Travel Hacks That Have Saved Me a Ton of Money on Rental Cars in Brazil

After moving to Brazil in 2016, I started to rely heavily on rental cars for exploring my new home. I found it to be so much more convenient and cost effective than purchasing a car of my own. Before I knew it, I was enjoying life on the open road: traveling out of town on the weekends and enjoying life outside the city. Using the tricks that I learned, I got my car rental costs down very low, leaving me able to spend my money on the trip itself.

Use These 7 Tips To Rent Cars for Cheap in Brazil:

1. Don’t use online travel agents like Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, etc.
2. Make your reservation through a local rental company’s website.
3. Use your credit card’s insurance and don’t take the rental company’s insurance.
4. Fill up with Ethanol, not gasoline, before returning the car.
5. Choose a car with a manual transmission.
6. Consider a long term rental.
7. Rent at the Airport

Because renting cars is so easy and affordable, I don’t think twice about renting a car for a quick trip to the beach or mountains. Find out below how you can do the same, and free yourself from the city whenever you want!

Local Brazilian Car Rental Companies – Key to Saving Money

In order to get the best price on car rentals in Brazil, your not going to want to use any of the usual suspects like Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity, or any other international travel agent or aggregator. Cut out the middle men and go direct to the source: the local Brazilian car rental companies.

The three main local rental car companies in Brazil are: Localiza-Hertz, Movida, and Unidas. In most cities and at most airports you will have all three companies. To check the prices for a rentals with these companies, go to their website directly. Sometimes, you will get an additional discount if you make the reservation using their app on your phone. So if your a frequent renter, it makes sense to sign up for the app and also for their loyalty program.

When comparing prices, make sure that you are doing an “apples to apples” comparison. Most of the sites add in the insurance automatically when you go to check out. So make sure you compare prices with or without insurance based on your preference. As I’ll explain below, I don’t accept the insurance when I rent cars in Brazil.

Requirements to Rent a Car in Brazil

If you have a Brazilian drivers license that is all you’ll need to rent. However for those using international drivers’ licenses, you must also show your passport to rent a car. When driving, you are also required to carry your passport with you when you are using an international drivers’ license. Technically you are only permitted to drive with an international license up to 180 days after your arrival in Brazil.

Rental Cars in Brazil can use either Gasoline or Ethanol.

This may come as a big surprise, especially for those of us from USA: most of the cars you’re going to rent in Brazil can run on wither gasoline, or ethanol (sugar cane alcohol). This cars are called “Flex” cars in Brazil.

Ethanol is a bit cheaper than gasoline and its offered at most service stations. The catch is that the car will get slightly less miles to the gallon using ethanol than it will using gasoline. But you can use this to your advantage. Fill up with the cheaper ethanol before returning the car. During your trip, using gasoline can be more efficient and cost effective.

Manual Transmission = More Savings

Do you know how to drive a car with a manual transmission (stick shift)? If so then you’re in luck because in Brazil manual transmission cars cost less to rent. You can have the exact same size vehicle: the one with the manual transmission will cost slightly less per day. It’s usually not a huge difference in price, but it could add up for a longer rental.

Rental Car Insurance in Brazil

When I rent cars in Brazil, I usually decline the insurance that the rental car company offers. This is because I pay with my USA credit card which includes rental car protection. I know from experience that they’ve got me covered.

I had a minor accident the first time I rented in Brazil. I had to pay for the damage out of pocket when I returned the car. However, after submitting all the paperwork, I was able to get reimbursed by my credit card company. But they do make you jump through some hoops. So check the rules your card company has to handle coverage before you return the car. I needed to make sure the last 4 digits of your credit card number appear on the rental contract, and take plenty of pictures of the damage.

Speeding Tickets & Traffic Cameras in Brazil

One of the worst parts of driving in Brazil are the ubiquitous traffic cameras and speed detectors. These hidden contraptions will record you when you least expect it – even if you are only very slightly above the speed limit. They will then send you a ticket in the mail demanding payment. Not only this, but if you have a local license, you will accumulate points and your license will eventually be revoked if you get too many points.

But not with rental cars! The beauty of renting cars in Brazil is that you don’t need to worry about points. You can get as many tickets as you like and the rental car company will just deduct the cost from your credit card. But the points don’t hit your license. So while it will still cost you money, you don’t need to work about having your local divers license revoked.

Long Term Rentals

Rental cars are not just for short term rentals. All three local Brazilian rental car companies offer discounted prices for long term rentals, over 1 month. This means that even if you plan to stay in Brazil for a long time, renting a car is a very economical option. I think most expatriates who are here for a few years and want to have a car, should look closely at renting rather than buying. You can save yourself a lot of headache and costs that way.

Rent at the Airport

In most cases, renting at the airport in Brazil is cheaper than renting in the city. So consider this option when renting cars in Brazil. In my case, I live only about 15mins from Congonhas Airport so that is where I go to rent my cars. It’s also where I get the best deals.

By the way, if you want to learn the best way to get to and from São Paulo’s international airports, check out this post.

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I created this site to teach what I have learned over the years about how to enjoy Sao Paulo like a local. This is a diverse city with endless possibilities. It’s possible to carve out an excellent quality of life here if you are up to the challenge. This is my perspective as a foreigner who has lived and worked in this city for a number of years. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or suggestions. Enjoy!