Anyone looking to rent a home in São Paulo sooner or later runs into the same question: is it better to go the traditional route with a guarantor, notary paperwork and a 30-month lease or choose a long stay, a longer-term furnished rental with far less bureaucracy?
The right answer depends on the profile of the person looking for the property. An executive relocated to the city for a year has different needs than a family settling in for an indefinite period. In this article, we compare both models side by side paperwork, terms, guarantees, furniture, flexibility and total cost, to help you decide clearly which option makes the most sense for you.
If you're still deciding between a shorter or longer stay, it's also worth reading our comparison Short Stay vs. Traditional Rental in São Paulo: Which One Should You Choose? (Feel Sampa blog content), which covers the same dilemma on a different time scale.
What is a traditional rental with a guarantor and how does the paperwork work?
Traditional rental is the model regulated by Brazil's Tenancy Law (Law No. 8,245/1991), which governs urban property leases in Brazil. Under this model, the landlord can require a rental guarantee before signing the contract and a guarantor is, historically, the most common option in São Paulo.
To get a guarantor approved by the real estate agency, you typically need to:
- Present a guarantor who owns a fully paid-off, registered property in the city where the rental is located;
- Prove the guarantor's income (generally 3 to 5 times the rent amount);
- Gather personal documents and paperwork for the guarantee property (title deed, property tax records, certificates);
- Sign a contract with a common minimum term of 30 months, the market standard for residential leases;
- Wait for credit and background checks, a process that usually takes anywhere from a few days to two weeks.
Under the Tenancy Law, the landlord may require only one type of guarantee per contract, guarantor, security deposit, surety bond insurance, or fiduciary assignment and is barred from demanding more than one at the same time. Even so, finding a willing guarantor with an approved profile is, in practice, one of the biggest obstacles for people who have just arrived in the city, are foreigners, self-employed, or don't have family ties in São Paulo.
What is long stay and why doesn't it require a guarantor?
Long stay is the extended-term rental model, usually from 30 days to 12 months, in furnished, move-in-ready properties offered by specialized operators rather than individual landlords. Because it doesn't qualify as a traditional residential lease (it's treated as a hospitality service), long stay doesn't require a guarantor, complex credit checks, or notary paperwork.
In practice, the process usually looks like this:
- Booking and digitally signed contract, with no notary red tape;
- A simpler deposit (generally equivalent to one month) or no deposit at all, depending on the operator;
- Fast check-in, with the property already furnished and equipped;
- Utility bills (water, electricity, internet, condo fees) already included in most packages;
This model tends to shorten the time it takes to settle in and is especially popular with people arriving in São Paulo to work, study, or try out the city before deciding where to establish permanent residence.
Long Stay vs. Rental with Guarantor: comparison table
| Criteria | Traditional Rental with Guarantor | Long Stay |
|---|---|---|
| Paperwork | High: guarantor, credit check, documentation, registered contract | Low: simplified contract, no guarantor |
| Contract term | Usually 30 months (residential market standard) | Flexible, from 30 days to 12 months |
| Guarantor/deposit | Guarantor with owned property or deposit of up to 3 months' rent | No guarantor; reduced or no deposit |
| Furniture | Usually unfurnished; furniture is a separate cost and logistics issue | Fully furnished and equipped |
| Flexibility | Low: early termination fee proportional to remaining contract time | High: shorter contracts, renewal on demand |
| Total cost | Rent + condo fees + property tax + bills + furniture + possible agency fee | Single price, usually including bills and maintenance |
Which is more cost-effective overall: long stay or traditional rental?
At first glance, the monthly rate for a long stay tends to look higher than the "bare" rent of a traditional property. But that isolated comparison hides costs that show up later:
- Furniture and appliances: furnishing an apartment from scratch in São Paulo can cost between R$15,000 and R$40,000, depending on the standard;
- Upfront fees: traditional agencies usually charge an administration fee, plus possible guarantor screening fees;
- Fragmented bills: water, electricity, gas, internet and condo fees add up on top of rent and require separate management;
- Downtime: the period between signing the contract, furnishing the property and actually moving in has an opportunity cost, especially for people who are there for work.
When you factor in all of this, long stay tends to match or even beat the total cost for stays of up to 12 months, precisely because it eliminates move-in and move-out costs.
When is it worth choosing a traditional rental with a guarantor?
The traditional model still makes sense for people who have already decided to settle in São Paulo indefinitely, have a guarantor available, and prefer to invest in their own furniture and personalize the property long term. It also tends to be more competitive in nominal monthly cost for very long contracts (over 3 years), when the cost of furnishing is spread across many months.
When is long stay the smarter choice?
Long stay tends to be the more rational option for:
- Executives and families on corporate relocation to São Paulo;
- Foreigners or people without credit history or a guarantor in the city;
- Anyone testing out a neighborhood before buying or signing a long-term lease;
- Professionals on fixed-term projects (6 to 12 months);
- Anyone who values cost predictability and doesn't want to deal with property maintenance.
If your situation involves work-related relocation, it's worth also reading Corporate Housing in São Paulo: 5 Reasons to Choose a Furnished Flat (Feel Sampa blog content), which details the benefits of the furnished model for companies and professionals on the move.
Frequently asked questions about long stay and rental with a guarantor
Do I need a guarantor to rent a long stay?
No. Long stay is offered as an extended-stay hospitality service, not as a traditional residential lease, so it doesn't require a guarantor. Usually, all you need is an ID document and, in some cases, a simplified deposit.
Do I need to prove income to sign a long stay contract?
Most long stay operators don't require formal proof of income the way traditional rentals with a guarantor do. The process is closer to a hospitality booking than a bank credit check.
What's the minimum term for a long stay contract?
It varies by operator, but the market standard usually starts at 30 days, with contracts extending up to 12 months or more, generally with progressive discounts for longer stays.
Can I leave a long stay contract before the agreed term?
Yes, with far more flexibility than a traditional 30-month lease. Early termination terms vary by operator and should be spelled out in the contract, but they're generally less punitive than the proportional penalty set out in Brazil's Tenancy Law for residential leases.
Does the long stay price already include water, electricity, internet and condo fees?
In the vast majority of cases, yes, it's one of the model's main advantages over traditional rentals, which require managing each bill separately. It's always worth confirming what's included before signing, since this can vary between operators.
Is long stay more expensive than a traditional rental with a guarantor?
The nominal monthly rate may look higher, but once you add up the cost of furnishing the property, separate bills and agency fees from a traditional rental, long stay usually ends up equivalent or more advantageous for stays of up to 12 months.
Which should you choose: long stay or rental with a guarantor?
There's no single right answer, there's the right answer for your specific situation. If you want predictability, a quick move-in and don't have a guarantor available in São Paulo, long stay tends to solve your problem in days, not weeks. If your plan is to settle down for many years and you already have a guarantor and the budget to furnish the property, a traditional rental can pay off in the long run.
If you're evaluating which neighborhoods best suit this type of stay, the article The most strategic neighbourhoods for executives in São Paulo helps match location with the ideal contract type.
Deciding between long stay and a traditional rental in São Paulo?
Feel Sampa offers move-in-ready furnished apartments, with no guarantor and no notary red tape, and flexible short- and long-term contracts. Explore Feel Sampa's long stay options and find the right apartment for your moment in the city.
