Updated April 2026

Your First Week in Brazil: The Expat Checklist

You just landed in Brazil. Everything is new, exciting, and a little overwhelming. The good news: if you set things up in the right order during your first week, you will go from confused tourist to functioning resident faster than you think. This checklist gives you the exact sequence, day by day, so nothing falls through the cracks.

Day 1-2: Arrive and get connected

Welcome. Brazil is about to become your favourite country if it is not already.

Buy a prepaid SIM at the airport or any phone shop (no CPF needed for prepaid). Vivo or Claro are the safest bets. Get the smallest plan, you will upgrade once you have your CPF. Most airport shops have staff who speak basic English and can set the SIM up in your phone. Expect to pay R$20-40 for a basic prepaid plan with a few GB of data.

Download the essentials: Uber, 99 (Brazil's local ride app, often cheaper), Google Translate, and WhatsApp. Brazil runs on WhatsApp for literally everything. Your landlord, your dentist, restaurants, delivery. If it is not on WhatsApp, it does not exist.

A few more apps worth getting on day one:

• ✓ Google Maps -- download offline maps for your city. Data can be spotty in some areas.
• ✓ Wise -- for transferring money from your home currency to reais once you have a bank account
• ✓ XE Currency -- for quick conversion checks while you get used to reais pricing

Use your first day or two to settle in, get oriented, and recover from the flight. Walk around your neighbourhood. Find the nearest padaria (bakery) and supermarket. Get a feel for the area. Brazil moves at its own pace, and your first 48 hours should be about arriving, not achieving.

If you are staying in an Airbnb, message your host on WhatsApp and ask for local recommendations. Brazilian hosts are usually incredibly helpful and will point you to the best restaurants, cafes, and shops nearby.

Day 2-3: Get your CPF

This is the single most important thing you will do in your first week. Your CPF is the key that unlocks everything else: bank account, phone plan, apartment, food delivery, online shopping, gym membership.

The process takes 15-20 minutes at a Receita Federal office if you show up with the right documents prepared. Same-day result. You walk in without a CPF and walk out as someone who can actually function in Brazil.

What you need to bring:

• ✓ Original passport (not a copy)
• ✓ Proof of Brazilian address (utility bill, rental agreement, or host declaration letter)
• ✓ Completed application form (in Portuguese)

Do not put this off. The difference between having a CPF and not having one is the difference between living here and just visiting. Every day you wait is a day you are paying foreign transaction fees, cannot order delivery, and cannot access the services that make Brazil liveable.

The application form is in Portuguese, which trips up many foreigners. If you do not speak Portuguese, having the form pre-filled correctly before you arrive at the office makes the entire visit smooth and stress-free.

Day 3-4: Open a bank account and unlock Pix

With your CPF in hand, download Nubank and open an account. It takes about 10 minutes on your phone. You will need your CPF, passport, and a selfie.

Once your account is active, set up your Pix key (use your CPF number). You now have access to Brazil's incredible instant payment system. No more foreign transaction fees. No more fumbling with cash. You pay like a local.

This is the moment Brazil starts feeling like home. When you scan a QR code at a restaurant and the payment goes through in two seconds, when you transfer rent to your landlord without any fees, when you split a bill with friends in the group chat -- that is when you realize how well Brazil has built its digital infrastructure.

Once your Nubank is set up, transfer some money from your international account using Wise or Remessa Online. Having reais in your Brazilian account means you can stop using your foreign card (and stop paying 3-5% in conversion fees on every transaction).

Consider opening a second bank account as well. Inter or C6 Bank are good options. Having two accounts gives you a backup and lets you take advantage of different features. Many expats use Nubank for daily spending and Inter or C6 for savings and investments.

Day 4-5: Upgrade your phone plan

Now that you have a CPF, walk into a Vivo, Claro, or TIM store and get a postpaid plan. Bring your CPF and passport. For R$55-80/month you get 15-25GB of data with unlimited WhatsApp.

If your phone supports eSIM, you can do this from the carrier app without visiting a store. Either way, you go from a tourist prepaid plan to a proper connection. No more topping up at the padaria.

Which carrier to choose depends on your situation:

• ✓ Vivo -- best overall coverage, especially if you travel outside cities
• ✓ Claro -- strong in Sao Paulo and Rio, competitive pricing
• ✓ TIM -- cheapest plans, good urban coverage

Set up automatic payment through your new Nubank account so you never have to think about it again. One less thing to manage while you are settling in.

Day 5-7: Start apartment hunting

If you are planning to stay more than a month, start looking at apartments on QuintoAndar (requires CPF to register). The platform is excellent and the apartments in Brazil offer incredible value compared to most Western cities.

Begin with the neighbourhood you are staying in and expand from there. Most leases are 30 months but you can negotiate 12 months as a foreigner. Expect to pay 3 months rent as a deposit (caucao).

Tips for your apartment search:

• ✓ Check QuintoAndar daily -- good apartments go within days
• ✓ Visit at different times of day to check noise levels and sunlight
• ✓ Ask about condominio fees (building maintenance) -- these are separate from rent
• ✓ Bring a Portuguese-speaking friend to viewings if possible
• ✓ Check the building's proximity to metro, supermarkets, and pharmacies

By the end of your first week, you should have: a CPF, a bank account with Pix, a proper phone plan, and apartment viewings scheduled. Everything else builds on this foundation. You are no longer a tourist. You live here.

Week 2 and beyond: settling in

Once the fundamentals are sorted, here is what comes next:

Download iFood and Rappi for food delivery. With your CPF, you can finally sign up and access hundreds of restaurants. Your first iFood order will feel like a milestone.

Set up Mercado Livre for online shopping. Electronics, furniture, household items -- often with same-day delivery. Furnishing an apartment in Brazil is surprisingly easy and affordable through online platforms.

Find a gym or coworking space. Gympass (now Wellhub) gives you access to hundreds of gyms with a single membership. Many coworking spaces in major cities are modern, affordable, and full of other expats and digital nomads.

Learn some Portuguese. Even basic phrases make a massive difference. Duolingo is a start, but consider a tutor through iTalki or a local language school. Brazilian Portuguese is beautiful, and locals genuinely appreciate any effort you make to speak it.

Join expat communities. Facebook groups, Reddit (r/brazil), and local meetups are great ways to connect with other foreigners who have been through the same setup process. They are your best source for practical, up-to-date advice on everything from visa questions to restaurant recommendations.

The complete checklist

• ☐ Buy a prepaid SIM card
• ☐ Download Uber, 99, WhatsApp, Google Translate
• ☐ Get your CPF at a Correios or Receita Federal office
• ☐ Open a Nubank account
• ☐ Set up your Pix key
• ☐ Transfer money from international account via Wise
• ☐ Get a postpaid phone plan
• ☐ Register on QuintoAndar and start apartment search
• ☐ Download iFood and Rappi
• ☐ Set up Mercado Livre for online shopping

Frequently asked questions