WiFi

I won’t lie to you: The WiFi speed in Brazil is very patchy! If you have projects where you have large uploads or downloads, you should be prepared to create a hotspot with your mobile phone. In Recife, I stayed at a friend’s house where at least the download speed was acceptable. In hotels, hostels and other places you can’t necessarily assume that. If you find a place where you can work well, I advise you: Stay there 😉 At the next place it can be quite different again…

Mobile Internet

The mobile network in Brazil is organized by state. So if you arrive in Salvador like me on my second trip, then you travel on to Recife, you are in another state and there are always extra charges for calls and SMS. If you only need your SIM card for data volume, this does not apply to you.

There are different networks. The best known providers are Oí, Vivo and Tim (note: the Brazilian pronunciation is „Chim“). The easiest way to get a SIM card is to go to a shop in a shopping mall. If you’re lucky, it works just like that. However, if you are unlucky, you will be asked for the so-called CPF. This is the Brazilian tax number that only Brazilians and foreigners with a visa have. However, they are very open about it here and a polite request with a nice smile can actually lead to a Brazilian – even if you don’t know him or her – giving you his CPF number.

Normally, the SIM card including one gigabyte of data volume should not cost you more than 50 BRL, so depending on the exchange rate a maximum of 12 euros.

MiFi

Another possibility for mobile internet access is a MiFi device, which creates a WiFi network for you. I have tested the GlocalMe device and think it’s a really useful addition of my travel equipment. You can either use it as an ordinary wireless router with up to two SIM cards (very useful if you work with mobile TANs, you want to be available on your local number or if you want to use the social networks with a 2-factor authentication) but you can also use it without a physical SIM card but with the built in cloudSIM technology (which is of course more expensive) in over 100 countries worldwide. Apart from that it’s also a 6000 mAh powerbank, which is never bad to have with you.

Living in Brazil as a Digital Nomad

Airbnb*, Hostels* and Hotels* are all great options for short term stays. Prices vary based on amenities and location. You can get a hostel dorm bed, even in places like Rio de Janeiro for less than 10 Euro.

In general, I think Brazil is a great place of you’re looking for a perfect work-life-balance. It offers you the possibility to enjoy the beach and do watersports every day, go hiking in breathtaking nature escapes as often as you want, explore remote areas like the Amazon, and still have communities of other nomads around you so you get work done.