During a 2023 survey, around 35 percent of respondents interviewed in Brazil said they belonged to the middle class. Meanwhile, 24.3 percent of the interviewees defined their social class as "low" and 25.7 percent stated that they were part of the middle class.Furthermore, Brazil's Gini coefficient, an indicator that measures wealth distribution, shows Brazil is one of the most unequal countries in the Latin American region.

In 2023, the national gross income per capita in Brazil amounted to around 9,070 U.S. dollars, an increase from 8,240 dollars per person in the previous year. Gross national income (GNI) is the aggregated sum of the value added by residents in an economy, plus net taxes (minus subsidies) and net receipts of primary income from abroad. Excluding countries and territories in the Caribbean, Uruguay and Chile were the Latin American countries with the highest national income per capita. Demographic elements and income There are many factors that may influence the income level, such as gender, academic attainment, location, ethnicity, etc. The gender pay gap, for example, is significant in Brazil. As of 2023, the monthly income per capita of men was 3,271 Brazilian reals, while the figure was 2,588 reals in the case of women. Additionally, monthly per capita household income varies greatly from state to state; the figures registered in Distrito Federal and São Paulo more than double the income of federative units like Acre, Alagoas or Maranhão. A high degree of inequality The Gini coefficient measures the degree of income inequality on a scale from 0 (total equality of incomes) to 100 (total inequality). Between 2010 and 2022, Brazil's degree of inequality in wealth distribution based on the Gini coefficient reached 52.9. That year, Brazil was deemed one of the most unequal countries in Latin America. Although the latest result represented one of the worst values in recent years, the Gini index is projected to improve slightly in the near future.

Guyana was the South American country 20360the highest gross national income per capita, with 20,360 U.S. dollars per person in 2023. Uruguay ranked second, registering a GNI of 19,530 U.S. dollars per person, based on current prices. Gross national income (GNI) is the aggregated sum of the value added by residents in an economy, plus net taxes (minus subsidies) and net receipts of primary income from abroad. Which are the largest Latin American economies? Based on annual gross domestic product, which is the total amount of goods and services produced in a country per year, Brazil leads the regional ranking, followed by Mexico, Argentina, and Chile. Many Caribbean countries and territories hold the highest GDP per capita in this region, measurement that reflects how GDP would be divided if it was perfectly equally distributed among the population. GNI per capita is, however, a more exact calculation of wealth than GDP per capita, as it takes into consideration taxes paid and income receipts from abroad. How much inequality is there in Latin America? In many Latin American countries, more than half the total wealth created in their economies is held by the richest 20 percent of the population. When a small share of the population concentrates most of the wealth, millions of people don't have enough to make ends meet. For instance, in Brazil, about 5.32 percent of the population lives on less than 3.2 U.S. dollars per day.

In 2019, the B2 and C1 middle classes in Brazil combined accounted for over half of the total apparel consumption in the country. Meanwhile, the lowest socioeconomic group in the South American country (D/E) registered, with 16.9 percent, a higher share of fashion consumption than the Brazilian upper class (A). The socioeconomic group B1, which corresponds to the the upper middle class in the South American country, accounted for only six percent of the total consumption of clothing, accessories and similar products that year.

Brazil IPCA-15: Weights: São Paulo: Education: Courses, Reading and Stationery: Regular Courses: High School data was reported at 0.518 % in Apr 2020. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.506 % for Mar 2020. Brazil IPCA-15: Weights: São Paulo: Education: Courses, Reading and Stationery: Regular Courses: High School data is updated monthly, averaging 0.506 % from Feb 2020 (Median) to Apr 2020, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.518 % in Apr 2020 and a record low of 0.484 % in Feb 2020. Brazil IPCA-15: Weights: São Paulo: Education: Courses, Reading and Stationery: Regular Courses: High School data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Inflation – Table BR.ID037: Consumer Price Index: Broad Category-15 - IPCA-15: POF 2017-2018: Dec1993=100: Weights: by Municipality: São Paulo.