As I wrote about a few weeks ago, one of the frustrations of living in Brazil is the high cost of Imported Goods. Alcohol especially incurs very high tariffs, making purchases expensive, especially when you're earning a Brazilian salary.
One thing I have only just discovered is that, if you're lucky enough to live close to the southern Border with Uruguay as I am, you can take advantage of an entire industry set up for Brazilians to buy cheap imported goods.
I was completely unaware about this set up until my wife and I decided to visit some friends who live in the border town of Santana do Livramento. For me it was a chance to see friends, and see a bit of different culture by crossing the border onto the Uruguayan town on the other side, Riveira.
It wasn't until we'd already made plans to go that friends here started asking what I was going to buy. I had no idea so they had to explain the whole situation. Along many of the border cities are dozens of duty free shops set up specifically for Brazilians to come and buy imported goods cheaper than is remotely possible in Brazil.
Alcohol, cosmetics, sweets, food and electronics are all at least 30-40% cheaper than anything available here, and in some cases even bigger savings are available. We purchased a case of sparkling wine that was around 70% cheaper than at our local store.
Needless to say, we took advantage of the situation. I bought some drinks that I hadn't even looked at don't make the purchase. Or at least that is the logic I was telling myself. Other drinks, such as Agua Diente (which I fell in love with during my time in Colombia) aren't even available in Brazil so finding them at these duty free stores is like magic.
There are limits of course. The most you can get per person is 12 litres of alcohol and a US$500 total is capped. There wasn't actually anyone checking at the time we were there as there is no Physical Border to cross in Livramento-Riveira. You just cross the street and you're in a different country. There is a station set up for the customs agents as you leave Livramento which wasn't manned when we came through but which could be at other times. We didn't take any more than our limit either way.
The dual cities of Livramento and Riveira are also interesting. While it is one metropolitan area, there is technically two cities in two different countries with two different languages and cultures. As there is no physical border, people move freely from Brazil to Uruguay and back, some even living on one side and working on the other.
One of the great parts of the city is the Parque Internacional, which sits along where the border would be. This park technically belongs to both countries, so when you're in the park, you're in two countries at once - something that isn't possible in many places in the world!
Anyone who reads this blog knows I like to try as much different food as possible so a place like this is gold. Being able to eat authentic Brazilian or Uruguayan food in the same city, and being able to take part in joint festivals such as the craft beer and choripan festival in the International Park on the day we arrived. Being able to sample the Uruguayan "parilla" barbecue was another highlight.
One thing I have only just discovered is that, if you're lucky enough to live close to the southern Border with Uruguay as I am, you can take advantage of an entire industry set up for Brazilians to buy cheap imported goods.
I was completely unaware about this set up until my wife and I decided to visit some friends who live in the border town of Santana do Livramento. For me it was a chance to see friends, and see a bit of different culture by crossing the border onto the Uruguayan town on the other side, Riveira.
It wasn't until we'd already made plans to go that friends here started asking what I was going to buy. I had no idea so they had to explain the whole situation. Along many of the border cities are dozens of duty free shops set up specifically for Brazilians to come and buy imported goods cheaper than is remotely possible in Brazil.
Alcohol, cosmetics, sweets, food and electronics are all at least 30-40% cheaper than anything available here, and in some cases even bigger savings are available. We purchased a case of sparkling wine that was around 70% cheaper than at our local store.
Needless to say, we took advantage of the situation. I bought some drinks that I hadn't even looked at don't make the purchase. Or at least that is the logic I was telling myself. Other drinks, such as Agua Diente (which I fell in love with during my time in Colombia) aren't even available in Brazil so finding them at these duty free stores is like magic.
in stores here for the fact they were too expensive. Baileys, Jack Daniel's Kahlua were sold for little more than the price they're available for in the US, which means you're losing money if you
There are limits of course. The most you can get per person is 12 litres of alcohol and a US$500 total is capped. There wasn't actually anyone checking at the time we were there as there is no Physical Border to cross in Livramento-Riveira. You just cross the street and you're in a different country. There is a station set up for the customs agents as you leave Livramento which wasn't manned when we came through but which could be at other times. We didn't take any more than our limit either way.
The dual cities of Livramento and Riveira are also interesting. While it is one metropolitan area, there is technically two cities in two different countries with two different languages and cultures. As there is no physical border, people move freely from Brazil to Uruguay and back, some even living on one side and working on the other.
One of the great parts of the city is the Parque Internacional, which sits along where the border would be. This park technically belongs to both countries, so when you're in the park, you're in two countries at once - something that isn't possible in many places in the world!
Anyone who reads this blog knows I like to try as much different food as possible so a place like this is gold. Being able to eat authentic Brazilian or Uruguayan food in the same city, and being able to take part in joint festivals such as the craft beer and choripan festival in the International Park on the day we arrived. Being able to sample the Uruguayan "parilla" barbecue was another highlight.
