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Before moving to Brazil, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what everyday life here would be like. Beaches, sunshine, Carnaval, amazing food. But after living in Brazil for over a year, I’ve realized that some of the biggest cultural surprises have nothing to do with the things Brazil is famous for.
They’re the completely normal, everyday things that Brazilians barely notice, but foreigners see and immediately think, “Wait, what is happening?”
Like buying a refrigerator in twelve installments, giving your CPF to buy a bottle of water, showering multiple times a day, and paying almost anyone instantly through a QR code.
So today, I’m sharing the things that are completely normal in Brazil but still shock foreigners!
If you’re new here, hi! I’m Danielle. I’m a creator, entrepreneur, and full-time traveler. My family and I have been living in Florianópolis, Brazil, and the longer I live here, the more I realize how different everyday life can be from other parts of the world.
Some of these things surprised me immediately. Others took months for me to notice because they are so deeply woven into daily life here.
Let’s get into it!
1. Brazil Can Get Really Cold
The first thing that shocks a lot of foreigners is that Brazil can get cold.
Before coming here, many people imagine that all of Brazil is tropical, sunny, and warm all year. And yes, Brazil has plenty of tropical regions, but this is a huge country.
Here in southern Brazil, winter is real.
In Florianópolis, we’ve had days when we’re wearing sweatshirts, jackets, long pants, and socks inside the house. I even had to buy a space heater!
What makes it feel even colder is that many homes aren’t designed for winter. There may be no central heating, limited insulation, and cold tile floors everywhere. Sometimes, it genuinely feels colder inside the house than it does outside.
The funny thing is that when I tell people outside Brazil that I’m freezing, they almost don’t believe me. They picture me sitting under a palm tree in a bikini while I’m actually wrapped in a blanket.
Brazilians also have very different definitions of cold depending on where they live. Someone in the south might be dealing with temperatures close to freezing, while someone in a warmer region might put on a winter coat as soon as it drops below 20 degrees Celsius.
2. Electric Shower Heads
The electric shower head was one of the first things that completely confused me.
In many Brazilian homes, the water is heated directly inside the shower head using electricity. So you have water and electrical wiring existing right next to each other, which initially looks terrifying to a foreigner.
I remember looking at it and thinking, “There is absolutely no way this is safe.”
But Brazilians are completely used to it.
You normally adjust the temperature using a small switch with settings like cold, warm, and hot. The hotter you want the water, the lower you may need to keep the water pressure.
Once you get used to it, it makes sense because you’re only heating the water you actually use instead of maintaining a huge tank of hot water.
But the first time a foreigner sees wires coming out of the shower head, it definitely creates a moment of panic!
3. People Shower Multiple Times a Day
Another thing that surprises people is how often Brazilians shower.
In the United States, one shower a day is generally considered completely normal. In Brazil, especially during hot weather, someone might shower when they wake up, after exercising, after going to the beach, and again before bed.
Taking two or three showers in one day is not unusual, and some people take even more.
It makes sense when you think about the heat, humidity, beach culture, and focus on personal hygiene.
Brazilians can be genuinely shocked when they hear that people in other countries may not shower every day. There is also a very strong expectation around smelling clean and fresh. Body odor is not something people are particularly relaxed about here.
So yes, the electric shower head may initially scare foreigners, but Brazilians are getting plenty of use out of it!
4. You Need a CPF for Everything
A CPF is essentially a Brazilian tax identification number. But what shocks foreigners is how often people ask for it.
You can be buying groceries, ordering online, getting a phone plan, signing up for a gym, booking a service, or making an extremely small purchase and hear:
“CPF na nota?”
At first, I didn’t understand why a cashier needed my tax number when I was simply buying toothpaste.
As a foreigner, you quickly learn that getting a CPF makes life in Brazil significantly easier. Without one, you may struggle to complete online purchases, open certain accounts, access services, or register on Brazilian platforms.
Once you have one, you start saying the number so frequently that it eventually becomes automatic.
Brazilians often memorize their CPF the same way Americans memorize their Social Security number, except they appear to say it out loud much more often!
5. Pix Is Everywhere
Pix is one of the things Brazil does incredibly well.
It’s an instant payment system that allows you to send money directly from your bank account at almost any time.
People use it for everything.
You can pay a restaurant, a babysitter, a street vendor, a friend, your landlord, or someone selling something through Instagram.
A business may simply show you a QR code. You scan it, enter the amount, and the money arrives almost instantly.
No waiting several business days. No asking whether someone has Venmo, Zelle, PayPal, or Cash App.
Almost everyone just says, “Faz um Pix.”
What’s particularly surprising is how widely adopted it is. You may see a tiny vendor on the beach accepting Pix while businesses in other countries are still insisting on cash or complicated bank transfers.
This is one of those things that makes you wonder why every country doesn’t have an equally simple system!
6. Cars and Electronics Are Extremely Expensive
A lot of foreigners assume that everything in Brazil will be inexpensive.
Then they try to buy a car, an iPhone, a laptop, or another imported electronic product.
Cars and electronics can be shockingly expensive compared with prices in the United States.
A phone that already feels expensive in the US can cost significantly more in Brazil once taxes, import costs, and local pricing are included.
This is one reason many Brazilians ask friends or family members traveling abroad to bring electronics back for them.
Cars can also cost far more than foreigners expect, including used cars that might seem relatively old by US standards.
You begin to understand why people maintain their electronics carefully, keep cars for longer, and pay for repairs rather than immediately replacing things.
It also makes seeing a luxury vehicle here feel very different because you know the person may have paid an enormous amount for it.
7. Brazilians Can Be Late to Everything
This one is definitely a generalization, and it varies by person, region, and situation. But Brazilian time can be more flexible than what many foreigners are used to.
If a social event starts at 7 p.m., that doesn’t necessarily mean everyone will arrive at 7 p.m. Sometimes, arriving exactly at the stated time could mean arriving before the host is ready.
For parties and casual plans, people may show up much later than the official start time.
At first, this can be stressful for foreigners who interpret a time very literally. You may be ready, waiting, and wondering whether the event has been canceled while everyone else is calmly preparing to leave home.
Professional appointments can be different, of course, and many Brazilians are extremely punctual. But socially, time can feel more relaxed.
I’ve had to learn that a plan can still be happening even when nobody appears particularly concerned about confirming the details!
8. WhatsApp Runs Your Entire Life
WhatsApp is not simply a messaging app in Brazil.
WhatsApp is infrastructure.
Doctors use it. Restaurants use it. Schools use it. Babysitters use it. Landlords use it. Businesses handle customer service through it.
You may book an appointment, order food, ask a store whether something is available, receive medical information, and join a neighborhood group, all within the same app.
In the United States, messaging a doctor directly through WhatsApp would feel incredibly unusual. In Brazil, someone may simply give you the doctor’s WhatsApp number.
Then there are the voice notes.
Brazilians can send a voice note that’s essentially an entire podcast episode. Sometimes you ask a yes-or-no question and receive a seven-minute audio response!
People are also incredibly expressive with stickers, memes, and GIFs. There seems to be a sticker for every emotion and every possible social situation.
After living here, regular text messages can start to feel strangely formal and emotionally flat.
9. You Can Buy Almost Anything in Installments
Installments are everywhere in Brazil.
Electronics, furniture, clothing, appliances, flights, and sometimes even relatively inexpensive purchases can be divided into monthly payments.
You’ll see prices listed as something like twelve payments of a certain amount.
The interesting part is that installment payments aren’t necessarily reserved for people who cannot afford the full price. It’s simply a normal way of paying.
Sometimes the installment plan comes without interest. Other times, you may receive a discount for paying the entire amount immediately through Pix or cash.
When buying something, you may be asked:
“À vista ou parcelado?”
Are you paying in full or in installments?
Foreigners have to pay attention because the large number displayed may be the monthly installment rather than the total price.
You think you found an incredible deal, and then realize that amount is being charged ten times!
10. Farofa Is Eaten With Almost Everything
Before living in Brazil, I hadn’t fully understood the importance of farofa.
Farofa is toasted cassava flour, often prepared with butter and other ingredients. It may contain bacon, onions, eggs, herbs, bananas, or different seasonings.
And Brazilians put it on an incredible number of meals.
- Rice and beans? Add farofa.
- Churrasco? Add farofa.
- Feijoada? Farofa.
- Seafood? Farofa.
At first, foreigners may look at this bowl of dry flour and wonder what they’re supposed to do with it.
Then you sprinkle it over your food and realize that it adds texture, flavor, and the perfect crunch.
Eventually, a plate of rice and beans can start to feel incomplete without it.
And every family seems to have an opinion about what belongs in the perfect farofa!
11. Tiny Bikinis Are Completely Normal
Brazilian beach culture can be surprising for foreigners, especially when it comes to swimwear.
The Brazilian fio dental bikini is very small. The direct translation is dental floss, which gives you a fairly accurate idea of the amount of coverage involved!
What I find interesting is that tiny bikinis are often treated much more casually here than foreigners might expect.
Women of different ages and body types wear them confidently.
The beach can feel less like a place where everyone is trying to achieve one specific “perfect” body and more like a place where bodies simply exist.
At the same time, wearing a larger bikini bottom can sometimes make you feel more conspicuous than wearing a tiny one. You may arrive thinking your swimsuit is completely normal and suddenly feel like you’re wearing shorts.
Brazilian men also tend to wear much smaller swimwear than many American men are used to.
The overall lesson is that Brazil has a very different definition of what counts as conservative beachwear.
12. Fitness and Beauty Are Major Parts of the Culture
Brazil has a very visible fitness and beauty culture.
There are gyms everywhere. People exercise outdoors, run along beaches, play footvolley, surf, cycle, and use public workout equipment.
In cities like Florianópolis and Rio de Janeiro, physical activity is deeply connected to the lifestyle.
Beauty treatments are also extremely normalized. Hair, nails, waxing, skincare, and cosmetic procedures can be discussed very openly.
People often put significant effort into how they present themselves, even for relatively casual situations.
This doesn’t mean every Brazilian looks or behaves the same way. But compared with many places, there’s a noticeable cultural emphasis on grooming, appearance, and taking care of the body.
What also surprised me is how accessible certain beauty services can be compared with the United States. Treatments that might feel like a rare luxury elsewhere may be part of someone’s regular routine here.
13. Restaurants Are Extremely Family-Friendly
One of my favorite things about living in Brazil as a mother is how welcome children often feel in public spaces.
Many restaurants are genuinely designed for families. Some have playgrounds, playrooms, outdoor areas, or staff members supervising children’s activities.
Instead of parents feeling like they need to rush through dinner before their child bothers someone, the entire setup may assume children will be there.
People are also incredibly warm toward babies.
Strangers smile, wave, talk to them, and play peekaboo. Servers may pick up a dropped toy or help make space for a stroller.
When I walk somewhere with my son, people engage with him constantly.
Coming from places where parents sometimes feel judged simply for bringing a child into a restaurant, the difference is significant.
Brazil feels like a place where children are included in everyday life rather than separated from adult social life.
14. People Are Very Physically Affectionate
Brazilian greetings can be an adjustment for foreigners from less physically affectionate cultures.
People hug. They kiss one another on the cheek. They touch your arm while speaking. Friends may stand close together and show affection very naturally.
The number of cheek kisses can also depend on the region.
Sometimes it’s one. Sometimes it’s two. Sometimes you hesitate and accidentally create a very awkward near-kiss because you both move in the same direction!
In the United States, especially in more formal settings, people may keep more physical distance or simply wave. In Brazil, that can feel cold.
You may be expected to greet every person in the group rather than simply saying hello to the room.
And leaving can take another 20 minutes because you also need to hug and say goodbye to everyone individually.
Once you become accustomed to it, though, interactions in other countries can start to feel strangely distant.
What Living in Brazil Has Taught Me About Cultural Differences
What I love about these differences is that none of them are inherently better or worse.
They simply reveal how many parts of everyday life are cultural.
The way we pay, communicate, shower, eat, greet people, raise children, and even interpret time can feel completely normal until we move somewhere else.
Then suddenly, we realize that our version of “normal” is just one version.
Living in Brazil has made me appreciate things I never expected, especially Pix, family-friendly culture, the warmth people show toward babies, and the way relationships often feel more expressive.
It has also forced me to adjust to electric showers, flexible timing, CPF requests, and extremely long WhatsApp voice notes!
That’s one of my favorite things about living abroad. You start noticing the little details that make a place unique, and you become more open to doing things differently.
What Surprised You Most About Brazil?
Now I want to hear from you!
If you’re Brazilian, which one of these things do foreigners misunderstand the most? What did I forget?
And please tell me which parts are completely different in your city or region because Brazil is enormous, and I know that life in Florianópolis is not the same as life everywhere else.
If you’re a foreigner who has visited or lived in Brazil, what shocked you the most?
Leave a comment because I have a feeling Brazilians are going to have a lot to say about this one!
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Thanks so much for being here, and I’ll see you in the next post!
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