HOUSING TIP #1: Where do I even start?
HOUSING TIP #2: Unfurnished rooms & apartments
HOUSING TIP #3: Living with roommates and host families
Housing
Finding housing as a foreigner in Brazil can seem like a daunting task. While the search will be different in each city and region, our goal in the housing section was to provide you with a basic understanding of the most useful terms and phrases that could come up while you're procurando moradia.
Our housing section has six subsections of relevant vocabulary. Click on the buttons below to dive into each subsection, and scroll down further for general housing tips and reflections. Our housing recordings feature Fernanda, a female from Natal, RN.
A moradia
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In Brazil, a lot of housing-related information occurs on social media, particularly Facebook and WhatsApp. In your city, you will likely find Facebook groups dedicated for people searching for and offering housing, as well as groups for people buying and selling furniture. Note that while it’s usually possible to bargain for furniture, rent is usually a fixed price. When you are ready to contact someone, it’s typical to send them either a direct Facebook message or a WhatsApp message and comment “inbox” on their post, this way they know you’re interested in their listing and they can expect a message from you.
It is not uncommon to find listings for completely unfurnished rooms or apartments. When something in Brazil is unfurnished, this typically also means that appliances like refrigerators or laundry machines are also not in the house. When furnishing your apartment, it is usually not difficult to arrange a moving van service to pick up, drop off, and potentially help set up your furniture. These offers are usually posted in Facebook groups related to moving and furniture.
Whether or not you chose to live with others is up to you. In the past, ETAs have enjoyed living with host families, Brazilian roommates of all ages and backgrounds, with a co-ETA, or on their own. Living with Brazilians can be a great way to improve your Portuguese, but it can also be a challenge if you need breaks from language-learning. It all depends on what you are looking for and what kind of home environment makes you feel more comfortable and successful. Don't be afraid to switch your living situation in the middle of your grant - this is your time to aproveitar living in Brazil!
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