10 Best Places to Retire in Brazil

Let’s take a look at the best places to retire in Brazil. This country can offer you a lot, especially if you like coffee, Samba, and soccer.

If you have your mind set on retiring in South America, why not choose the continent’s largest and most powerful country? In terms of area and population, Brazil is also the 5th largest country in the world. Thanks to its natural resources, Brazil represents a major force in terms of economic strength. If the fact that life in Brazil is a lot cheaper than in the United States doesn’t win you over completely, its beaches, cuisine, and people surely will.

All of the things stated above influenced the fact that Brazil is 22nd happiest country in the world, at least if we are to believe the World Happiness Report from 2017. Brazilians are ranked in front of Spaniards and French, for example. In case you are wondering, The United States is ranked 14th.

If you have some doubts about Brazil’s healthcare system, you’ll be happy to hear that healthcare is guaranteed to both residents and foreigners by the Constitution.  As long as you are legally staying in the country, you’ll be eligible to receive a free healthcare. In case you want a higher quality healthcare, you can opt to pay for private insurance that isn’t too expensive. It will provide you with a better care shorter wait period. OECD Health Statistics Report tells us that Brazil spent 9.3% of GDP on health, which is around the average of all OECD members. For comparison, The United States was spending 16.9% of GDP in 2012, more than any other OECD country. The issue is that the health system in Brazil is understaffed. In 2010 there were 1.8 physicians and 1.5 nurses per 1,000 people which is greatly below OECD average. The same goes for 2.3 hospital beds per 1,000 people.

You are probably having concerns about the safety in Brazil, and unfortunately, you are right to do so since the World Economic Forum report puts Brazil in the 109th place in the world in terms of safety and security. We don’t want to scare you, but according to one report from 2015, on the list of 50 most dangerous cities in the world (ranked by homicide rates per 100,000 population), Brazil participates with 21 cities. The United States Overseas Security Advisory Council has issued 4 Crime and Safety reports for Brazil, covering Rio de Janeiro, Recife, Sao Paulo, and Brasilia. Violent and non-violent crimes in all of these states occur frequently, with foreigners being victims more often than the natives. In case you want to feel safer and don’t mind the cold, take a look at our list of Best Places to Retire in Canada.

If you are curious about how we managed to come up with the list of best places to retire in Brazil, let us explain. First, we took recommendations about attractive retirement destinations and best places to live in the country from multiple sources including Nomad List, Quora, Share Money, International Living, among the others. The cities that were most recommended were then assigned points according to the cost of the meal, combined rent for a one bedroom apartment (Numbeo) and hospital to population ratio (Google Maps). Extra points were given for the cities that had better weather averages (World Weather Online). In order for you to understand the provided info better, note that hospital to population ratio tells us in theory, how many people are assigned to one hospital. The weather information will tell you the highest and the lowest monthly average in a year. Now, let’s find that perfect retirement place.

10. Brasilia

IM Score: 14
Rent Cost: $330
Meal Cost: $6.65
Hospital to Population Ratio: 50,935
Temperature: 73/80°F
Rainy Days: 0/30
Sunny Days: 0/29

Brasilia is the country’s administrative center and place where you will probably meet the most English speaking people. The special appeal of the city is its modern architecture and the artistic planning that have been recognized by UNESCO who choose the city as the World Heritage Site. The city is especially vibrant at night and offers a unique experience for all the newcomers.

9. Campinas

IM Score: 17
Rent Cost: $305
Meal Cost: $6.95
Hospital to Population Ratio: 44,408
Temperature: 65/80°F
Rainy Days: 4/31
Sunny Days: 0/23

Campinas roughly translates to “grass fields” and it stays true to its name. The city is filled with parks, botanic gardens, and natural attractions. The weather is pleasant with warm winters, while the summers are often rainy and vary between warm and hot. In case you are not a nature lover, you’ll find plenty of other interesting things in Campinas, starting from the museums to historical landmarks.

8. Natal

IM Score: 19
Rent Cost: $290
Meal Cost: $6.35
Hospital to Population Ratio: 37,480
Temperature: 83/88°F
Rainy Days: –
Sunny Days: –

We are now headed to the coastline on our list of best places to retire in Brazil. Natal has plenty of attractions which make it a desirable tourist destination, but the city’s beautiful beaches are one of the major appeals. The climate of Natal is characterized by great humidity all year long and high temperatures, but the winds coming from the ocean help the temperatures to stay below extreme.

7. Salvador

IM Score: 20
Rent Cost: $285
Meal Cost: $5.44
Hospital to Population Ratio: 65,975
Temperature: 81/88°F
Rainy Days: 20/28
Sunny Days: –

Do 50 miles of beaches sound like something that might interest you? That is what you get if you pick Salvador, the next on the list of best places to retire in Brazil. The city has a rich history, being one of the first Portuguese colonial cities in Brazil, with the remains of the period being visible today and adding to the city’s unique charm. Besides the architecture, you’ll get to enjoy in an outstanding cuisine and art shows taking place all over the city.

6. Belem

IM Score: 22
Rent Cost: $285
Meal Cost: $6.5
Hospital to Population Ratio: 26,534
Temperature: 88/90°F
Rainy Days: 25/31
Sunny Days: 0/5

Belem could be viewed as a city with two faces. One face reveals a modern town filled with skyscrapers, while the other shows the city’s colonial history with squares and churches.  Although Belem isn’t located directly on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, you’ll have no problems getting there, since attractive coastline destinations are not that far away.

5. Manaus

IM Score: 23
Rent Cost: $240
Meal Cost: $6.05
Hospital to Population Ratio: 44,895
Temperature: 87/97°F
Rainy Days: 17/31
Sunny Days: 0/11

We are continuing our list of best places to retire in Brazil with Manaus that is the perfect spot for anyone who wants to explore the Amazon rainforest since the city is virtually located in the middle of it. There are no beaches anywhere near, but there are amazing natural landscapes and attractions that you won’t mind exploring. The interesting thing about Manaus is that the city is mostly assessable by a boat or a plane.

4. Florianopolis

IM Score: 26
Rent Cost: $335
Meal Cost: $6.05
Hospital to Population Ratio: 17,093
Temperature: 63/83°F
Rainy Days: 9/29
Sunny Days: 2/21

This entry on our list of best places to retire in Brazil sounds really appealing. It is a lot safer compared to other Brazilian cities and it is located on islands. Also, in terms of Human Development Index, Florianopolis ranks 3rd in the whole of Brazil. Wait, it gets better. It has the best Hospital to Population Ratio according to our calculations and it is one of the most visited cities in the country thanks to its tourist potentials. Sandy beaches, waterfalls, resorts and lagoons, Florianopolis has it all.

3. Curitiba

IM Score: 28
Rent Cost: $270
Meal Cost: $6.05
Hospital to Population Ratio: 33,293
Temperature: 57/76°F
Rainy Days: 12/31
Sunny Days: 0/16

Just like Florianopolis, Curitiba, that ranked 3rd on our list of best places to retire in Brazil is also considered to be very safe for Brazil’s standard, especially for youth. In various surveys, it was proclaimed as the “best big city in Brazil to live in” and the “best city to invest in Brazil”. If this isn’t enough for you to consider it, then the fact that Curitiba is highly regarded for its efforts to deal with the problem of pollution and poverty as well as being a model example of efficient urban planning, will.

2. Joao Pessoa

IM Score: 28
Rent Cost: $140
Meal Cost: $6.35
Hospital to Population Ratio: 22,306
Temperature: 82/88°F
Rainy Days: –
Sunny Days: –

Joao Pessoa isn’t a well-known city across the border of Brazil, but it really should be. The city is labeled as the second “greenest” in the world thanks to its 2.7 sq. miles of forested land. Although the foreigners still didn’t recognize Joao Pessoa as an attractive retirement destination, the natives did. The city is now one of the top retirement picks for Brazilians, especially those coming from Sao Paulo or Rio de Janeiro.

1. Fortaleza

IM Score: 31
Rent Cost: $225
Meal Cost: $5.43
Hospital to Population Ratio: 44,343
Temperature: 82/87°F
Rainy Days: 6/31
Sunny Days: 0/25

We will close our list of best places to retire in Brazil with another coastal city. If we are to believe Brazil’s Ministry of Tourism, Fortaleza is “second most desirable destination” in the country. Everything you need for entertainment, you’ll find here. From beaches, resorts, and parks to restaurants, bars and nightclubs (if you are just not ready to completely embrace the life of retiree). Just like the most of Brazil’s coastal cities, Fortaleza has high temperatures with great humidity. One thing that we should note, however, is the fact that Fortaleza ranks 12th on the previously mentioned list of the most dangerous cities in the world.