There is a control and a limit of the in- and outgoing Brazilian cash flow. It is easier to bring money to Brazil than to take from the country. If you have money, checks or travelers check over US$5,000.00 or equivalent, you have to declare the transaction.

Since 1986 the name of the currency has changed five times, from 'cruzeiro' to 'cruzado' to 'cruzado novo' and back to 'cruzeiro'. Then it became the 'cruzeiro real' and, in July 1994, the 'Real'. At the moment, the monetary unit of Brazil is the Real (pronounced HE-ow); the plural is Reais (pronounced HE-ice). It's made up of 100 centavos. The frustratingly similar coins are: one, five, 10, 25 and 50 centavos. There is also a one-real coin as well as a one-real note. The notes are different colors, so there is no mistaking them. As well as the green one-real note there's a blue/purple five, a red 10, a brown 50 and a blue 100. At present the central bank is introducing differentiated coins and a new 10-real note. The new bank note is launched because of problems with falsification of bank notes.

Until January 1999, was the Real as strong as the US dollar, (R$1.00 = U$1.00) By that time hit the worldwide financial crisis Brazil and the currency is nowadays floating in comparising to the US Dollar, (+/- R$3,00 = U$1.00).