Travel Essentials › Brazil
Travel Essentials
Plugs: Type N sockets everywhere (type C plugs fit); 60 Hz. The socket looks the same in every state, but the voltage differs, so check the label (often red = 220 V, white = 127 V). 127 V: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Espírito Santo, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Amazonas, Pará, Acre, Amapá, Rondônia, Roraima. 220 V: Brasília (DF), Goiás, Tocantins, Santa Catarina, Ceará, Pernambuco, Paraíba, Rio Grande do Norte, Alagoas, Piauí, Maranhão. Mixed: Bahia, Sergipe and Rio Grande do Sul (mostly 220 V, but Porto Alegre and some towns are 127 V).. Emergency: Police 190, Ambulance 192, Fire 193. Tipping: A 10% service charge is usually added to restaurant bills; extra tipping is optional. Tap water: Drink bottled or treated water outside major cities.
Type N sockets everywhere (type C plugs fit); 60 Hz. The socket looks the same in every state, but the voltage differs, so check the label (often red = 220 V, white = 127 V). 127 V: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Espírito Santo, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Amazonas, Pará, Acre, Amapá, Rondônia, Roraima. 220 V: Brasília (DF), Goiás, Tocantins, Santa Catarina, Ceará, Pernambuco, Paraíba, Rio Grande do Norte, Alagoas, Piauí, Maranhão. Mixed: Bahia, Sergipe and Rio Grande do Sul (mostly 220 V, but Porto Alegre and some towns are 127 V).
| Police | 190 |
| Ambulance | 192 |
| Fire | 193 |
A 10% service charge is usually added to restaurant bills; extra tipping is optional.
Greetings. Brazilians greet with a handshake or (more often, among acquaintances) cheek kisses; standing close while talking is normal, not rude.
Beachwear. Swimwear (sunga, biquíni) is fine on the beach but change before entering shops or restaurants.
Tipping. A 10% service charge is often already added to restaurant bills; extra tipping is appreciated but not obligatory.
Brazil has notable crime rates, especially street robbery and phone/electronics theft in big cities; most tourist visits are trouble-free with basic precautions, but stay alert, especially at night.
Card-machine swap. A rigged card machine at a bar or shop skims your card; only let staff process payment where you can watch, or pay cash.
Phone/bag snatching. Common on beaches and in crowds; keep phones in a front pocket, not in your hand or an open bag.
Rigged street taxis. Use Uber/99 or a hotel-called taxi rather than hailing on the street.
Drink spiking. Watch your drink being poured in bars and clubs, especially in nightlife areas.
Women travelers. Catcalling and street harassment happen; dress and behave as locals do, and use ride-hailing apps at night rather than walking alone.
Legal · Mostly Safe
Same-sex marriage has been legal since 2013 and Brazil has hate-crime protections, but violence against LGBTQ+ people (especially trans women) remains a serious problem in parts of the country; big cities like São Paulo and Rio are generally welcoming.
| Coffee (cafezinho) | R$ 6 | $1.10 |
| Local bus or metro ride | R$ 5 | $0.90 |
| Mid-range restaurant meal | R$ 50 | $9 |
| Hostel bed / budget room (night) | R$ 70 | $13 |
| Mid-range hotel (night) | R$ 350 | $63 |
| Daily budget, mid-range traveler | R$ 400 | $72 |
2026-09
April-June and September-November are the best shoulder-season months: warm, drier, and less crowded than Carnival season.
Brazil visa requirements by nationality