Move to a country because you want to live there, love the culture and learn the language, never just to save money, or else you will never be satisfied. (Brazil is a fantastic country and culture but too many US immigrants in LatAm make no effort to integrate)
"And that has no natural disasters" That's an important statement that not many people say about Fortaleza. I've been living in the city for 30 years and I've never seen a natural disaster here. Most Brazilian state capitals struggle with landslides during the rainy seasons, intense heat wave or bad storms. While Fortaleza always has a calm weather throughout the year and has no landslides because it doesn't have any hills. It's a pretty flat city. The temperature is always between 21° and 32° C. (It's like 70° to 90°F). Indeed, the only problem of the city is the violence. Although it's not very different compared to other big cities in Brazil.
I live in south brazil but i use to travel on vacations to fortaleza and etc. Prices you told seems correct, but this nice view of buildings you see close to he beach only... its a great place anyway
You have the costs wrong and quoting exchange rate. What you are looking for is purchasing power parity. Which average US vs average Brazil is 4-1. Miami to Rio is about 3-1. So Fortazela is probably like 5-1.
I see where you’re coming from with PPP, but when it comes to real-world affordability, the 6:1 exchange rate is what matters. For example, if you take an Uber from the airport in Rio to Copacabana, you’re paying around 120 Reais, which is about $20 USD. In the U.S., for that same ride, you’re paying upwards of $50. That same trip here in Fortaleza would cost about $10. And with $2,500 in Miami, that’s basically struggling-you’re probably sharing an apartment with roommates just to get by. But in Rio, São Paulo, or especially Fortaleza, $2,500 goes way further. You wouldn’t even have to share a place with anybody. You can do a lot more, go out, live a lot more comfortably, and even save money if you want. You wouldn’t even really have to pay attention to your wallet. So, I don’t agree with the whole idea that Miami to Rio is 3:1 and Fortaleza is 5:1. The real costs just don’t add up like that.
Right now, I’m sitting in an apartment in Fortaleza on the 20th floor, in a modern building, and it’s for sale for 450,000 Reais, which is around $73,770 USD at the current exchange rate of 6.1. Now, if you’re looking for a similar-sized apartment in Miami, but not in a high-rise, and in an older apartment complex, you’re lucky if you can find a place like this for less than $200,000. This is just another example of why I disagree with your comparison. When you compare the cost of living here in Fortaleza with Miami, it’s clear that the pricing difference is way more significant than what you’re suggesting.
Billy, you seem to be living very well in Brazil 😊 I hope Brazil facilitates more the Visa for people from USA and tourists in general. The dollar exchange is crazy right now, from what I've seen in the news 😮
Lived in Miami 4 years. Fortaleza is definitely a great alternative. Do yourself a favor and learn some basic Portuguese if you are serious about living there.
Hey Billy I got to go to Fortaleza, I think that there's a huge possibility to live out there. Nowadays I'm living in Salvador, and probably in April 2025 I'll be travelling to Natal.😂
While Florida was my home and I grew up there in fort Myers, I think one of the main issues, especially now is housing has become so unaffordable. You are almost forced to live in a gated community and with that comes HOA fees. In a lot of cases you're paying as much in HOA fees as you are for rent on top of paying a mortgage or rent. So as an example the place I left a year ago was $950 a month and they were planning to raise it another 50 and that was on top of the 2200 that I would have to pay to rent the two bed at two bath house. That's insane. You don't have an option to not pay it. And if you don't want to live in a gated community, you have to live inland in a really rural area. It's ridiculous and that's not to mention the cost of everything else and as we all know in the US you need a car to get around to do anything. So add that cost and insurance and a lease for the car to everything else. And if you're not making at least $7 to $10,000 a month, you're going to be really struggling
Yeah I totally hear you. My only issue is that I can only stay 6 months at a time. I can apply for the digital nomad Visa but that only gives me a year and then? So it makes it difficult a fixed income for the other 6 months and then when you come back to Brazil you'd always have to find a new place and again the cost would fluctuate because what you want may not be available in the area or the budget etc etc
Oh, I see! So over 350,000 people moved to Portugal, got jobs, opened businesses, paid taxes, boosted the economy, and somehow contributed nothing? That’s quite an interesting take!
Yes I get good return on dollar it's like 6 to 1 right now on money good time to invest in brazil living , makes sense if your in right situation of life to check things out brazil 🇧🇷 and you like summer too many perks plus the good food there will be returning ASAP too enjoy brazil we will . Good video Billy
Im Brazilian.. if you have money, it 'd be a nice idea.. but, its not good if you need to earn money.. take a look in Paracuru.. its in Fortaleza as well.. its really a hidden gem
Florida is OK, as long as you stay away from the water and homeowner associations....BTW, Brazil is instituting tourist visas April 10, 2025...it was canceled last year....I spend 6 months a year playing Senior Softball Rec leagues and travel ball...come May till October I will be about 20 min from Meireles.....dinner is on me if we ever meet up this Brazilian winter
Yeah, they say they’re going to do it, but actually making it happen is a different story. Earlier this year, it didn’t work out because of technical issues with the website and trouble handling all the traffic. We’ll see if they get it sorted by next year.
Don’t worry, you still need money to come here, which filters out a lot of people. Plus, Fortaleza isn’t urban enough to turn into a “little Miami” like Medellín-Rio’s got that covered. You’d be surprised how many clients complain about costs here, even though the city is easily 50-75% more affordable than many U.S. cities. I even get emails suggesting I lower my consultation fees to “help” more people. Lol.
Billy thanks for your content. I love it. Are you doing a livestream anytime soon? I am looking to get my Brazilian Retirement Visa and looking at Fortaleza. Are there any local language schools to learn Portuguese? I'm latino and understand some of the words but want to become fluent. Also what are we looking at as far as rent, groceries, etc...
Hi, thanks for the support! Like I mentioned in the video, I provide consultations on topics like these. We can go over everything in detail, including the retirement visa, language schools, and cost of living in Fortaleza. Feel free to contact me at my email: billygringotv@gmail.com. Looking forward to helping you out!
If you have private insurance (around $200 dolars), it's all perfect. You will be treated really well, have individual room in Hospital in case of internation, etc. If you need to use public health service, you will wait some time, but you will be treated.
@@BillyGringo Yeah, it depends on age, what you want to have in your package (like individual hospital room, if you want to pay a portion of the expenses when you use it, etc).
In Brazil, dental care is free, everything is free. If it is an emergency, it is attended to immediately. If it is not an emergency, it is attended to by appointment, so it is necessary to go to a public dental care center to consult and start treatment. Everything is free.
In Brazil, 90% of criminal cases are related to acts of violence by criminal factions against criminal factions versus the police, and 7% of other violence results from domestic violence, with other types of violence being rare.
O México tem cidades muito mais perigosas (Acapulpo, p. ex) e mesmo assim os americanos não deixam de viver/visitar. Até mesmo nos EUA existem cidades mais perigosas, como Chicago, New Orleans, Detroit, Cleveland...A gente precisa parar de romantizar o exterior, eles escondem os podres debaixo do tapete.
Hey Billy, how long have you lived in Fortaleza? Did you by chance teach English at Christus High School 10-ish years ago? I might have worked with you there (I remember an American from Florida named Billy, though I only taught there for a while). Cheers from Seattle, Happy New Year!
I factored in the cost of travelling to and from 25 dates or events a month, which comes to about R$625, since each trip is around R$25. I also considered weekend trips to beaches outside of Fortaleza, like Cumbuco, Canoa, Jeri, or even up to the mountains in places like Guaramiranga, or other towns, which usually cost between R$60 and R$150. Averaging R$105 per trip, that’s about R$420 for four trips. So, all together, it adds up to about R$1,000 a month but R$400 is doable if they aren't planning on doing much.
Don’t you mean smart property owners? 😂 Think about it-in the U.S., property tax is baked into the rent without a second thought. At least in Brazil, homeowners are upfront about it and let you know what you’re paying for. Gotta respect the transparency!
HI, I LIVE IN CURITIBA, STATE OF PARANA, YOU FORGOT THE MOST IMPORTANT TIPS SO FAR SUS: SISTEMA UNICO DE SAUDE FREE desculpe meu ingles, mas o fato da SAUDE ser gratuita para qualquer pessoa no BRASIL, isso é importantissimo para qualquer um SABER
Oh, how sweet of you to be polite and say you don’t want to mess with my business. But if you’re gonna call someone out, maybe be more specific? Your question was so vague, I’m not even sure what point you’re making. Coming from someone too lazy to write complete sentences, that’s pretty smart. If you’re gonna act like you know it all, at least bring something to the table.
I’m Brazilian too, buddy, and just like you, I speak English. My mom is Brazilian, and so are all my brothers and my family. My dad’s American and moved to Brazil in the ’70s, and I can guarantee he’s done more for Brazil than you ever will-like opening schools, helping Brazilians get to the US for a better life, and a lot more. My dad would give a stranger the shirt off his back, and so would a majority of my American friends back in the US, so I don’t know what you’re talking about. A única pessoa que acha que o mundo gira em torno de si aqui é você. Viajou com esse papo teu, irmão. Na moral.
Opiniao neutra: Sao paulo eh de longe o estado mais rico e desenvolvido do pais. Grande parte dos imoveis mais caros de SC eh de propriedade dos verdadeiros ricos do Brasil, e que nao sao de SC. SC apenas virou um ponto de veraneio do big money brasileiro. O estado em si nao eh essas coisa toda nao
Sold all my stuff. Saved a ton of cash. Movi g to brazil mid 2025. After staying in Brazil for 6 months i knew i would move there. Cant wait.
I live in Bahia, Brazil. Warm weather all year, great mountains in Chapada Diamantina. All americans are welcome here!
I love Bahia! 😄
Move to a country because you want to live there, love the culture and learn the language, never just to save money, or else you will never be satisfied. (Brazil is a fantastic country and culture but too many US immigrants in LatAm make no effort to integrate)
João Pessoa city in Brazil have boom of foreigners. Northeast in Brazil is new carebea. So many beaches.
I have family there! I’m planning to visit soon.
"And that has no natural disasters"
That's an important statement that not many people say about Fortaleza. I've been living in the city for 30 years and I've never seen a natural disaster here. Most Brazilian state capitals struggle with landslides during the rainy seasons, intense heat wave or bad storms.
While Fortaleza always has a calm weather throughout the year and has no landslides because it doesn't have any hills. It's a pretty flat city. The temperature is always between 21° and 32° C. (It's like 70° to 90°F).
Indeed, the only problem of the city is the violence. Although it's not very different compared to other big cities in Brazil.
This is not true at all, most brazilian capitals? Start naming them please.
@finalcut302 Rio, Recife, Salvador, Porto Alegre, Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Cuiabá, Manaus, Vitória.
I'm myself am looking to emigrate to Brazil. Following my bliss and inner legend.
7K views in one day bro!! Incredible. I left Florida 2 years ago for Brazil 🇧🇷. Never going back!
Glad to hear it! How’s Asia? Missing Brazil yet? Happy new years!
That’s Fortaleza. My beautiful city. Greetings from NYC 🤗😎😉
I live in south brazil but i use to travel on vacations to fortaleza and etc. Prices you told seems correct, but this nice view of buildings you see close to he beach only... its a great place anyway
It’s all about what you’re looking for! You’re right, the price differences can be huge.
hi Billy, you're welcome to BR 🇧🇷. Happy new year!
Thank you 🙏🏻
You have the costs wrong and quoting exchange rate. What you are looking for is purchasing power parity. Which average US vs average Brazil is 4-1. Miami to Rio is about 3-1. So Fortazela is probably like 5-1.
I see where you’re coming from with PPP, but when it comes to real-world affordability, the 6:1 exchange rate is what matters. For example, if you take an Uber from the airport in Rio to Copacabana, you’re paying around 120 Reais, which is about $20 USD. In the U.S., for that same ride, you’re paying upwards of $50. That same trip here in Fortaleza would cost about $10. And with $2,500 in Miami, that’s basically struggling-you’re probably sharing an apartment with roommates just to get by. But in Rio, São Paulo, or especially Fortaleza, $2,500 goes way further. You wouldn’t even have to share a place with anybody. You can do a lot more, go out, live a lot more comfortably, and even save money if you want. You wouldn’t even really have to pay attention to your wallet. So, I don’t agree with the whole idea that Miami to Rio is 3:1 and Fortaleza is 5:1. The real costs just don’t add up like that.
Right now, I’m sitting in an apartment in Fortaleza on the 20th floor, in a modern building, and it’s for sale for 450,000 Reais, which is around $73,770 USD at the current exchange rate of 6.1. Now, if you’re looking for a similar-sized apartment in Miami, but not in a high-rise, and in an older apartment complex, you’re lucky if you can find a place like this for less than $200,000. This is just another example of why I disagree with your comparison. When you compare the cost of living here in Fortaleza with Miami, it’s clear that the pricing difference is way more significant than what you’re suggesting.
Billy, you seem to be living very well in Brazil 😊
I hope Brazil facilitates more the Visa for people from USA and tourists in general. The dollar exchange is crazy right now, from what I've seen in the news 😮
Lived in Miami 4 years. Fortaleza is definitely a great alternative. Do yourself a favor and learn some basic Portuguese if you are serious about living there.
It is a must for sure! You’ll get more respect from the locals if you can speak their language even a little bit.
O Billy fala português muito bem. Eu já vi ele falando. Parece um nativo.
Hey Billy I got to go to Fortaleza, I think that there's a huge possibility to live out there. Nowadays I'm living in Salvador, and probably in April 2025 I'll be travelling to Natal.😂
While Florida was my home and I grew up there in fort Myers, I think one of the main issues, especially now is housing has become so unaffordable. You are almost forced to live in a gated community and with that comes HOA fees. In a lot of cases you're paying as much in HOA fees as you are for rent on top of paying a mortgage or rent. So as an example the place I left a year ago was $950 a month and they were planning to raise it another 50 and that was on top of the 2200 that I would have to pay to rent the two bed at two bath house. That's insane. You don't have an option to not pay it. And if you don't want to live in a gated community, you have to live inland in a really rural area. It's ridiculous and that's not to mention the cost of everything else and as we all know in the US you need a car to get around to do anything. So add that cost and insurance and a lease for the car to everything else. And if you're not making at least $7 to $10,000 a month, you're going to be really struggling
Yeah I totally hear you. My only issue is that I can only stay 6 months at a time. I can apply for the digital nomad Visa but that only gives me a year and then? So it makes it difficult a fixed income for the other 6 months and then when you come back to Brazil you'd always have to find a new place and again the cost would fluctuate because what you want may not be available in the area or the budget etc etc
Im from Fortaleza, man. Brazillian but know English. Im not a party animal but if you plan a travel nearby or camping let me know. Cheers mate.
Beautiful place, I wanna go someday to beach Park
Be welcome to Brazil. Congrats for your nice videos and content. You've got one more subscriber. Enjoy brazilian Northeast and our culture!
Obrigado! 🙏🏻
Come to Brazil, we welcome all people! Bring happiness, kindness and be happy here! ❤
Oh, I see! So over 350,000 people moved to Portugal, got jobs, opened businesses, paid taxes, boosted the economy, and somehow contributed nothing? That’s quite an interesting take!
Yes I get good return on dollar it's like 6 to 1 right now on money good time to invest in brazil living , makes sense if your in right situation of life to check things out brazil 🇧🇷 and you like summer too many perks plus the good food there will be returning ASAP too enjoy brazil we will . Good video Billy
I’m from Fortaleza, but I live in Brasília.
Brasilia is very nice.
@ I agree!
Great video. Very informative. 👍🏾
just looked at the weather, it looks warmer than florida, and thats saying a lot
Hi Billy.
Happy new year 😊
See you next time
Feliz ano novo! What's your plan for 2025? 😜
@@BillyGringo Watch your videos and study more English.
Im Brazilian.. if you have money, it 'd be a nice idea.. but, its not good if you need to earn money.. take a look in Paracuru.. its in Fortaleza as well.. its really a hidden gem
Not hidden anymore...😢
Happy new years billy!!!
Nice video!!!
Parabéns pelo vídeo, I love Fortaleza! 🩷
It’s an awesome city, right? You know the best places?
Florida is OK, as long as you stay away from the water and homeowner associations....BTW, Brazil is instituting tourist visas April 10, 2025...it was canceled last year....I spend 6 months a year playing Senior Softball Rec leagues and travel ball...come May till October I will be about 20 min from Meireles.....dinner is on me if we ever meet up this Brazilian winter
Yeah, they say they’re going to do it, but actually making it happen is a different story. Earlier this year, it didn’t work out because of technical issues with the website and trouble handling all the traffic. We’ll see if they get it sorted by next year.
Fortaleza is a Miami without hurricanes!!!!
Yep, no hurricanes, but I wouldn’t say it’s like Miami just yet. It’ll take a while.
Enjoy the exchange rate!!!!
Vitória, in Brazil, is a good option for you lads
Moço, você está em Fortaleza usando o smartphone ou câmera ao ar livre? Cuidado 😅😅😅😊
Thanks…. Now Fortaleza is not a hidden gem anymore 😏
Don’t worry, you still need money to come here, which filters out a lot of people. Plus, Fortaleza isn’t urban enough to turn into a “little Miami” like Medellín-Rio’s got that covered. You’d be surprised how many clients complain about costs here, even though the city is easily 50-75% more affordable than many U.S. cities. I even get emails suggesting I lower my consultation fees to “help” more people. Lol.
Eu conheço essa praia 😄
Billy thanks for your content. I love it. Are you doing a livestream anytime soon? I am looking to get my Brazilian Retirement Visa and looking at Fortaleza. Are there any local language schools to learn Portuguese? I'm latino and understand some of the words but want to become fluent. Also what are we looking at as far as rent, groceries, etc...
Hi, thanks for the support! Like I mentioned in the video, I provide consultations on topics like these. We can go over everything in detail, including the retirement visa, language schools, and cost of living in Fortaleza. Feel free to contact me at my email: billygringotv@gmail.com. Looking forward to helping you out!
How is the quality of dental and medical care please?
Thank you
If you have private insurance (around $200 dolars), it's all perfect. You will be treated really well, have individual room in Hospital in case of internation, etc. If you need to use public health service, you will wait some time, but you will be treated.
Unimed offers plans for 35-year-olds starting at R$ 565, which is approximately 92 USD.
@@BillyGringo Yeah, it depends on age, what you want to have in your package (like individual hospital room, if you want to pay a portion of the expenses when you use it, etc).
In Brazil, dental care is free, everything is free. If it is an emergency, it is attended to immediately. If it is not an emergency, it is attended to by appointment, so it is necessary to go to a public dental care center to consult and start treatment. Everything is free.
Brazilians dentists are among the best in the world.
What about Security in fortaleza
In Brazil, 90% of criminal cases are related to acts of violence by criminal factions against criminal factions versus the police, and 7% of other violence results from domestic violence, with other types of violence being rare.
@@MrWillbeto No..
U going to rio for new year
E o que tu diz sobre segurança da cidade? Pra gente que vive no sul do país, por mais que Fortaleza seja linda, pela mídia parece que não vale a pena!
O México tem cidades muito mais perigosas (Acapulpo, p. ex) e mesmo assim os americanos não deixam de viver/visitar. Até mesmo nos EUA existem cidades mais perigosas, como Chicago, New Orleans, Detroit, Cleveland...A gente precisa parar de romantizar o exterior, eles escondem os podres debaixo do tapete.
Moro em Fortaleza. A questão da segurança é a mesma de uma grande cidade. Problemas existem, mas vive-se muito bem por aqui..
Hey Billy, how long have you lived in Fortaleza? Did you by chance teach English at Christus High School 10-ish years ago? I might have worked with you there (I remember an American from Florida named Billy, though I only taught there for a while). Cheers from Seattle, Happy New Year!
Awesome!
@@BillyGringo No Bro, you aren't redundant. It's all good.
1000 reais for transportation? It would be at maximum 400.
I factored in the cost of travelling to and from 25 dates or events a month, which comes to about R$625, since each trip is around R$25. I also considered weekend trips to beaches outside of Fortaleza, like Cumbuco, Canoa, Jeri, or even up to the mountains in places like Guaramiranga, or other towns, which usually cost between R$60 and R$150. Averaging R$105 per trip, that’s about R$420 for four trips. So, all together, it adds up to about R$1,000 a month but R$400 is doable if they aren't planning on doing much.
@@BillyGringo I didn't account travelling (and dating is something that depends on the person's "resistance" lol). That I put on another box.
Fortaleza looks good 🫵😎
Think about safety!
Obrigado pelo amor pela nossa cidade. ❤️
I thought I were in Miami filming this
Lol me too. Looks like it huh?
Go to João Pessoa City
I’m planning on going again soon.
Do they have any decent Mexican food there?
No, only Brazilian.
And they speak Portuguese, not Spanish.
Here in Brazil property owners put property tax on the rent. Really? Wow what naughty Brazilian landlords. Landlords in the US are saints. 😂
Don’t you mean smart property owners? 😂 Think about it-in the U.S., property tax is baked into the rent without a second thought. At least in Brazil, homeowners are upfront about it and let you know what you’re paying for. Gotta respect the transparency!
Have u been to Asia 😅
HI, I LIVE IN CURITIBA, STATE OF PARANA, YOU FORGOT THE MOST IMPORTANT TIPS SO FAR
SUS: SISTEMA UNICO DE SAUDE FREE
desculpe meu ingles, mas o fato da SAUDE ser gratuita para qualquer pessoa no BRASIL, isso é importantissimo para qualquer um SABER
Billy tem gente que faz vídeos em português e dubla em inglês. Tu poderia fazer ao contrário.
😉😉😉😉😉🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷
Pretendo fazer. Vai assistir se eu fizer?
Feliz ano novo 🆕🥳 filme 🎥 tudo aí.. essa oportunidade das pessoas visitarem e investir em fortaleza, dólar altíssimo.
Feliz ano novo irmão! Quando é que você vem pra Fortaleza visitar?! Como está a Belém! Quero conhecer tuas áreas!!
Rich americans are always welcome.
What's considered rich to you?
@@Nswix in Brazil, if you make about BRL$ 500.000,00 per year, you can be considered rich.
@@Nswix If you make $5.000 dolars per month you will live with a lot of confort here. Being rich is different for everyone.
I don't want to mess u up with your business...bt r u sure that u know what r you tlkng abt ?? 14:04
Oh, how sweet of you to be polite and say you don’t want to mess with my business. But if you’re gonna call someone out, maybe be more specific? Your question was so vague, I’m not even sure what point you’re making. Coming from someone too lazy to write complete sentences, that’s pretty smart. If you’re gonna act like you know it all, at least bring something to the table.
I hired Billy to help me relocate and take care of a bunch of things for me, and he was spot on with everything said and did for us.
Brazil's hidden gem could be plenty of other things, but Americans? Come on. Please you are not the center of world...."americans" 😵💫
I’m Brazilian too, buddy, and just like you, I speak English. My mom is Brazilian, and so are all my brothers and my family. My dad’s American and moved to Brazil in the ’70s, and I can guarantee he’s done more for Brazil than you ever will-like opening schools, helping Brazilians get to the US for a better life, and a lot more. My dad would give a stranger the shirt off his back, and so would a majority of my American friends back in the US, so I don’t know what you’re talking about. A única pessoa que acha que o mundo gira em torno de si aqui é você. Viajou com esse papo teu, irmão. Na moral.
Santa Catarina is the place to be in Brazil, much better than the rest of the country, no comparison. Rgds
Nobody cares about Santa Catarina
Opiniao neutra:
Sao paulo eh de longe o estado mais rico e desenvolvido do pais. Grande parte dos imoveis mais caros de SC eh de propriedade dos verdadeiros ricos do Brasil, e que nao sao de SC.
SC apenas virou um ponto de veraneio do big money brasileiro. O estado em si nao eh essas coisa toda nao
Santa Catarina is more expensive than Florida.
Santa Catarina is NOT more expensive than Florida. Never in a million years.
you people are missing the point of the video: Affordable nice quality of life CLOSE to the US.