Because it would only take buying a few items back home rather than here to pay for your airfare. No wonder so many Brazilians hit Miami for shopping... meu deus! Mr. DRL will be in the US and already has a ton of stuff waiting for him at the hotel that he is bringing back with him (yes I warned him and sent empty suitcases).
Lately there have been a number of articles and studies put out about the exorbitant cost of living here in Rio, these examples highlight it as well. If you are moving to Rio, these are things you need to think about.
These are just a few things that I saw while out and about this week that I felt the need to price-compare as examples for you. By the way I'm not searching for the lowest prices online, I'm just using Amazon, and xe to convert today's exchange rate. I would also like to mention that it is significant that some of these items are even AVAILABLE here now, as many of them weren't as recently as a few months ago.
Anyway - here we go:
At a drugstore - the MAM Bite & Brush teether. R$24.90. Today that's $14.08 US.
The same product on Amazon:
Next up:
This is a Fisher price Rainforest play mat - the price tag is pretty clear though $R329.50. Which is US $185.69 today. Or you could buy it on Amazon and save yourself ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS.....
At this rate you might even be able to justify first class airfare...
Next up, the bumbo chair.
See for yourself, it's R$212 here, which is US $114. Only triple the price in the states.
Sling:
The same Munchkin Jelly Bean sling... here it's US $112.70 today, or on Amazon below for less than a quarter of the price.
So, this is why it is always always always worth the extra $100 or so for an extra piece of luggage. It quickly pays for itself.
Indeed! I'm currently deciding if I will bring 2 or 3 suitcases with us for our next visit as I normally end up buying another one when I'm in the states. Unless you live here, you really can't comprehend just how much more things cost here.
Posted by: Account Deleted | July 20, 2010 at 09:22 PM
Good info. And just as I feared! Since I've been warned about the absurd cost of toys in Rio, I've been stocking up like crazy. I'm moving to Rio with the mindset of "bring everything and then some" other than fresh food which we obviously can't bring on the plane. Target and Babies R Us and Amazon are making a pretty penny from me these days! But from everything I've read, it's worth it. Just wondering then...who does/would pay the absurd prices in Rio?
Posted by: Jean | July 20, 2010 at 09:28 PM
I and my family is going to visit Miami. I am so lucky that I found your blog before going to Miami. Now I know that I need to bring more suit case.
Posted by: dining tables | July 22, 2010 at 04:45 AM
an US$80 pac n play is R$500!! I have had to buy some baby items here since I don´t always have the means to get stuff in the US. Most Brazilians are much less gear-oriented and don´t ever use any of this stuff. It is only the very rich that usually buy them (and can afford it). I went out of my way to get a stroller for my sister-in-law and tried to lend my breast pump to another sister-in-law and both were barely used (and the one with the breast pump went back to work full-time after 4 months). But, for us North American moms used to all this stuff, shopping trips Stateside are a godsend!
Posted by: Corinne Rodrigues | July 22, 2010 at 11:07 AM
thanks for this post! I don't have kids yet (and don't even live in Brazil....yet), but this is good to know! I'm a nanny right now in the U.S. and probably moving to Brazil sometime in the near future. I knew these type of things there were a lot more expensive, but this really makes it clear! p.s.--love your blog, keep it up :)
Posted by: Elena B. | August 07, 2010 at 01:24 PM