I've recently moved to Joao Pessoa, maybe it's different elsewhere but I can't understand how the economy works here.

Everything seems more expensive than it is in the UK, some of it is over twice the price. The weekly supermarket shop, clothes, cars, fuel, furniture, all electrical appliances, etc. Basically everything (this country is such a rip off).

Granted Property/land is cheaper, but it's rising all the time and seems to have doubled over the last 5 or so years, now it's not too far behind Europe i'd say.

The minimum wage is low and as far as I can tell, lots of people earn that or pretty close to it. If you compare similar jobs to the UK, the wages are significantly lower.

There is lots of cars in JP, even older cars are expensive. What i'm struggling to understand is how so many people with jobs that don't pay well can afford decent cars.

I'm assuming it's finance but the rates on loans here are absolutely horrific (35% plus). You'd get a lower rate from a loan shark in the UK. Brazil seems to love finance, there is nothing you can't pay for over 10 instalments

There are loads of apartment buildings getting built here, i'm looking at it wondering how long before supply will outstrips demand.

I'm no economist and maybe i've missed a few fundamentals but on the face of it, low wages, high costs and sky high finance rates are a recipe for a recession aren't they? Is the bubble going to burst as I can't see how it's sustainable.

This is kind of a never ending debate. You CAN find cheap stuff. Meat and veggies are pretty cheap I'd say, if you want imported stuff from home then it will be more expensive.

For clothes I go to both Taco and HRNG, jeans are more than I'd like them to be but at HRNG I just loaded up on tshirts (each running r21, so not bad)

I think cars are expensive for what you get for the price compared to the states, but I thankfully haven't had to give in and buy one yet.

In rereading your post, are you wondering about the cost of things in general or expats? Because in BH I there wasn't much mixing of the financial classes- there are nice bars in Savassi/Lourdes/ ST Antonio and then there are the dirty dive bars....and each has their own set of customers.

for food a quick look on wikitravel gave these options:

Vale do Sabugi, Rua Carlos Alverga, Tambaú (Enter from the beach front near Portugal Flat). Lunch. Buffet with grilled meats R$ 6.

Mangai, Avenida General Edson Ramalho 696, Manaíra. All day. Large buffet of reional foods. R$ 30 per kilo.

not too expensive

Originally posted by man of leisure Originally posted by hpeak13 You CAN find cheap stuff. Cheap meaning rubbish, poor quality in the context of your statement, but then being the same price as similar but better quality goods found in the UK.

actually no. I was referring to the price. Bought a pair of Addidas shoes the other day for r200.....that's about the same as the states. And the shirts I got from HRNG are fine.

Originally posted by hpeak13 This is kind of a never ending debate. You CAN find cheap stuff. Meat and veggies are pretty cheap I'd say, if you want imported stuff from home then it will be more expensive. For clothes I go to both Taco and HRNG, jeans are more than I'd like them to be but at HRNG I just loaded up on tshirts (each running r21, so not bad)

Taco is a worse version of gap and the jeans wear out faster, if you wash them regularly.

The HRNG tshirts my husband has are worse quality than what I would buy at Target or Kmart for the same price or less in the US.  Comparatively, they are also MUCH more expensive.

Salary R$620  - R$21 = 3% of your monthly salary

Min wage in Boston R$10/hour.  40hours X 4 weeks = $1600 minimum wage
$8 Tshirt = .05% of your salary.


Much more people earner minimum wage or close to it here than they do in Boston.

That is the difference that a lot of people don't understand, and what a lot of people find confusing.


Living to the same lower-middle class (public transport, cheap/mostly home cooked meals - that aren't uniquely rice and beans, decent clothes, decent soaps) standards is much more expensive here.

I eat out lots here. I'm not looking for cheap places. I'd say in terms of eating out, for the same quality food, prices are pretty much the same as the UK.

As for Joao Pessoa being cheaper than the South of Brazil, might be worth re-searching that some more. Cars are significantly cheaper in Rio and Sao Paulo going by prices advertised on the internet. Someone on this website bought furniture from here to send to the south also so that suggests it's not just cars.

Originally posted by Amsterdam things are balancing out more now with redistribution of wealth so the poorer folks are able to get finance.

With interest rates on finance ranging from 35-50% lots of the time, i'm inclined to suggest the rich are getting richer and the poor are staying poor.