'Planning to move to Rio' Retirement

Richard Calhoun (151.202.92.172) -

I will be retiring in several months and am planning to retire to Brazil sometime after the first of next year. A long-time lover (and collector) of Brazilian music, I have made several visits to the country in recent years to investigate the possibilities and after narrowing down my destinations of choice to Salvador in Bahia and Rio have decided on the latter. (As a resident of New York City for 40 years I just felt Rio had a lot of the same energy.)

With this deadline in mind, I have begun to study Portuguese seriously, put my co-op on the market and alerted my financial advisor of the need to convert my portfolio to an income producing structure. I should have a more than comfortable income, based on my own perceptions of the cost of living there. In addition, I am taking a course to get certification as an ESL teacher of Business English to give me a marketable skill should I find myself unready for full-time retirement.

However, I also realize that as a practical matter there are lots of things to de done, many of which I have probably not even considered yet. So I'm posting this in hopes of soliciting some helpful advice (both encouraging and cautionary) from those who have already successfully negotiated the obstacles and established themselves in paradise. In return, I can only promise to try to be as helpful to other prospective immigrants once I too have joined the ranks of US expats in Rio.

I can be contacted by email and would in fact prefer that to a message board thread. It would be a great comfort to me to be able to discuss this with someone knowledgable as to all the details (and pitfalls) involved in so major an undertaking. It goes without saying that I will be extremely grateful for any assistance offered.

Thanks

Richard Calhoun

New York City

Comment #1 Kurt (58.28.159.25) -

Hi I am lloking gto leave New Zealand and live in South America is Rio a possibility I want tgo live on ythe beach and have a good standfard o living is it possible Kurt

Comment #2 Kurt (58.28.159.25) -

Hi Everyone New Zealand and Australia have become far too expensive to live in can some one tell me can we live a Gold Coast life style and better in South America for half the money Austrralasia has been shagged by wealthy Asians Yanks and Europeans its time to move out I hear this South America is good?? 2 things Climate Hospital may be 3 from my exp 20 yrs ago South America was a blooody dangerous place is it now ???? and wat about English Rates Electricity Housing living ONLY THING CHEAP IN NZ IS vegetables the rest is like living in a morgue and has to be one of the most boring un interesting places on Earth

Comment #3 Ed (63.176.159.55) -

Have you made the move to Rio? How is it working out? Has it exceeded your expectations?

Comment #4 paul (63.176.159.78) -

im trying to find an old friend in Rio.. Can anybody help me?

Comment #5 Ralph (63.176.159.177) -

Well whats this friends name genius?

Comment #6 Yasmine (63.176.159.203) -

yeah, a name would help.. duh.

Comment #7 Hammer (63.176.159.25) -

I am in construction in Rio and know alot of people.. Give me name.

Comment #8 Sara (63.176.159.28) -

Yeah umm paul, no one can help you if your not willing to give us the name, for all you know we could be who your looking for.

Comment #9 denise (125.164.106.129) -

Hi everybody,

I am also thinking about retiring in Brazil. Is here on the forum anyone knowledgable, who can tell me what is the best place/area to search to if I prefer hills/mounts to an ocean, natural surrondings, quiet and pleasant.Some small city outskirts perhpas or similar. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Comment #10 cwemoy (63.176.159.163) -

I guess Richard moved to Brazil and Portuguese is of much help in his new found home. Why would one want to retire in Brazil whose rating does not compare to the USA? Paul expects us to know his friend's name without him telling us..I suggets he considers making his old friend new to us

Comment #11 Eddie from Rio (Contact Member) -

Set the crime issues aside for a moment...

You can't compare Rio with any city in the USA... the beaches, the mountains, the tropical air. It is just an unbelievable place. You have to experience it to understand.

It does have a bad reputation for crime. I think that can be said for many major cities in the USA and other countries as well.

Throw out your lists of "ratings" and start visiting to find out what is right for you and have some wonderful experiences along the way!

Comment #12 pale_o (63.176.159.96) -

True Eddie..I would certainly believe anything said by a person literally speaking from experience. You are urging guys to set aside stories of crime. I beg to differ with you a little bit; there is need to not disentangle the two as they amazingly go hand in hand.

What then is the cost of putting up in these cities you have called unbelievable? What else can a visitor experience apart from the beauty?

Comment #13 Lucky (63.176.159.111) - 01/10/10 23:12

I have to agree with you Eddie, I also think that retiring in Brazil is one of the best idea ever for those who are soon to be retirees. There are lots of good things and sights to see in the said country. I have to say that the natural beauty of this country is one of a kind and people should know that this country is indeed a paradise.

Comment #14 Dwein (63.176.159.56) - 02/05/10 20:33

Yeah, you are right about that matter Lucky and I must say that Brazil is one of my favorite country. Not to mention that it is also the favorite of my mother and my sister, in short, the favorite of the whole family. And for those who are thinking of moving in this country like me, wondering about the cost of living and for some they call it retirement cost, how would it be like?

Comment #15 Sammy (109.111.97.131) - 03/02/10 22:05

Hi there guys, I would like to know more about the Brazil retirement costs. I would want to know the exact and the updated figures if it is possible. Would you mind posting here some good details regarding this matter? We are planning to retire about two years from now and so any good idea and information, also some suggestion would be greatly appreciated. Hope to hear from all of you soon regarding this matter.

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