Univali has no halls of residence, but there are many other accommodation options for students. Most students rent a room or apartment, either individually or with friends. Prices are very affordable, ranging from R$500 to R$1400 per month.

It is possible to rent through Airbnb, particularly in Florianópolis and Balneário Camboriú, or directly through real estate agents. Rental accommodation can also be found through the website www.univali.br/moradia (in Portuguese) which is updated daily.

Rental will values vary, depending on the district and the distance from the downtown area. For shorter stays, there are many hotels and hostels in the region.

The cost of living in the South Brazil will, of course, depend on the student’s lifestyle and activities. But in general, Brazil is a low cost destination because the value of the real (local currency) is well below that of the dollar or the euro.

Brazil has a vast and varied cuisine, so the costs of eating in or dining out will vary greatly, depending on the student’s tastes.

Eating out

All Univali campuses have restaurants and snack bars, many offering special dishes with lower prices for students. Dotted around the university campuses you will find many other restaurants and snack bars. The average cost of food, per day, is between R$25 and R$40.

Lunch deliveries

A popular service in Brazil is the “marmitex”, which delivers a cooked meal to your door. This affordable service is pre-ordered and prepaid, usually on a monthly basis, and is offered by restaurants and other catering services. Apps such as IFood can also be used to order takeaways in the conventional way.

Eating in

For those who enjoy cooking and/or want to economize, cooking at home is the best option. The cost of eating at home is around R$320 to R$ 400 per month.

In the event of a fire within one of its campuses, Univali has its own team of firefighters.
The Itajaí, Balneário Camboriú and Kobrasol campuses all have hospitals less than eleven minutes away. In addition, all the cities have Basic Health Units of the Brazilian national health system (the SUS - Sistema Único de Saúde).
In case of accidents or emergencies, the Mobile Emergency Response Service (SAMU - Serviço de Atendimento Móvel de Urgência), can be activated by calling 192. First responders and medical personnel will get to you as soon as possible.

Florianópolis and Balneário Camboriú are considered among the ten best cities in Brazil to live in, according to the United Nations (UN). One of the characteristics that gives them this accolade is safety. Santa Catarina is one of the safest states in the country, with one of the lowest crime rates.
To give students even more peace of mind, Univali has a 24-hour private security service, surveillance camera coverage, and night watchmen on all its campuses.
If needed, the telephone number to call the police is 190.

The main forms of transport in Brazil are:

Bus

The most common form of public transport is by bus. In the South of Brazil, public buses are safe and affordable, particularly for students, who can travel half price. In general, the buses in the region are not overcrowded. There are regular routes, with reduced frequency during night-time hours.

Minibuses and vans

Some areas also have minibuses, which ferry students to and from the university along set routes.

Taxi and apps

In Brazil the use of taxis is not commonplace in the daily routine. Taxis are more expensive than the bus, but are useful for trips to the airport, parties, or other specific destinations. A good tip in this case is to use an online transport app, like Uber, which has become very popular in Brazil.

Bicycle

For shorter distances, cycling is the best alternative. The region is largely flat, and there are lots of cycle paths. Besides being a healthy and low-cost alternative, cycling lets you feel the vibe of the city, and take in the scenery at a more leisurely pace.