Looking for American Expats in Rio de Janeiro?

Thinking about moving to Rio de Janeiro as an American? These pros and cons come from the InterNations Expat Insider survey, in which thousands of expats around the world share what they like and don't like about life abroad each year. Country-level percentages aren't broken out for Rio de Janeiro, so the points below reflect what US American expats there wrote in their own words.

• The nature and beaches are spectacular. Americans rave about the lush green spaces, beaches, and endless outdoor activities in a stunning setting.

• People are warm and welcoming. The friendliness and warmth of locals come up as a highlight of daily life.

• The culture and food are a joy. A rich cultural life of cuisine, music, and art, and a warm climate, are recurring favourites.

• Life feels balanced. Americans mention a good work-life balance and the excitement of building something in a growing economy.

• Politics and corruption are the biggest strain. Corruption, and the lack of accountability for it, dominate the complaints.

• Safety is a real concern. Public safety and crime shape daily life, alongside visible poverty and inequality.

• Bureaucracy and banking frustrate. Americans describe slow processes for getting simple things done, and a difficult banking system.

• Some daily gaps take adjusting. Limited food variety — especially Asian cuisine — and expensive private schools come up.

For Americans, Rio offers spectacular nature, warm people, and a rich, balanced cultural life in a breathtaking setting. The trade-offs are corruption, safety, and bureaucracy. It rewards those who come for the beauty and the people and can navigate the frustrations.

Every year, we publish one of the biggest global surveys for expats — Expat Insider — where we ask people living around the world about every aspect of expat life. We’ve rounded up key facts about the typical American expat: what motivated them to move to a new country, what they enjoy about life abroad, as well as what they struggle with the most.

• Browse our network of members to get to know American expats in Rio de Janeiro and connect with others.
• Take part in our expat forums to get firsthand tips and information from fellow Americans in Rio de Janeiro.
• Meet other American expats and global minds at 600 monthly official events and share your interests at more than 4,600 monthly activities in Rio de Janeiro and across the globe.

InterNations provides an easy, casual way to get to know expats from the USA and further afield in your local community. Sound good? Then let us welcome you into our Rio de Janeiro Community today!

Our community in Rio de Janeiro is also very active offline. Our InterNations Ambassadors organize regular events and various expat activities, e.g. a dinner in Rio de Janeiro’s hippest restaurant or an outing with other American expats to explore the strongly urbanized south-east. These activities are a casual way to get to know expats from the USA in your local community as well as Americans in Brazil nationwide. Interested? Simply become a member and we’ll be happy to welcome you among our Americans living in Rio de Janeiro!