What to know before traveling to Brazil

Aliki
Aug 12, 2022
4 min read

Updated: May 16

In this article, I will share with you some things I wish I had known before I traveled to Brazil.

So far, I have been to Brazil 4 times, and each time I learn something new, so I have now gathered some useful tips you should know before traveling to Brazil.

Short on time, here is a quick summary:

You can get around it, but in many instances, you will need CPF
With Claro, you can get a tourist SIM card
Only the 'Rappi' food ordering app will work for foreigners
Always use Uber and not a local taxi
People don't speak Spanish
Brazil is not that dangerous
Brazil is not a cheap country
You can pay everywhere with a card

CPF Required

CPF is a Tax ID number, and you will be required to have it for many daily things. For example, for data, ordering food, or getting tickets to some local events and concerts. Every time I go to Brazil, on every trip, I encounter some difficulties because I do not have the CPF number. And of course, I am not planning to get one as I won't be a taxpayer in Brazil.

In the next sections, I will share with you some loopholes I found ⬇️

Mobile Data

After several attempts to get data and being denied because I do not have a CPF number, I went to Claro shop, which is a great service provider all over South America.

They do not advertise it openly, but if you go to their office and explain that you are a tourist, you do not have a CPF number, and you need data for a week or month, they will offer you a tourist SIM that only works if you activate it with them in the shop.

An easier option is eSIMs. You won't get a Brazilian number, but you will have data immediately!

For ordering food at home - 'Rappi'

If you only visiting Brazil for a week on a vacation, this might not apply to you, but I know all my fellow digital nomads will appreciate this point.

So after 2 hours of hungry and angry search for food online, downloading every single app I knew, I finally stumbled across 'Rappi', an app that didn't require a CPF number.

So if you wish to order food, please don't waste your time, just use 'Rappi'!

Uber over local taxi

ALWAYS choose Uber over a local taxi! Unfortunately, local taxis charge twice as much, and in general, in South America, ordering Uber is a safer option as you have all drivers' data!

I always use Uber when traveling in South America and have never had any issues.

Only Portuguese

Unfortunately, most people speak only Portuguese, so definitely a good idea is to learn some basic phrases. Also, Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation is so different from the European one that even if you have learnt some European Portuguese, you might struggle to understand the locals.

If you think you speak good Spanish and you will get by... forget about it! Again, the pronunciation is so different that you might struggle relying solely on your Spanish skills.

Brazil is not that dangerous

I do not know about you, but I had the worst image in my head about Brazil. In Europe, we only hear about favelas and drug gang crimes.

The moment I landed in Brazil and started to speak with locals, I realized how big and developed the Brazilian economy is! It is truly an amazing country, and as long as you stick with the tourist route, you will be completely fine.

Of course, like in many countries, you should be more careful in the big cities as the thief concentration is higher there. But then you have so many fantastic travel destinations like Florianopolis, where I never ever felt unsafe. I walked alone, late on the beach, never worried about anything. So really, it matters where you go; each city and location can vary a lot.

If you want to be on the safe side, consider getting travel insurance for your trip to Brazil.

Brazil is not a cheap country

With such a big country and economy, also comes higher prices. Brazil is not the most expensive country in South America, its little neighbour Uruguay usually is more expensive, but still, Brazil is more expensive than most countries in South America. The prices are not as high as in Europe or America, but they are still quite close to that level.

Note that Brazil has its own currency - the Brazilian Real. But I wouldn't worry too much about taking out some cash or changing money because you can pay everywhere with a card. Brazil is great in terms of paying with a card. Even a little tiny chocolate or water, you can buy anywhere with a card. Street artists even have a little card machine. Brazil is very card-friendly.