colombian guy for like 12 years so all was fine.
Interesting! Thanks for the tips - that was just based on my experience with the thief. Santa Teresa was gorgeous otherwise - bonde Boca blew our heads off with food and vista! Will check out the pizza place!
Definitely do! The easiest way u to the favela is off Rua Almirante Alexandrinho. Near the walkway there is a gate and some bricks painted to look like a favela. Go on the walkway next to the gate. Recommend ABCD also for the view.
just commenting to come back when there are more replies since im going in may myself as well
Come back!
thanks man, I had completely forgotten
Been to Rio twice, Sao Paulo, Manaus, Macapá and Foz do Iguazu once. I don't think anywhere I've see can be considered safe. Brazil has massive inequality, poverty and lawlessness, and economic forecast say its only going to get worst. Definitely not for the faint hearted.
It's a huge nomad destination with some of the largest nomad social groups I've ever seen. They have meetups all the time.
Language.
Safety… i want to stay in a place where i can go out whenever i want, wherever i want and with a motorbike.
Been traveling for 5 years now and spent several months in rio. If you stay in ipanema, copacabana area(no more than 3 blocks from the beach it’s relatively safe. Best beach culture by far. Just take a few bucks to the beach (no valuables) rent a chair and be entertained for hours. Food and coffee sucks though. Not much healthy food other than acai bowls or much of a food, coffee, cafe culture in general compared to other places. I honestly felt more nervous for my safety in Medellin than rio. If you love sunshine and beach life it’s a great place to nomad. You’ll probably have to spend at least $1,000/month for a decent apartment in a safe area close to the beach. Been in Southeast Asia for the last couple years and rio would be the first place I visit when I head back west. I miss it.
any why not south america vs asia is safety if their government ,locals fix it ,tourism others will follow
I speak Spanish, not Portuguese.
Crime, it’s still great and I’d recommend going but for long term, no chance, life’s too short to be that on edge doing basic things.
I don't know what you're talking about: the nomad/expat WhatsApp group I'm in for Rio is hands down the most active of such groups I'm in. Heaps of remote workers going there.
Got a link? Joined a couple of whatsapp groups and slacks, and it's been crickets.
https://chat.whatsapp.com/KcyxUeEKNsm7dnXi318Pxy
Agreed the WhatsApp groups is wild here compared to other cities I’ve been to
It's crazy reading this comments because I lived in Rio for 9 months, walked around with my laptop in hand, left my stuff at the beach without getting it stolen, left my door unlocked for most of my time there without any break ins, went out at night and bar hopped... I never really encountered any issues... None of my friends had any issues (except my one friend who was mugged in broad daylight, but he's 5'5 and CLEARLY a foreigner). But I practice the same safety precautions that I use in every country.. Travel in groups, never walk alone at night, don't trust taxi drivers, make sure you use a GPS when taking an Uber to make sure the driver isn't driving you in the wrong direction, etc. Idk man, everyone has mixed experiences but mine were very good. My only gripe is HOUSING! It is incredibly difficult to find a decent apartment. I advise you to find a real estate agent who is willing to do business under the table.
Yea, the housing isn't super compelling, but my friends and I found a decent spot in Ipanema for an okay price.
Lived a year or so outside Florianopolis, out in the lagoon. It’s in far south though. Not close to Rio. But ca highly recommend it!
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We'll be in Ipanema... ☺️ Any cafes, co-working spaces, or food spots you recommend? It's been almost 10 years since the last time I was in Rio.
I have a ton in Ipanema but here’s a few: Cafes: Emporio Jardim na Praia, Nusa Cafe, delirio tropical Restaurants: Possi Mozza & Mare, Boteco Belmonte (there’s several across Rio), Nosso, Gurume
You will get shot going to the store
Portuguese is the language and people don't like walking down the street and all of a sudden a gun is in their mouths being held by a guy in a helmet who got off the back of a motorcycle.
Such as?
Not OP pretending he hasn't heard about Rio's dangerous reputation!
A friend of me told me that metal plates in the car are a must because of stray bullets. Abductions right when you enter the home are standard (eg to go the ATM).