Post: #1

I'm actually from a small city in Middle america, living in Buenos Aires where i have been for a while.

The summer is comming and to be honest i have screwed a lot of things: like valuable realationships, a small business that used to go very well, etc.

I have definitely lost that stuff. So i'm looking for a place to start over. I'm still very young, eager to see the world and have learned from my mistakes. I want to do it seriously this time, so this is at least a year commitment.

I have some decent savings. I speak spanish and i have been studying portuguese for a couple of months and getting insane inmersion through movies, music, etc.

I plan to meet with my family until mid january, then i will go to one of these places.

What i'm looking for:

+I really want a place where locals are friendly, i want a great social circle with realiable and valuable people.
+Based on Latin america
+Huge population, specially college aged people.
+Somewhat safe
+I would rather Cosmpolitan/alternative
+Not so expensive.
+Visited by hot chicks from everywhere.

I know, if not by the latin america requirement i would choose something like an european college town but:

-getting a visa to stay there would be complicated and getting there would be a lot more expensive, Brasil and Mexico are more open to latin americans.
-the business i have in mind already is already somewhat developed in Europe.
-those cities tend to have very small populations




So i have thought:



Rio

+Strong economy/connections
+Beach and party vibe
+Amazing outdoorsy city
+Huge population
+Real immersion in another language
+Cheap nightlife, street parties, etc.
???Tourist in january/february, those would be hot girls?
-Dangerous
-Juicehead tanned culture for what i understand, i'm areally skinny, pale, alternative type, i guess that will play against.
-Expensive rent
-Fucking hot in january/february




Sao Paulo

+Seems almost exactly what i'm looking for
+Alternative vibe
+More swag and style than muscles culture.
+Most important city in latin america, strong economy/connections
+Huge population
+Real immersion in another language
---Sucks at january and february, very much like Buenos Aires.
-People have describe it to me as a ghetto outside the expensive areas
-Expensive rent
-Outrageously expensive nightlife
-Expensive transportation
-Depressing architechture
-I have read here that girls are snobby and materialistic.



Joao Pessoa

I just picked this up if i go to Sao Paulo, maybe i can improve my portuguese there while Sao Paulo gets filled again.

I have seen it getting hype insanely here, it seems like a cool and cheap beach town, without the biggest problems of Rio.




Mexico City

+Already fluent in the language
+Strong economy/connections
+Alternative vibe
+More swag and style than muscles culture.
+Huge population
+Super touristic (althought i don't know the quality of the people who visit)
+Good to go in february
-I have a deeper feeling for Brazil

If i go to Mexico city, first i will go to Puerto Vallarta o Playa del Carmen to get some beach days while all college kids are on vacation until February.



I'm not thinking about Belo Horizonte just because i'm mostly looking for a cosmopolitan city and it also seems to be conservative.

Post: #2

Sorry. You're asking too much and there's no place in Brazil (trust me, I know all of it) that comes close to your demands. Give them some slack.

First of all: all of Brazil is insanely hot in summer. All metropolises are expensive.

Post: #3

I know! what i mean is that Mexico City is cheaper. My demands are not absolute and inclusive, but those are the things that are important to me to picking a city, the one that have convinced me more as i said is Sao Paulo, but is not a good idea to go there in summer anyway. What i meant is that the weather the other part of the year doesn't seem so hot there.

The other stuff that concern me now is the easiness to do business, it is something that i have not considered as i thought my idea doesn't really need to be registered and could be done independently. But now i'm thinking about it, i'm not really sure by the nature of the business if i would need to register it. That would definitely influence my decission.

Post: #4

I think Mexico City is probably the best choice, considering the options unless you really want to work on your Portuguese. Mexico City will beat out any major Brazilian city for doing business. In fact, it's probably the most business friendly city in Latin America for expats besides perhaps Panama City.

However, for the record Mexico City is not that touristy. Yes, there are tonnes of tourists that go there because of it's sheer size, but if you avoid Centro and are based in a normal neighbourhood you might run into tourists maybe a couple times a month. There are however quite a few expats in the Polanco area, but I don't consider these people really tourists. Outside of the main tourist beach towns in Mexico, there are actually minimal foreigners in the country despite it being one of the most visited countries in the world.

Weather is wonderful in Mexico City. Gets quite rainy (particularly strong showers in the evening) in the winter, but never too cold. In the summer and fall it is super pleasant.

Pollution is pretty bad. Food is fucking incredible. Nightlife is extremely diverse, you can basically find any kind of venue, lots of music, and a lot of variety in the types of people that go out. Endless things to do, both within the city and outside it. Cost of living is pretty good, food is quite cheap there to buy. Rent is quite varied depending on where you live. I lived comfortably just north of Polanco on ~$1100 a month for rent + all expenses (that is even including a few couple-week vacations around Mexico). Public transportation is probably best I have ever seen in Latin America.

Mexico City has a lot of things going for it.

I mean, Rio would be great as well. Doing business there would be a lot more difficult, even more so with lack of fluency in Portuguese. As far as cosmopolitan cities in LA go, you can't really beat Rio for it's outdoor potential. However, the main trade-off is the cost of living in Rio is probably about double than it is for Mexico City (Sao Paulo even more so).

Post: #5

(12-03-2014 06:07 AM)Dat ass Wrote:  The other stuff that concern me now is the easiness to do business, it is something that i have not considered as i thought my idea doesn't really need to be registered and could be done independently. But now i'm thinking about it, i'm not really sure by the nature of the business if i would need to register it. That would definitely influence my decission.

My thoughts on ease of doing business in Brazil are in this thread.

In short: it's fucking hard, and the world bank agrees with me.

I happen to like SP, but it has a lot of faults (ugly, smelly, expensive, somewhat dangerous). There's a reason anyone with money in SP gets out of town just about every weekend.

As far as costs, I'd say minimum $2,000 (at current exchange rates) monthly is what you want to live in decent neighborhood and enjoy yourself (not going out to eat too often and using public transport vs taxis as much as possible).

Post: #6

I'm curious on why you think Rio has cheap nightlife? I spent a a good amount of money on nightlife in Brazil. I guess you can grab a few beers and drink in Lapa on the street and it would be inexpensive. The only thing I found cheap in Brazil was the morning after pill for 5 bucks. Viagra was pretty cheap also compared to the states.

Post: #7

(12-03-2014 04:34 PM)LINUX Wrote:  I'm curious on why you think Rio has cheap nightlife? I spent a a good amount of money on nightlife in Brazil. I guess you can grab a few beers and drink in Lapa on the street and it would be inexpensive. The only thing I found cheap in Brazil was the morning after pill for 5 bucks. Viagra was pretty cheap also compared to the states.

This is probably what he meant, and I agree totally. Nightlife in Rio can be cheap. I used to pre-drink and hit street parties 80% of the time and I never spent much money at all. Even without pre-drinking, two or three strong caiprinhas on the street can run you like 20 reals and you could be good to go for many hours.

Post: #8

It depends on how much Portuguese you know. If you put time and effort in learning the language then by all means go to Brazil since I doubt you'll use much Portuguese in Mexico unless you come across someone from Portugal or Brazil. Mexico City is way cheaper than Sao Paulo though and Mexico City is the largest city in Latin America with an array of culture/museums, food and everything else. There are Pros and Cons for both countries.

Try to narrow your needs and wants and what is most important to you. Because if its strictly economic than Mex is the choice. If its for girls then I would probably go with Brazil.

Post: #9

Having spent a lot of time in Guadalajara, I suggest consider this city. Less pollution and higher average quality of girls than DF. But, they are more conservative and less ONS culture. You can get to Vallarta and a few other cool beach towns nearby on the bus from GDL, about 5 hours.

But, I'm really wishing I were right on the beach. There's a chance I'll be heading to Brazil myself in short order, in a city a little bit south of Sao Paulo. I absolutely love Brazil and the beach.

Haven't yet been to Mexico City.

Post: #10

Florianópolis. Considered the Silicon Valley of Brazil, although that is a far stretch. Insanely hot chicks, tourist destination.

Post: #11

Best place for you: Medellin Colombia

Beautiful women
Friendly people
Clean and modern
Great mass transit
Ideal Climate
Booming economy
They like Americans
Cheap cost of living

Post: #12

(12-03-2014 11:29 AM)Americas Wrote:  I mean, Rio would be great as well. Doing business there would be a lot more difficult, even more so with lack of fluency in Portuguese. As far as cosmopolitan cities in LA go, you can't really beat Rio for it's outdoor potential. However, the main trade-off is the cost of living in Rio is probably about double than it is for Mexico City (Sao Paulo even more so).

Thanks, you have provide very valuable insights. I wanted to ask you more specifically about this:

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/rankings.jsp

According to this site, Mexico City costs about 40% of what you would spend in NY, BA costs about 45% Sao Paulo and Rio about 55%. I don't know if it takes into account the black market exchange, because it doesn't seem such extreme change (15% from Ba to Rio), but i still reading from people that 1st tier cities in Brazil are crazy expensive. So i don't know how realiable this page is. I haven't searched in Rio but i was looking for a room in Sao Paulo (Jardim/Itaim), etc. and seemed a LOT more expensive than something in Recoleta or Palermo in BA.

You are in BA right now, right? could you briefly compare cost of lving between Rio/BA/Mexico city?

Post: #13

(12-05-2014 07:21 PM)Dat ass Wrote:  

(12-03-2014 11:29 AM)Americas Wrote:  I mean, Rio would be great as well. Doing business there would be a lot more difficult, even more so with lack of fluency in Portuguese. As far as cosmopolitan cities in LA go, you can't really beat Rio for it's outdoor potential. However, the main trade-off is the cost of living in Rio is probably about double than it is for Mexico City (Sao Paulo even more so).

Thanks, you have provide very valuable insights. I wanted to ask you more specifically about this:

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/rankings.jsp

According to this site, Mexico City costs about 40% of what you would spend in NY, BA costs about 45% Sao Paulo and Rio about 55%. I don't know if it takes into account the black market exchange, because it doesn't seem such extreme change (15% from Ba to Rio), but i still reading from people that 1st tier cities in Brazil are crazy expensive. So i don't know how realiable this page is. I haven't searched in Rio but i was looking for a room in Sao Paulo (Jardim/Itaim), etc. and seemed a LOT more expensive than something in Recoleta or Palermo in BA.

You are in BA right now, right? could you briefly compare cost of lving between Rio/BA/Mexico city?

It's been a while since I have been to Rio, but I have spent considerable time in all three cities so I can do my best.

The biggest differences will be cost of food, transportation, and rent in these three cities. Nightlife/entertainment for the most part is a wash, they can be expensive in all three cities.

I really doubt that website takes into account the blue dollar.

I'll use American dollars just for brevity sake.

Let's say that the equivalent high end neighbourhoods of Palermo in DF and Rio is Polanco and Ipanema. Rent in Polanco can be extremely expensive, but if you go a little bit outside then you can expect to pay about half for a comparable bachelor's apartment than in Ipanema. Palermo would fall somewhere in the middle.

I was paying for a two-bedroom, comfortable four room apartment in a brand new building for $700 in DF. There is even cheaper, this was actually relatively high for the area I was in. Something comparable in Ipanema would easily run at least $1200 or double what I was paying in DF. Here in Palermo I am renting a one room bachelor pad for $600 a month in Palermo, although this is off AirBnB so there are probably definitely better deals around.

Food is probably the biggest difference. Going to restaurants, and even buying food in supermarkets in Brazil can be quite expensive, particularly for high end. At the high end of the spectrum, most of the prices in all three cities will be similar (actually, BA probably has the leg up here in the fact that you can get a very nice Bife de Chorizo at a nice restaurant for $15-20). HOWEVER, Mexico City has extremely diverse selection and you can eat on the street or buy food in street markets for a fraction of the price of any food in BA or Rio. We're talking about 6 tacos al pastor for like $4. Even a mid-tier restaurant meal in Rio will run you at least $15-25, depending on what you order.

Transportation falls in line with the Mexico City cheapest, BA middle, Rio most expensive trend as well. Public transportation in DF is dirt cheap. We are talking about 10 cents for caminos and 20 cents for the metro. Taxis are quite cheap as well, you can go through 4 or 5 neighbourhoods and only pay $5-8. Even going from one side of the city to the next can only cost you $10-15 bucks. For comparison, a taxi from Centro to Palermo Hollywood (which isn't even that far as you know) the other day cost me $8. Although, in BA the public transportation is fairly cheap as well since the metro is only 5 pesos. Brazil's buses/metro and also taxis are much more expensive, but not outrageous or anything.

Everything else, for the most part, is pretty much a wash. Although one benefit of Mexico is that taking side trips outside the city can be quite cheap. Renting a car for a couple of weeks can be as cheap as $300-400 bucks for example. Also, DF being a major hub close to the US, flying in and out of the country is quite economical as well. I have found trying to fly to North America from BA to be ridiculously expensive. I mean, if you wanted to go visit family in Costa Rica from Mexico, I remember paying like $150 one way from San Jose to DF last year if you watch the prices.

I find the problem with some of these sites is they just take a general basket of goods and compare it city by city and they also don't take into account inflation. Inflation in Mexico at the current climate is a lot lower than Brazil (which at the moment is starting to creep up again) and Argentina. I find my situation, although anecdotal (and I also live a pretty minimalist lifestyle) easier to compare because I have a fixed passive income of $1100.

I was living in DF comfortably on $1100 both supporting myself AND my girlfriend (although she paid half the rent, but relatively no living communal expenses); this was even including multiple side-trips around Mexico occasionally. In BA, even supporting only myself I have had to cut down on eating out more and less entertainment to stay within that range. In Brazil, it would be extremely tight. I think for what kind of lifestyle I was living + somewhat of a dependent I would need to be in the $1800-2000 range to have a comparable lifestyle, probably at least $1500-1600 here in BA - not even including the side trips.

Hope that helps.

Post: #14

Mexico has far less competition, Brazilian men are approaching machines.