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Things to Bring to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Wednesday January 23rd, 2019
- Posted by: Guest
- Category: Brazil Rio de Janeiro
When Europeans and North Americans are vacationing, Rio appears to be an inexpensive tropical playground. Accommodation can be as low as R$30 a night, a can of Antarctica beer is R$2.50, and the number 1 entertainment in the city, the beaches, are free. Unfortunately, after a few weeks, tourists slowly begin to realize that Rio de Janeiro is the second most expensive city in South America, with Sรฃo Paulo being the most expensive.
We have compiled a cost-reducing list that will hopefully aid you in your extended stay in the Cidade Maravilhosa, the Marvelous City.
Table of Contents
ToggleMUST BRING TO RIO DE JANEIRO:
- Sweater and/or jacket
- Umbrella
- Smartphone
INEXPENSIVE THINGS IN RIO DE JANEIRO/BRAZIL:
- Food (from the grocery store or from the โfarmers markets/feira livreโ which are held various days in all Rio neighbourhoods)
- Personal Care Services: haircuts, manicures, aesthetic services (make it even more affordable by going to a beauty school; there are several in Copacabana and Ipanema.)
- Clothing (Fromย theย Uruguaianaย market and the Ipanemaย Hippie Fair)
- Prescription and โover the counterโ medication
- Cultural activities: museums, theatre, dance performances. (Weโve made a list of free or nearly free activities in Rio de Janeiro.)
- Transportation: bus, metro and Uber.ย (If itโs daytime, try walking instead of taking the bus; you will discover more of gorgeous Rio de Janeiro, save money AND stay beachbody fit.)
- Housekeeper (if you are coming to Rio with your family or children,ย a full-time housekeeper is very affordable.)
- Mini-excursions (Buses to Petrรณpolis, Ilha Grande, Sรฃo Paulo)
- Study Portuguese at Caminhos Language Centre: Caminhos is the number 1 Portuguese school in Rio de Janeiro and has the best value for money.
EXPENSIVE THINGS IN RIO DE JANEIRO/BRAZIL:
- Electronics!!! (Bring backup memory cards, chargers, adapters, shavers etc.)
- Herbal medicine/vitamins
- Make-up (Loreal & Maybelline are 2.5x more expensive here โ bring that mascara!)
- PLACING cell phone calls (the Brazilian cell phone companies areย TIM,ย Claro,ย Oiย andย Vivoย โ they all offer pay as you go plans. Shortly after topping up, you will quickly notice that your phone credit is going, going, GONE.ย Tip: itโs cheaper if you only call people within your carrier, or play it safeโฆ Just send text messagesโฆ Also,ย receiving phone calls is free.)
- ย Tampons
- Boxer shorts
- Books in Englishย (if you donโt have a Kindle or Ipad, books in English are pretty tough to come by. Stock up on the paperbacks. If you do have a portable device do the reading in your room, NOT on the beach)
- Nightclub entrance fees (can range from R$15 to R$200)
- Sheets/blankets
Hopefully, this list will help your decision-making. The best advice we can give you is: if you canโt imagine your daily routine without it, bring it! You may look strange at the airport with your giant container of protein shake powder and yoga mat, but you AND your wallet will feel better about packing it in the long-run.
Learn Portuguese in Brazil with the best language school in Rio de Janeiro. Caminhos Language Centre offers groupย classes, private lessons, Celpe-Bras exam preparation and lot more. We can also help you with homestay in Rio de Janeiro and Student Visa for Brazil. Contact us and be part of the Caminhos family.