Living in Brazil

Belo Horizonte

Belo Horizonte is the capital of the state of Minas Gerais, and the third largest metropolitan area in Brazil with a population of almost 5 million. Belo Horizonte stands out for its architectural treasures, its rich artistic and cultural offerings and its central location in the state of Minas Gerais. Only 100km from Belo Horizonte, one can witness the apex of the artistic heritage of Brazil's colonial period in the nearby cities of Ouro Preto, Mariana and Congonhas. In the same radius of 100km, several options for ecotourism stand in the highlands such as Serra do Caraça and Serra do Cipó. The city is also known for its mild weather, with an average temperature of 27 degrees Celsius.

Belo Horizonte has a developed industrial sector, being traditionally a hub of the Brazilian metallurgical and mining industries. The city is also one of the major centers for the biotech, the automotive and the software industry in Brazil. Multinational companies like FIAT, ArcelorMittal, and Toshiba have subsidiaries in the region. Among the companies headquartered in the city we can list steelmaker Gerdau Açominas; Usiminas; Belgo-Mineira (held by ArcelorMittal); Acesita (partially held by ArcelorMittal); mobile communications Vivo; and Telecom Italia Mobile, as well as the NYSE-listed electrical company CEMIG.

For further information, visit the websites http://www.belohorizonte.mg.gov.br/en or http://www.belotur.com.br/ing/.

Living Expenses

The monthly cost of living in Belo Horizonte is around R$ 1.000,00 for one person.

The foreign student at UFMG may live, among other options, with a family, in a hotel or apartment. The cost of living with a family, including breakfast and private room, is about US$60 per week. Those interested should contact the Office for International Relations (DRI).

The most common form of housing is the traditional 'republica', which is a house or an apartment rented by one student who then sublets rooms to other students, so that a total of 4 to 6 people share the living expenses.

Meals

UFMG maintains 8 restaurants. The menu is varied and available at prices starting from US$3. Other alternatives on campus are the 25 cafeterias with a large number of choices in dishes and sandwiches.

Transportation

Three internal bus lines operate on the UFMG campus. A number of buses to downtown and the campus neighborhoods is available at regular intervals (lines 5102, 9502, 9550, 50).

Airports

Belo Horizonte is served by two commercial airports, Pampulha's Airport and Tancredo Neves/Confins International Airport, dedicated to domestic and international traffic. This airport is located in the municipalities of Lagoa Santa and Confins, 38 km (23 miles) from the center of Belo Horizonte.

Medical and Hospital Assistance

UFMG requires that foreigners arrive in the country with a health plan that covers them abroad, including ambulatory treatment.