Post: #1

I'm staying in Vila Mariana in Sao Paulo which is a pretty good location in Sao Paulo. It's close to the blue and green line metro and has a good amount of restaurants and bars.(Not really nightclubs though) I live close to Rua Joaquim Tavora which has a lot of good bars(bares) and restaurants. If I meet a girl usually at night clubs I like to go on a date here and get some drinks in a relaxed environment. I prefer to go out for drinks than go on a dinner date but you can also get food at these places too. Last friday I went with a girl I've been seeing and two other couples that she is friends with. These places aren't meant for picking up girls but more for friends to go out or people go on dates here. I went to Genuino Bar last friday. The closest metro station to these bars is Ana Rosa. There are a lot of bars to choose from and they are pretty nice. You can type this in google and see more bars "Bares na R. Joaquim Távora, Vila Mariana."

Post: #2

How long are you living in SP?

Throw up a data sheet player!

Post: #3

I'll add to that really good one when I have some more time.

Post: #4

pretty much any bar in vila madalena should be good.

Tony, how is SP treating you?

Post: #5

@Brazilianguy I've been enjoying my time in SP it has been a good experience. I'm thinking about traveling to some other city for New Years since I'm feeling I need a little break from this concrete jungle. But all in all I really like the city and I think it is overlooked by a lot of people.

Post: #6

Tony,
I've been reading your posts about Sampa with a lot of interest. I've been to SP dozens of times but never for more than a day or so as I never had any desire to stay there longer. I do have loads of Paulistano/as friends and I am thinking of finally giving this city a fair chance by staying a fair amount of time next spring. Could you post a break of down your costs there such as hotel/rent and others expenses to get an idea of what kind of budget to have to play with.

Valeu.

Post: #7

(12-08-2010 11:49 AM)Vacancier Permanent Wrote:  Tony,
I've been reading your posts about Sampa with a lot of interest. I've been to SP dozens of times but never for more than a day or so as I never had any desire to stay there longer. I do have loads of Paulistano/as friends and I am thinking of finally giving this city a fair chance by staying a fair amount of time next spring. Could you post a break of down your costs there such as hotel/rent and others expenses to get an idea of what kind of budget to have to play with.

Valeu.

You were just saying how you need $5-8k a month to live confortably in Sao Paulo in another thread but now you are saying the longest you've stayed there was a day or two?

Post: #8

(12-08-2010 01:13 PM)InternationPlayboy Wrote:  You were just saying how you need $5-8k a month to live confortably in Sao Paulo in another thread but now you are saying the longest you've stayed there was a day or two?

That's true, I have only stayed very short time in SP. The 5-8k figure I got from basically taking my expenses from those 1-2 days stints and basically multiply it by 30 to get a monthly rough figure. Also, it's good to get a different perspective from someone else too.

Post: #9

Don't you think it's fair to say then that you probably spent more money than you would on an average day since you were only there one-two days? Really man, I spent a month in SP and I'm telling you, unless you are staying at the nicest hotels, going to the nicest clubs, and nicest restaurants, every night, that figure sounds pretty high. I mean are you really spending $400 a day, and if so, how? I guess if you have a super expensive hotel. But I went to a really nice, top of the line sushi restaurant in Sao Paulo, rodisio style, and it was R$75. I went to some BANGIN clubs with gorgeous women and got hammered and spent at most R$140. The nice restaurant for dinner and club together was a little over $100. Lets say you have an expensive lunch, which would be MAYBE $25, and that's expensive, now you're up to about $150. And you're staying at a nice hotel, maybe $150 more. At the most I could see spending $300, and that's if you go out to a nice club and restaurant every night. But really? You're gonna go out and get hammer (Because when I spent the R$140 I drank A LOT, normally I wouldn't spend more than R$80) and dine at the most expensive places EVERY NIGHT? I don't see it.

Post: #10

Hey VP,

How's it going? I think my experience in Sao Paulo could be different from yours just for the fact that I'm pretty young and just graduated from college a year and a half ago. Hence I don't have tons of money to blow. How long are you planning to stay and how often do you want to go out at night? I'm renting a room in Vila Mariana for R$800 a month and I'm not sure about hotels since I stayed in hostels. If you have friends in Sao Paulo and your fluent in portuguese I think you will have a great time. It's much different than Rio in the fact that it is a business city where people come from all over Brazil to make more money. Some of my students I teach english to work 12-14 hour days. If you came here it seems you would have a lot more free time compared to me since I work monday through friday. But I think it could be one of the better cities to network for the business you have. There are tons of options for nightlife and restaurants. I want to add some more information to the SP data sheet on the forum in a little bit once I get some more time.

Post: #11

Good Date Bars:

Tubaína
Haddock Lobo - Jardins
Great Drinks, A decent DJ (the music is in an okay level... good enough to chat)

Salve Jorge
Itaim/São Bento (02 addresses)
you can go with a date or friends. Best day is Tuesday.

Café PiuPiu
(Bela Vista)
Never been there, but the lounge seems to invite you... LOL... Lots of live music concerts, but intimate.

Post: #12

(12-08-2010 02:18 PM)Tony Snow Wrote:  I'm renting a room in Vila Mariana for R$800 a month

Still doubt me VP?

Post: #13

@Internationalplayboy I met someone through my english school that had an open room in his house so I think it is pretty difficult to find something for that price.

Post: #14

(12-08-2010 02:59 PM)Tony Snow Wrote:  @Internationalplayboy I met someone through my english school that had an open room in his house so I think it is pretty difficult to find something for that price.

Why would it be dificult for anyone else to meet a friend that had a room open as well? You just have to look. Put some time and effort into it. I found a place for under $600 in South Beach, didn't know anyone out here, or at least didn't use anyones help I knew out here. I found the place within 2 days of moving here. I probably could have found an even better deal had I waited a little longer. I don't think it would be that hard. Or just find someone else who needs a place and split the cost of a 2 br.

Post: #15

@Internationalplayboy that's true. It all depends but I think our lifestyles are more similar compared to VPs since I usually only spend around R$120(usually with consumption) when I go out at night and to a decent club. But you can also spend tons of money if you are balling. If I was sitting on hella cash and had money to blow you could spend the type of money that VP is talking about if you were staying in a plush spot in Itaim and going to places like the Pink Elephant or Mokai all the time.

Post: #16

(12-08-2010 03:23 PM)Tony Snow Wrote:  @Internationalplayboy that's true. It all depends but I think our lifestyles are more similar compared to VPs since I usually only spend around R$120(usually with consumption) when I go out at night and to a decent club. But you can also spend tons of money if you are balling. If I was sitting on hella cash and had money to blow you could spend the type of money that VP is talking about if you were staying in a plush spot in Itaim and going to places like the Pink Elephant or Mokai all the time.

You're right. But at the same time would you tell someone to really enjoy your time in Sao Paulo you need $5-8k a month?

Post: #17

I wouldn't. but it's all subjective it seems VP is giving advice to an older dude that has some money and I don't think it would be that outrageous for someone with the money to spend $5 k on a month vacation.

Post: #18

(12-08-2010 03:57 PM)Tony Snow Wrote:  I wouldn't. but it's all subjective it seems VP is giving advice to an older dude that has some money and I don't think it would be that outrageous for someone with the money to spend $5 k on a month vacation.

Right, I agree, but for the average traveler on this forum? But I definitely disagree that ANYONE, I don't care how much money you make, couldn't have fun in Sao Paulo with under $5k in a month. If you couldn't then you rely way too much on money to make you happy.

Post: #19

IP: Thumbs up to you!

Post: #20

(12-09-2010 01:08 PM)Mrs. Chocolate Wrote:  IP: Thumbs up to you!

Is what I'm saying not true? Isn't it totally reasonable to say you can find a two bedroom appartment in Sao Paulo for R$2000-25000 a month?

Post: #21

Too bad the US dollar has turned into doggy doo compared to the Brazilian real. Too expensive to hit up now in style IMO.

Post: #22

(12-09-2010 06:05 PM)subutai Wrote:  Too bad the US dollar has turned into doggy doo compared to the Brazilian real. Too expensive to hit up now in style IMO.

Yeah, it's amazing how less than 10 years ago it was more than 3-1. But it's still cheaper than the states, barely. The average drink at a club in Brazil is around $6. In the US it's around $8-10. Here on South Beach at most decent places it's $12.

Post: #23

(12-09-2010 06:16 PM)InternationPlayboy Wrote:  

(12-09-2010 06:05 PM)subutai Wrote:  Too bad the US dollar has turned into doggy doo compared to the Brazilian real. Too expensive to hit up now in style IMO.

Yeah, it's amazing how less than 10 years ago it was more than 3-1. But it's still cheaper than the states, barely. The average drink at a club in Brazil is around $6. In the US it's around $8-10. Here on South Beach at most decent places it's $12.

Well, you can thank the Wall Street Banksters and Alan Greenspan/Ben Bernanke for that one...not sure if it'll ever get back up to 3 to 1 in my opinion.

Post: #24

(12-09-2010 06:18 PM)subutai Wrote:  

(12-09-2010 06:16 PM)InternationPlayboy Wrote:  

(12-09-2010 06:05 PM)subutai Wrote:  Too bad the US dollar has turned into doggy doo compared to the Brazilian real. Too expensive to hit up now in style IMO.

Yeah, it's amazing how less than 10 years ago it was more than 3-1. But it's still cheaper than the states, barely. The average drink at a club in Brazil is around $6. In the US it's around $8-10. Here on South Beach at most decent places it's $12.

Well, you can thank the Wall Street Banksters and Alan Greenspan/Ben Bernanke for that one...not sure if it'll ever get back up to 3 to 1 in my opinion.

Since the first time I visited in 2008, it was 2.1, it went up to 2.3 at one point, but ever since it's just gone down. I looked the other day, it's down to almost 1.6. Bummer.

Post: #25

USD$1=R$1.71.... It fluctuates a lot from around 1.67-1.72 for each US dollar. Check out http://www.xe.com for currency exchange rates.