What is a good salary in Brazil? The Brazilian economic reality is not clear for those that live outside our territory. It brings a lot of questions and one of the most frequent of them is What Is Considered a Good Salary in Brazil?
As a general rule, based on current trading rates, an income of 1000 USD can be considered as a good salary in Brazil. To live comfortably as a couple, you’ll need a little more, 1221 USD. To afford a comfortable (not luxury) lifestyle for a family of four, you’ll need 1741 USD.
This does not seem much, but the reality is that it’s hard to make this kind of money if your income is based in Brazil.
What Is Considered a Good Salary in Brazil?
Brazil is a giant country with continental dimensions, so what is a lot of money in some places can be nothing in capitals and big cities.
Even so, I was able to find a number that can be a good answer of what is a good salary in Brazil, considering a comfortable life and the average household income of the most part of the population.
1000 dollars can be considered as a good salary in most cities in Brazil. For a couple, the monthly income to afford a simple yet comfortable life is about 1221 USD. For a family of four, the value is 1741 USD. All considering current trading rates.
To put it in perspective, the Minimum Wage in New York is 2166 USD. NYC is an expensive place and with 2166 bucks over there I’m not sure If you would be able to pay rent.
But in Brazil, with the same salary and considering the current trading rates (0,18 USD for 1 BRL), you would be making R$ 12220 (Brazilian Real). That’s a lot!
This is more money than 99% of the Brazilian population makes. The same salary that makes nothing in NYC, puts you between the 1% elite in Brazil.
If you have a different salary and want to compare it with the Brazilian reality, just convert it to Brazilian Real (BRL) and paste it on this website. It will return you an infographic of your salary compared to the rest of the country.
How Much Money Do You Need to Live Comfortably in Brazil?
Brazil is not a cheap country to live in due to the poorly planned tax system. Taxes on products are high, as well as taxes on imports.
Still, due to the great offer of good local products, cheap rentals and quality of life, living in Brazil can be a good option for many people.
As a general rule, 1221 USD is enough to live a comfortable life in Brazil as a couple, considering the current trading rates. For a family of four the necessary salary per month to live a comfortable life in Brazil is around 1741 USD.
I’ve made extensive research about How Much Money Do You Need to Live Comfortably in Brazil and described it in this article. In there I compare the costs of living as a single person, a couple, or a family of four in five different Brazilian cities to give a better idea of the costs of living in Brazil.
It worth the time to read 🙂
How Much Does the Average Brazilian Make A Year?
The average monthly salary in Brazil is in the range between R$ 1848,12 and R$ 2261,00, which considering the current trading rates is about 342 – 418 USD.
As a general rule, an average Brazilian makes about 4104 USD a year, sometimes up to 5016 USD. This amount considers the average monthly income from Brazilians that is in the range between 342 and 418 USD.
But in most parts of the cities with more than 100 thousand inhabitants, this scenario changes for the better, as the average income is usually higher in those places.
Another problem right now is the trading rates. As Brazil’s currency Real is highly depreciated, the conversion of the salaries for a strong currency as US dollars makes BRL amounts seem like nothing.
How Much Money is Rich in Brazil?
If you live in a developed country, 2511 USD sounds like a lot of money for you? I bet not. But in Brazil, at current trading rates, this kind of money can put you at the top of the pyramid.
A person that makes more than 1935 USD per month can be considered rich in Brazil, as 95% of the population lives with an income equal to or less 1255 USD. Anyone that makes more than 2511 USD is at the 1% elite. The “A” class, the superrich, is formed by the ones making more than 3870 USD monthly.
Considering the current trading rate (0,18 USD for 1 BRL), a salary of 2511 USD would give you a salary of R$ 13950. This can afford a great lifestyle pretty much in any city in Brazil. Live in a great house, have a decent car, and visit nice places.
To have a better understanding of How Much Money is Rich in Brazil you can check the following table that breakdown the details of the 5 Brazilian social classes divided by the income counted in minimum wages.
This data is provided by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), the most trusted institute of statistics in Brazil.
| Class | Number of Minimum Wages (MW) | Income in USD ($) | Income in BRL (R$) |
| A | More than 20 MW | More than $3870,38 | More than R$ 20.900,01 |
| B | From 10 to 20 MW | $1935,19 to $3870,37 | R$ 10.450,01 to R$ 20.900,00 |
| C | From 4 to 10 MW | $774,08 to $1935,18 | R$ 4.180,01 to R$ 10.450,00 |
| D | From 2 to 4 MW | $387,04 to $774,07 | R$ 2.090,01 to R$ 4.180,00 |
| E | Up to 2 MW | Up to $387,03 | Up to R$ 2.090,00 |
Conclusion
I hope you have found helpful advice from my article on “What Is A Good Salary in Brazil?”. As a Brazilian born and bred I love to bring good information about my country.
If you have any other doubt about this subject, feel free to leave a comment down here. I’ll love to read and reply.
If you want to read more incredible articles about Brazil, click here and enjoy.
I see you next time.
