Best neighborhoods to live in Rio de Janeiro

Whether you’re buying or renting a home in Rio de Janeiro, the first step would be picking the right neighborhood. Being a huge metropolitan city, Rio has a wide variety of neighborhoods to offer. Unfortunately, many of them are not good. If you’re moving to Rio de Janeiro and don’t know much about the city, you should do a lot of research before deciding on a place to settle. We have listed several good neighborhoods to live in Rio de Janeiro that you could take into consideration.

Criteria for choosing a neighborhood to live in Rio de Janeiro

There are many gorgeous neighborhoods to live in Rio de Janeiro – one of the most beautiful cities on the planet.

It is important to narrow your choice before you start house hunting. Here are some of the criteria you should consider when looking for the right neighborhoods to live in Rio de Janeiro.

• Safety: This should be the most important factor. Despite efforts to improve safety, high crime rates are still a serious concern for the residents of Rio. The crime-ridden slum neighborhoods (favelas), which make up a large portion of the city, should be avoided. Although, living in favelas has become trendy among foreigners who want to experience “the real Brazil”, no Brazilian would recommend it.
• Proximity to public transportation, work, school, etc: The traffic in Brazil’s major cities, including Rio de Janeiro, is often very congested and it takes ages to get around. Plus, transportation isn’t free. Therefore, try to make your daily commute as short as possible.
• Budget: Determining how much you can spend before choosing a neighborhood is important if you’re moving on a tight budget because some neighborhoods only upper classes can afford.
• Lifestyle: Think about your daily routines, habits, and hobbies when picking neighborhoods to live in Rio de Janeiro. Do you enjoy outside activities like jogging or cycling? Or do you have a pet? Do you want to be closer to the beach? Do you cook yourself or eat out regularly? Perhaps you prefer the vibrant city center or the quiet suburbs?

Rio’s four districts

Rio is divided into four districts which are divided into many neighborhoods, also known as “barrios”.

• Zona Oeste (West Zone)
• Zona Sul (South Zone)
• Centro (city center/downtown)
• Zona Norte (North Zone)

Our choice for the best neighborhoods to live in Rio de Janeiro

Zona Oeste

This zone is very popular among expats. There are many international companies in the West Zone. This district is generally safe, although there are some favelas. If you live here, you might need a car since this area is not well connected by public transportation.

Barra de Tijuca

Its most desirable barrio is Barra de Tijuca, also called Barra or the ‘Miami of Rio’. It has a lot of beach-front homes and the beaches are stunning. Large apartments in high-rise buildings are the most common but you can also find big houses. This neighborhood is popular among families. It offers excellent restaurants, bars, and shops.

Zona Sul

This is where most foreigners live. Zona Sul has the city’s best and richest barrios. Evan favelas in Zona Sul are not that bad anymore. Some of the most famous tourist attractions and beaches in Rio are located in this zone. Moreover, it offers the best nightlife in Rio. It is also considered clean and safe. Unfortunately, if there are more tourists, there are more pickpockets, so be careful. Apart from being crowded, this part of the city is also pretty noisy.

Foreigners usually live in apartments and condominiums in the high-end South Zone.

Leblon

Leblon is the most prestigious of all good neighborhoods to live in Rio de Janeiro. It is home to the rich and famous with very expensive housing. It is a smaller neighborhood with the best beaches in Rio. Furthermore, Leblon offers the city’s best shopping, restaurants, and bars.

Ipanema

This is a middle and upper-class neighborhood with famous beaches, trendy restaurants, and bars, cinemas, and theaters. Ipanema beach, surrounded by lavish, green mountains, is one of the best places for surfing. Furthermore, Ipanema has the saltwater lagoon and beautiful botanical gardens.

Lagoa

This neighborhood is famous for its parks and preservation areas. If you enjoy picnics, skating, or yoga, Lagoa is the neighborhood for you. With a 7.2-kilometer bike lane, it is also the perfect place for cycling. Its population is not so large.

In Lagoa, you can enjoy phenomenal, romantic sunsets.

Copacabana

More affordable than Ipanema, Copacabana is a slightly less affluent upper-class neighborhood. Although not as glamorous as it once was, it is still a fantastic place to live. Apart from the iconic Copacabana beach, it offers a lot of restaurants, bars, bakeries, cinemas, shopping malls, etc.

Centro

Being the commercial center of the city, Centro has all major companies headquarters. This district is well-covered by public transport, including the metro and buses. Although most expats work here, it is not a popular area to live. At night it gets pretty empty and unsafe. However, Centro has beautiful architecture and some of Rio’s most famous tourist attractions. It is also the cultural center of Rio with world-class theatres and museums. The neighborhood named Lapa offers a fantastic nightlife. Here you can enjoy cool bars, fancy nightclubs, and the best Brazilian music.

Zona Norte

Expats are less likely to live in this zone. It is industrialized and popular among lower class families. However, Zona Norte is the most underestimated district with so much to offer. Its most famous landmark is the Maracana stadium. It has the largest urban forest in the world, authentic and affordable attractions, old restaurants, great markets, and nightclubs. If you do choose this district, Tijuca is a relatively safe neighborhood, home to middle-class families.

To conclude, there are many great neighborhoods to live in Rio de Janeiro. Each one has its unique charm. We are sure you’ll find one that fits your needs. We recommend finding a long-term house/apartment through friends or other expats you can meet online or by attending expat events. There are excellent long distance movers Brazil who can help you move your belongings to your new neighborhood. If you are relocating from another Rio neighborhood, you can opt for local movers. Good moving companies in Brazil usually provide both long and short distance moving services. So, hurry to meet your new neighbors.