Best cities to live in Brazil

Well, one can imagine that in a country as large as Brazil, which is still for all intents and purposes a "developing nation", that it's going to be difficult to find any city that fits the bill for all of these aspects [ job opportunities, a good quality of life, an affordable cost of living]. There is always a price to be paid for one's priorities, so here you essentially give up one for the other. In the largest cities where you will find the job opportunities you are going to have to give up quality of life and cost of living expectations. In smaller towns where you're going to find quality of life and lower cost of living, there will be considerably less job opportunities. The following is my own personal evaluation of the cities or states that I have lived in during my 14 years in Brazil.

São Paulo - SP:  Brazil's largest city and largest economy - São Paulo is the financial and industrial capital of Brazil, job opportunities are better here than any other city. That said, you need to sacrifice quality of life and cost of living. The city is in a state of chaos in every aspect that you can think of, crime is rampant, infrastructure is in a state of disrepair, traffic is a nightmare, public transportation is barely adequate and extremely costly, cost of living is the highest in the country and getting higher every day.

Rio de Janeiro - RJ:  Brazil's second largest economy and 6th largest city. The comments to describe this city are exactly the same as for São Paulo - SP in every way. The only difference in favor of Rio is that it is right on the coast and everyone has easy access to the beaches. "Cidade Maravilhosa", I hardly think so!

Salvador - BA:  Third largest city in the nation with beautiful beaches and loads of culture. Apart from the port and tourism I have yet to figure out what, if any, the economic base of Salvador could possibly be. Cost of living may not be quite as high as either São Paulo or Rio, but the city has much more crime than either of them. Job opportunities, I really doubt there are many outside of tourism. If you want a quiet lifestyle steer clear of the state of Bahia completely, they are noted for partying hard 24/7 and all of what is said about that is absolutely true. In Bahia nobody sleeps unless they knock themselves out with sleeping pills and use earplugs.

Belo Horizonte - MG:  Brazil's sixth largest city and probably third largest economy. Endless cultural and tourist activities, beautiful landscapes wherever you turn. When I lived there transportation and traffic where a nightmare, but I've recently heard that this has greatly improved (probably as a result of the FIFA World Cup of 2014). Moderate cost of living compared to São Paulo or Rio, but still relatively costly. High incidence of crime, yet surprisingly only 219th on the list of most violent cities in Brazil. For quality of living this would be my choice without having to sacrifice too much in the way of job opportunities.

Manaus - AM:  Seventh largest city in Brazil. Special Economic Zone where most major manufacturers have located so there are probably good job opportunities. Extremely high crime city as it is the "Drug Trafficking Hub" for the north and northeast of Brazil. Currently there is an ongoing turf war between the "Família do Norte" and São Paulo based "PCC - Primeiro Comando do Capital" for control of drug trafficking in Manaus. You couldn't pay me enough to live there again. First place I lived in Brazil and I would never return, this city is completely isolated and the rest of Brazil calls it the "BUBBLE".

Cheers,
James
expat.com Experts Team

James,


Your write-ups and opinions are most interesting, as always!!!

I quite disappointed you did not give your opinion about Macae and Rio das Ostras.

Have a great day!!
John

Hi John,

Sorry, but it was quite early in the morning when I did this write-up and didn't have time to go into a longer list before making breakfast for the family. I'll make up for that now.

Of all of the cities in Brazil that I have ever lived in Macaé, without a doubt, has to rank way up there as one of the most expat friendly cities in all of Brazil. I guess that has something to do with the fact that the petroleum industry has attracted so many of them here.

I speak Portuguese perfectly, but still with a noticable gringo accent. Most people ask if I'm Portuguese and they're astounded when I tell them I'm a Canadian. Guess I have a slightly Portuguese pronunciation. No matter where I go in Macaé, or who I speak to, the moment I start speaking they immediately start speaking to me in English, and not just broken English either.

I have never found this anywhere else in Brazil. It's just so funny... in the most unusual places or circumstances, when you are least expecting in they speak English. The funniest situation that I remember was when my friend from the USA was here for a visit and we went downtown in his rental car. We didn't have loose change for the parking ticket vending machine so I went over to ask the Municipal Transit Guards if the machine accepted banknotes or just coins. He responded to me in perfect English that they didn't but told me his female partner would sell me a ticket. She too spoke English and asked how much time I wanted. I was just floored! I've had the same thing happen in small corner stores even in the extreme north end of the city where I live.

Macaé, despite the economic crisis that is devastating the whole country, is still not doing quite as badly as many other Brazilian cities. Obviously the current oil crisis has meant job losses, but not nearly as many as I had expected. Certainly if the crisis continues they will inevitably come. Most of the losses have taken place in the petroleum related service industry, and with third party contracted employees within the petroleum industry, not those who are direct employees of the companies involved.

The municipal government is one of the most transparent in all of Brazil. The current Mayor, Dr. Aluízio, while in his very first mandate has done more in his short term in office to improve the city than the previous mayor in all his years in office. To be quite honest, I have never seen such ambitious and large-scale urban improvement projects in any of the cities that I've lived in over the years. Not even São Paulo devotes so much money to improving things for the people who live there. The current administration really is to be congratulated and I'm hoping that they are all re-elected this year. Wish I could vote!

Crime is a problem in Macaé, as it is in all Brazilian cities, but it doesn't seem to be as prevalent or out of control as it is in many other cities. Certainly it has worsened somewhat in recent years, with druglords being expelled from the favelas in Rio, they've moved to interior cities like Macaé and to other states. This was the whole idea behind the so-called "War on Drugs" in Rio, just to kick them out temporarily in order for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games to take place. They'll all head back to Rio after these events and life will go back to normal here, I'm sure.

It is not cheap to live in Macaé. I'd say that the cost of living here is only marginally less than São Paulo, again largely due to the petroleum industry. Clearly rents are only slightly lower than São Paulo. Property values are considerably lower however, and bargains can still be found.

Rio das Ostras is like Macaé with tourists! It is really a trendy small city and unfortunately since I live in the extreme north of Macaé and don't drive, I don't get to "Rildas" as it is lovingly refered to nearly as often as I would like to. The city really is a tourist delight and it is a beautiful residential city in general. Right in the center of town there's a square (near the bus depot) and one of the nicest beaches for miles around. Praia do Centro is a protected cove with little to no wave action so it's extremely safe for young children to play in the water. The "orla" is lined with kiosks that sell food and drinks. I of course have a favorite and my favorite dish is their isca de peixe, cebola e aipim frita (fried fish bits, onion rings and deep fried mandioc) of course with an icy cold beer to wash it down. Life doesn't get any better than a day on the beach like that with my son.

I think that the cost of living in Rio das Ostras is about the same as it is in Macaé, but I think that rents are somewhat higher due to the purely residentail nature of the city. If I could talk my wife into moving a bit farther from her family than a few blocks, Rio das Ostras would be where I choose to live.

Cheers,
James
expat.com Experts Team

My son Matheus and I enjoying our day on the beach in Rio das Ostras. Life doesn't get better than this!

James,


Excellent write up.

Yes.  The current mayor in Macae seems to be honest and hard working.  (Hell must have frozen over.)

So what about the get together on the 6th of February in your favorite city of Rio das Ostras.   Where and when??????

Thanks,
John

Well so far it looks like it's just going to be the two of us. Seems nobody else has expressed any interest. That being the case I think I will be bringing my son. Let's meet at the wishing well in the square (near the bus depot) say around 2:00 pm. I'm going to be buying a meal for my son and I. There's always too much for just the two of us to eat anyway, So you can share with us. You'll only need to buy your own drinks. They serve soft drinks, beer and while I can't say for certain hard liquor too. No need to bring beach chairs, etc., they have more than enough.

I'll send you a PM with my phone number and we can coordinate the meet-up.

Cheers,
James
expat.com Experts Team

Excellent!!!!

enjoyed your critique of Brazilian cities.  i have been living in Rio for year and half and have some observations.  you mentioned "public transportation is barely adequate and extremely costly".  have you been to Rio recently??  there are more buses in Rio, than taxis in NYC.  they are everywhere.  what about the taxis?  there are millions of them and dirt cheap.  and there is of course, the Metro.  i can't imagine public transportation getting any better or cheaper.  traffic is normal for a big city, so just take the Metro and a taxi to go anywhere.

Rio is a magical place (only if you do not have to work).

Just saw your posts and spent some time reading them. I can only speak of Manaus. I must agree with you James on the "bubble".  In terms of Bureaucracy I think it is one of the most depressing in terms of this.  Seems they make up rules as they go along on just about everything.  The roads are TERRIBLE they are never fixed correctly only patched over due to the many pot holes that form during the rainy season.  Most roads are nothing more than a series of patches applied over dirt.  They are starting to build roads better in the newer parts of the city but for most part 3 inches of asphalt over unstabilized dirt  constitutes a road.

In the newer sections where most of the rich people live they use 6" of asphalt over a chemically stabilized base.  As in most areas of Manaus  the infrastructure is in serious disrepair with frequent outages of electricity, flooding, streams smelling of sewage and the ever pervasive trash thrown in the streets by the residents of the city.  One thing that is not important to the city is the enforcement of sanitation standards seems they have laws but for most part none are obeyed especially those involving food safety. 

The cost of living is reasonable and not as expensive as RIO or Sao Paulo but that said some things are more expensive, such as cars, electronics, gasoline and for some strange reason property prices. The prices for property I attribute to the limited area available as it is a city in the middle of the jungle. 

The only reason I stay here is my wife has a business here and it would cost too much to relocate it currently maybe in the future we will.  I will look with interest on this thread for this. What about Curitiba,  No mention perhaps someone will tell us about that city?

Great posts by everyone! While technically I am and have a permanant resident card, my wife and child are both dual citizens of (Brasil/USA) yet we live now more in Monterey, CA!
Salvador is our home, near Pituacu but I no longer feel the inner pull to move into our house outside of economics..its paid for. The infrastructure of roads as of now has deteriorated because of endless road projects and reroute's it is a nightmare. I sold the VW Gol car we had but believe the best way to get around is with a Vespa or moto.
Beaches are great yet not overly populated as other southerly states. I can echo James in all of his comments on Bahia. It is a Cultural Center for historical Brazil, a party city and not a place for an older, been there done that, family man. We may have to trade our house for a place more inland. I eould love to just putz about on a small ranch with coffee trees...Chapada de Diamante?
Roger

Interresting topic. I live in Maceio for 1,5 year now.

i work from home and i live at the beach so I have an easy  life.
No traffic problems. i dont own a car. i only use taxis, But almost everything i need is close to my place

in general its pretty bad and ugly here. When it rains all streets, also here in the best parts of the city overflow with water.

When you leave the 3 best neighbourhoods near the beach
(which is maybe 10% of the city in total)
the city is one big ugly and dirty place.

Crime is really high. Maceio was number 6 last year on the world ranking of most violent cities I have been robbed once at night and two friends aswell. From everything. cellphone, money, but also shoes and clothes at gunpoint,..
At night the chance of robbery is very high. Evne in the secure neighboorhoods where i live.

The mentality is very bad. Selfish, only thinking about today, not solving important problems. Almost total lack of ambition. 

for the good part, it is always warm and sunny. Although very hot, and it never ever gets below 25c
Its also pretty with green seas , a lot of beaches.
The beaches are poluted. So you are adviced not to swim. All the famous beaches here. Which they dont announce to tourists...!!
The people are very friendly. and take a lot of time for a talk of to be of service.
And the cost of living is low.

I can't think of any I know other than Grammado.

Please check out Nova Friburgo if you ant a city in the mountains which is cool and not hot.

what about towns and villages

I must agree John roads here are horrific and lets not talk about the public transportation. Bus drivers are some crazy drivers.I been living in Manaus for the last 3 years I enjoy the food and living one thing I just annoyed is the stream hot weather this is why I not 100% happy but need to adjust to what we have. I wanted to see if we can start a group to support each others business Im a business owner my self. If you are interested please send me a message and will move forward. Best regards Henrich Rahn

True about it not being hot, but it gets below freezing in the winter.

What are the cleanest cities (including smaller ones) with the best air, and highest environmental awareness of the population?

Once you're away from any of the state capitals the air quality is very good everywhere in Brazil. Smaller interior cities are better in terms of lifestyle, but you pay for that with much fewer job opportunities. There are, of course, exceptions to that; for example Macaé where I live is a 4 hour drive north of Rio. The air here is quite good and because it's the Petroleum Capital of Brazil there have always been job opportunities here until the world oil prices tanked.

If finding a job is not a big concern then I'd suggest somewhere in the interior of São Paulo, there are some beautiful small towns within driving distance of the capital so you could have the best of both worlds.

Cheers,
James
expat.com Experts Team

I don't understand, if you think Brazil is so terrible as you said, why did you stay here for so long?

333Dea wrote:

I don't understand, if you think Brazil is so terrible as you said, why did you stay here for so long?

The typical Brazilian attitude, "Brazil, love it or leave it" (Brasil ame-o ou deixe-o) doesn't work here. Your question is completely out of line and insults our members. Anyone's motives for coming to and staying in Brazil are not the concern of anyone else. Got it?

Cheers,
James
expat.com Experts Team

Well said James.

Sorry, but you are wrong about me, I do not have such thinking as "love or leave "(this is so old,nobody thinks that) I just think you are not being fair, there are problems in the Brazilian big cities just like in other big cities around the world. I have travelled to many countries and lived abroad twice, and I am able to say good and bad things about these places...if you go to small cities in EUA or Europe for example, there are not many job opportunities as well... On the other hand, places as New York has lots of violence, drugs, crazy traffic, etc...but there are lots of good things as well.Anyway, it is your opinion, I don't agree but I respect. All the best!

German Brickhouse you could try São Jose dos Campos , of of the smaller São Paulo cities that james mentioned , It's  a city 500 000 people , home to a lot of airline and car manufacturing with great infrastructure.....to tell you the truth I find the standard of things here almost first world and the city is really safe too .
It's at the foot of a beautiful mountain range with loads of quaint small rural towns to explore and it's also only 2 hours from Ubatuba which is full of islands and beaches.
Also 1 and a half to two hours to Sao Paulo city

Only downsides are it can be a bit dull , like living in some kind of  "Pleasantville" and the people can be a bit "country" but in a sweet way

333Dea,

Well it appears that I'm not the only one then, because you are absolutely wrong about me and what I have said. What ever gives you the idea that I think Brazil is a terrible place?

It's a rather large leap of logic to have come to the opinion that I think it's a terrible place just because I have said that if you live in a smaller city removed from the capital you will have a better lifestyle, but you give up the job opportunities that are available in larger cities; and that in larger cities you will have job opportunities, but pay for that in terms of higher crime, traffic, pollution, etc. That can be said for any country in the world.

I think you're letting your typically Brazilian blind national pride get in the way of what you're reading and then thinking about what was said.

Just saying...

Oh, and perhaps if you took the time to read some of my nearly 11 thousand postings you'll see that I don't think Brazil is a terrible place at all, quite the opposite in fact. If one learns the language to a level of fluency better than many born Brazilians, has a deep understanding of the history and culture of Brazil, even embraces Brazilian cuisine do you really think they'd believe it is a terrible place? Really?

Cheers,
James
expat.com Experts Team

@stevefunk
I really appreciate your suggestion, according to satellite images it looks like a decent city in the countryside but still quite large. For me, a population of half a million people is still a lot, I would prefer an even smaller city. What about Vitória, Espírito Santo? Or Utatuba itself? Joinville? Anybody familiar with those? I plan on setting up an own business so jobs is not an issue if all goes well.

Vitoria and espirito are rated as some of the most dangerous cities and they are also big cities as well....I've never met anyone from Brazil who has travelled there and their must be a reason for that...
Ubatuba is great , but really small with lousy infrastructure , huge holes in the roads off the main road....I mean huge and many beaches their only accessible by 4x4 , otherwise you will mess your normal car up badly.....it's a great nature place but quite run down....I'm not sure what business you could do there....have you ever been to Ubatuba?
São Jose does feel really small and rural though , I live in the best area,Jardim Esplanada and can see a sheep farm and miles of green with mountains from my lounge and bedroom windows .

That said I'm dying to move to the coast , but still trying to figure out where when I get the chance....maybe Cabo Frio in Rio state , need to check that out....

Also try Ilha Bela Sao sebastion , Ilhabela is great , I tried to move there but found it difficult to find accomodation as everything we looked at was expensive and ugly.....but then again I had practically no budget.....you can always try Sao Sebastão and ride the free ferry to Ilhabela to get away from it all .....nice beaches there but you need a car to access the best ones and it gets very full in summer I'm told.

balneario camboriu in the South next to Florianopolis is ok too .....if you want a small neat , fairly safe tourist town that feels like a mini knockoff of Rio with European Gaushu Brazilians and Argentinians
Also check out Foz do Iguazu , good place for getting into tourism , really international vibe , funky place and near the beautiful national parks

Avoid the coast just South of Sao Paulo , particulary Praia Grande , I have heard first hand horror stories of the danger and gun crime there , an Irish friend of mine saw a guy robbed and shot in front of him in his first month of living there , and a few other ugly things....he went running for Sao Paulo after 2 or 3 months there.

Also if you want a really European Brazilian experience check out Campos do Jordão
It's a swiss styled tourist city in the mountains of Sao Paulo , high altitude , cold winters for Brazil , 10 C
Beautiful places surrounded by stunning temperate forests .

50 000 people , big tourist industry and one of the safest cities in the state if not Brazil ....ranks about 320 down on a list of Dangerous cities by homicides in Sao Paulo state....Sao Sebastao is shockingly ranked number two.

It's a beautiful town and nice when you need a change from the typical sweaty balls and mosquitos , run down typical Brazilian style of town , but you need a car to take full advantage of the surrounding area....I go to a forest researve 16 km out of town there called Horta Florestal , but I call it Jurrasic park because the scenery is so majectic , all giant tree ferns , rivers and Brazilian pine(Araucaria) forests!
Also it seems like a wealthy place too.

Hi mate, do you have any extra information either feedback from São José dos Campos? I've been living abroad for 6 years now and I'm planning my way back to Brazil next year.
Mainly, just concerned about a job opportunity for me and my girlfriend and a 7 y.o. boy..
My field would be Administrative, but right now I'm working as a drafter in a building company.
Aiming to get into Coaching that became my real passion recently.
I'm originally from São Paulo.

Hi Emerson
If you want a peaceful life in a quiet well run green city SJC is great.
It's basically where people from SP capital come to have their kids....but it can be a bit boring, however it's nicely located near beaches and mountains and there is even a bit of nature if you know where to look.

As for jobs this is a tough one, it's not the easiest city to get set up in, but it's definately possible
to make it here, on the bright side there is quite a bit of construction, but obviously the oppotunities are nothing like São Paulo for making money.

Thanks Steve for that,

Really appreciate but I've reached a stage in life that I'm more concerned about happiness than money.
But my strengths are working either in the building and construction field either business coaching administration stuff. What might be your views about those??

Hi how about living in Santa Catarina is it a good place to live and work?

Forgive me for sticking my nose here.  There is no way in hell we can compare Sao Paulo or Rio with NYC.  If you had said Chicago I could probably keep my mouth shut, but not NYC.

When we first moved to Brazil I rented a home in Riviera de Sao Lourenço, near Bertioga.  It has about 60,000 homes but it is almost completely deserted all year, then overpopulated in July, Part of December. January, February and early March.
The security is great as I could see the patrol going by our home every 15 to 30 minutes.  There are grocery shops (super-markets) and several small shops,  I don't remember all details but I remember even a bowling alley there.
To me it wasn't a problem because I always travel for work, and I knew that my family was safe there.  What made me move was seeing how the rich Brazilians are so condescending with their kids (it is a rich people heaven there).  They simply gave their Mercedes to their 12 year old to drive around the complex.  The other thing it was the night parties at the beach, held by mostly teenagers, with plenty of booze and drugs for everyone.  At the time I had two teenagers and a 10 year old, thus we decided to move after the Summer experience.

We are based in Nitreoi in the Icarai neighborhood.

For those who dont know its connected to downtown Rio by bridge and ferry however is a separate city.

We live in a very middle class neighborhood with a beautiful beach overlooking Rio City with views of sugar loaf and the big Jesus. Sunsets at night on the beach are amazing.

Whilst not quiet as extreme as Rio, crime is still a factor. Standard precautions are taken at night, we take taxis & Ubers everywhere but also we have become lazy  . I have been there about 2 years and so far only seen a car jacking which was at 6pm on a Friday night.... The rest of the crime I have seen has been on TV, social media etc. However I try not to bring attention to myself, phone stays in my pocket and watch never leaves the apartment which is very sad.

A few blocks in one direction is a park, another directions the beach and the other direction a whole street full of bars and restaurants. 10 mins drive is a large shopping center with everything inside. What more do you need!

Long term should we stay, Id like to move to Camboinhas which is just that much further out of town but still close to the beach, plus has a very good bi lingual school.

Hi Henrich, I just got into the forum and wondering if you  and other fellows still in Manaus. I'm going to head back there next March and I'd love to join a support group. I'm Brazilian but currently in Germany. Also with family (two kids). Hopefully read back from you or other interested in such initiative. Best wishes!
C.

I've been coming back and forth to Brazil from the US for my whole adult life, have spent time in 11 states, and lived in Belo Horizonte MG and Aracaju SE, so I know the country well and love it.  My husband and I currently live in Manaus, and I like it very much.
With over 2 million inhabitants, Manaus is hardly a small city, but it has the relaxed feel that I've come to identify with Brazil's smaller state capitals.  We live in an airy 100 sq. m. apartment in a high rise in Centro, with a great view of the Rio Negro, within walking distance of my in-laws.  All the downtown shopping, the Opera House, and churches are also within walking distance, and the shopping centers are easy to get to.  Cost of living is very good.  I had budgeted $3,000 US per month, all in, before coming, and we're living very well without coming close to that.
Getting around town is a snap.  The public transportation network is excellent in both schedule and reach -- the roads aren't though, so make sure you have a seat, or hold on tight!  Uber has come to town, and that's been a real game changer -- fast, cheap, and reliable.  We take Uber practically everywhere now. 
Dealing with the various bureaucracies here has been easy, compared with my experiences in some of the larger centers.  The Federal Police turned my CIE around in a month, which especially impressed me, because they're currently handling a large number of Venezuelan refugees, in addition to regular immigrants.  Registering our US marriage at the local Cartório came off without a hitch, as did taking out my SUS card and my Carteira de Trabalho.  I kept waiting for some kind of low-level bureaucratic pushback because we're a same-sex, mixed nationality couple -- and it kept not happening.  Go, Manaus!
This is the jumping off point for Amazon excursions, so there's plenty to see and do.  The State and city governments have spent money, in spite of the country's ongoing financial crisis, to update and maintain tourism.  The Opera House is in great shape, and has plenty of good programming.  If you don't mind heat (I don't), it's a good walking city.  Eduardo Gomes International Airport has direct flights to and from the US, and the strangest schedule of any airport  that I've ever seen, anywhere.  After over three years of flying in and out, I finally saw the airport in the daylight -- last November!
Crime is a problem, as it is elsewhere in Brazil, but we are careful, take standard precautions, and haven't been affected yet.  Before we get into an Uber, my husband sends a screenshot of the driver's info and picture to his family, which I think is a great idea.
There is no land connection between Manaus and the rest of the country (except to Boa Vista, which is even more remote!), so sometimes, it feels like living on an island.  During the military dictatorship, the Federal Government built BR-319, a highway linking Manaus to Porto Velho and points south, but it has been allowed to fall into total disrepair, and an unholy alliance between environmentalists, who have a legitimate fear of deforestation, and shipping companies, who want to keep their monopoly on river trade into the city, has kept it that way.  With any luck, an environmentally responsible way to restore the road will be found.
Like any city, Manaus has its downsides, but I like it here, and if we stay indefinitely, I won't mind a bit.

You have to be the most adaptable person I have ever heard of.  I know as a fact that there is not a single location in the US that has the heat/humidity combination that even comes mildly close to Manaus.
I have lived in Houston and the 90/90 (90 degrees & 90% humidity) has always gotten to me.
I don't mind heat, as my favorite place to live is the California Palm Springs area, where I lived on and off since 1967, in various towns (Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho MIrage and La Quinta) and  heat in Summer reaches 120+ degrees regularly.  In extreme heat I just stay indoors with the AC blasting, but still took my motorcycle rides normally.  The humidity, however, bothers me.

LOL  I AM pretty adaptable, although this isn't the hottest I've been in Brazil.  Aracaju was hotter, although the sea breeze moderated it somewhat.  Temperature in Manaus -- Centro right now is 78° and breezy, with 87% humidity -- not oppressive.  It was 72° when I got up this morning at 7:00.  We do run the AC in the bedroom at night, though.

How about insects?  Many?  Controlable?

A lot fewer than I expected.  We live on the eighth floor, and it takes a pretty determined flying insect to get all the way up here.  We've noticed a little house gecko scurrying around the ceilings in the evening; he's apparently finding enough to sustain himself, although he's not getting fat.  We encourage spiders on our outdoor balconies, and move them out there if we find them inside:  my philosophy on spiders has always been that they kill the bugs that can kill people, so they're welcome around me.  Outdoor cockroaches (we never see them indoors) are enormous, as they are everywhere I've ever lived in Brazil, but at least they don't fly, as the ones I used to run into in Vitória ES did!