Brazil is South America's largest country, offering stunning biodiversity from the Amazon rainforest to iconic beaches like Copacabana and Ipanema. Experience vibrant culture, world-class cuisine, spectacular waterfalls at Iguazu, and the rhythm of samba in Rio de Janeiro.
Local currency: Brazilian Real (BRL, R$).
Daily budget by traveller style
Typical per-person daily spend in Brazil.
Cost breakdown
Typical price ranges across major spending categories.
Accommodation
- Hostel
- $12-20 (dorm bed in major cities)
- Budget
- $30-50 (budget hotel or guesthouse private room)
- Midrange
- $80-150 (mid-range hotel or boutique pousada)
- Luxury
- $200-600+ (5-star or resort)
Food
- Street
- $2-5 (street food: pastel, coxinha, açaí)
- Local
- $8-15 (prato feito lunch at neighborhood restaurant)
- Midrange
- $20-40 (casual restaurant with drinks)
- Fine
- $80-250+ (fine dining or churrascaria rodízio)
Transport
- Bus
- $1-2 (local bus or metro one way)
- Taxi
- $8-20 (Uber/99 city ride)
- Airport
- $25-50 (airport to city center)
- Daytrip
- $20-50 (organized day tour transport)
Activities
- Museum
- $8-20 (most museums, some free)
- Sites
- $15-35 (major attractions like Sugarloaf, Cristo)
- Tour
- $50-120 (guided day tour)
- Excursion
- $100-300 (multi-day excursion, Amazon, Pantanal)
Trip budgets by length
What a typical trip to Brazil costs end-to-end.
Budget traveller
$280-420/week
Midrange traveller
$700-1,050/week
Luxury traveller
$2,100-4,200+/week
Money-saving tips
Practical ways to stretch your budget further.
Eat lunch at 'prato feito' (PF) restaurants where R$20-40 buys a full plate of rice, beans, salad, and protein - Brazil's best budget meal
Use Uber or 99 app instead of taxis - consistently 20-30% cheaper for the same service
Visit museums on free days (MASP São Paulo is free Tuesdays, many others have free days)
Buy a rechargeable transport card (Bilhete Único in São Paulo) for discounted fares with free transfers between bus and metro
Travel in April-May or September-October (shoulder season) when accommodation is 30-40% cheaper than January-March peak
Self-catering from supermarkets (Pão de Açúcar, Carrefour) for breakfasts and some lunches saves significant money
Domestic flights booked 2-3 months in advance on Azul, Gol, or LATAM are often competitive with bus prices on long routes
Free things to do
Memorable experiences that cost nothing.
Copacabana and Ipanema Beaches
Brazil's most famous urban beaches are completely free and offer people-watching, beach football, volleyball, and the classic carioca experience at no cost.
Christ the Redeemer Hike via Tijuca Forest
Hiking to Cristo Redentor through Tijuca National Forest is free; you only pay for the cog train if you choose to take it instead of walking.
MASP - Free Tuesdays
São Paulo's premier art museum offers free entry every Tuesday, providing access to one of Latin America's finest European art collections at no cost.
Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo
Vast city park designed by Oscar Niemeyer with free museums, walking paths, lakes, bike rentals, and weekend concerts - São Paulo's equivalent of Central Park.
Selarón Steps, Rio de Janeiro
The iconic 215-step mosaic staircase by Jorge Selarón in Lapa is completely free to visit and photograph any time of day.
Pelourinho Walking Tour
Salvador's UNESCO-listed colonial center can be explored on foot for free, with baroque churches charging small entry fees (R$5-15 each).
Sunset at Arpoador, Rio
Locals and visitors gather daily at the Arpoador rocks between Ipanema and Copacabana to applaud the sunset - one of Brazil's most romantic free traditions.
Capoeira Rodas in Salvador
Public Capoeira circles (rodas) occur regularly in Pelourinho's squares, offering free viewing of this UNESCO-recognized Afro-Brazilian martial art.
Paulista Avenue Free Sundays
São Paulo's main avenue closes to cars every Sunday for a free street fair with food, music, cycling, and performance art stretching several kilometers.
Museu Afro Brasil
São Paulo's extraordinary museum of Afro-Brazilian history and art in Ibirapuera Park offers free entry to the permanent collection.