Which Country Is Cheaper to Live In: Brazil or the US?

 Brazilian "gringoes" (Portuguese for immigrant) have a proverb that states that if one survives their first year in Brazil, they are likely to remain there indefinitely. Frequently, expatriates would spend their initial months in Brazil acclimating to the country's unique culture. The locals refer to it as "jeitinho brasileiro" (the Brazilian way), but it can be even more perplexing. The relaxed "jeitinho carioca" (Rio-lifestyle) is in stark contrast to the hectic "jeitinho paulista" (São Paulo's hustle-and-bustle). Brazil is simply too vast and diverse to preserve a single dominant culture. This has substantial implications for leisure, recruitment, investment, and business relationships. I have just finished my three-year stay in Brazil, which was filled with a wealth of knowledge and extensive travel. What conclusions can I derive from my experience of living and working in this remote nation with a population of 200 million?

The typical expat? You will not succeed.

Brazil, according to the survey conducted by the migrant services provider Brookfield, is the second most challenging country in the world for relocation, following China. Language barriers and excessive bureaucracy are among the primary impediments. Internations recently achieved comparable outcomes. The 2016 Ease of Settling In Index illuminates the challenges of adjusting to local culture, the exorbitant cost of living, and the political outbursts that engulfed the nation in 2014 (remember the president's impeachment?). In general, the 39th-ranked countries surveyed by the HSBC Expat Explorer 2015 survey were not overly sanguine about Brazil; in fact, the land of cachaça and samba was ranked last. The narrative proceeds in a circular fashion. In nearly every international ranking, Brazil is ranked poorly, and the prospects for improvement are bleak. Consequently, why would I opt to reside in the country that is the least expat-friendly in the world? "Statistics are comparable to bikinis." The information they disclose is indicative, while the information they withhold is crucial. Aaron Levenstein Although one may adhere to global ratings, the steadfast entrepreneur is perpetually seeking opportunities, and Brazil is replete with them. It is a fact that the opinions of the vast majority of expatriates are influenced by their experiences in highly developed, predominantly Western countries.

In Brazil, you are obligated to adhere to the local culture

rather than the other way around. It is impossible to anticipate that the country, which has been one of the most isolated territories in the world due to geographical and historical factors, will be replete with ordinary experiences. I often jokingly suggest that in order to achieve success in Brazil, one must essentially adopt 50% of the Brazilian culture. I employed a series of strategies to facilitate my adaptation, and I must confess that Brazil was the most challenging of the eight countries in which I resided (PS. It has since concluded :): Language. Portuguese grammar is among the most intricate in the world. It is imperative to commence private lessons from the very beginning. There are numerous Latin expats who believe that learning a robust Portuguese can be achieved by adopting Spanish. That is not the case. Attend the classes, compose correspondence in the local language, practice with various dialects, and assume that your porter may speak Portuguese at a lower level than you. Brazilians are not accustomed to hearing foreigners speak their language; therefore, it is advisable to remain resolute/

Traditions. If they request it, embrace and kiss them. Business partners are truly greeted with a kiss on the forehead by Brazilians. Maintain a positive attitude and refrain from publicly criticizing. Brazil is a classic example of a culture that is relationship-driven, and our Western process-driven cultures are simply not applicable in this context. I quickly discovered that I could achieve more by being patient and kind than by adhering to my flawless plan. I now greet everyone twice and then joke that I am from Rio (they only kiss once in São Paulo, what a shame). Interpersonal connections. I established a target of engaging with a minimum of three entrepreneurs on a weekly basis. My suggestion is to utilize the lunch hour, as it is significant to Brazilians and these encounters are of a higher quality. I also developed a strong preference for utilizing WhatsApp for business purposes, as it is 2-3 times more effective than emails, which Brazilians are unlikely to respond to. I am a speaker at a minimum of two events per month, and São Paulo is one of the world's largest event venues. LinkedIn, Internations, Gringoes.com, and Meetup.com are among the numerous forums and venues available for meeting new individuals. My network of contacts in Brazil is of such high quality that Brazilians frequently request my assistance with funding and introductions.

Brazil is truly a society that is highly entrepreneurial.

I have always perceived Brazil as a land of opportunities, particularly in the field of technology. It would be illogical to presume that an underserved market, where a single state has a population exceeding 44 million, does not have at least a few strategic windows. Starting a business is frequently a means of survival for individuals in Brazil. Brazilians are the third most entrepreneurial nation in the world, if we define entrepreneurship as the capacity to operate or co-own a business. Business ownership is a practice in which up to 14% of all adults are involved. The ambition of Brazil to establish itself as an entrepreneurial society is fueled by its high unemployment rate and similarly high living expenses. When it comes to adjusting to a new environment, these three suggestions are essential. Once you have entered, you are in. And if you are successful, please contemplate assisting me in boosting the number of expats in Brazil. It appears that there are only a handful of us remaining in this location. According to the Brazilian Ministry of Labour, there was a 62% decrease in the number of foreign worker permits during the first trimester of 2016 when compared to the same period in 2014.