The Rising Influence of Rising Affluence

[ghmm]

I won't disagree with your comment on Rio. There is a small Rich segment too just look at the tourist areas (e.g. Copacabana, Tijuca) if you want to live there Barra is quite nice and very modern though its near a famous favela (slum) and had some violence a year or so ago.

For what its worth anecdotally I never hear of people borrowing to buy large things like a car/property.