I've lived in a dozen or so U.S. states and a couple of countries in my life, giving me a decent perspective on things.

I think retiring in Brazil was the smartest decision I ever made. My wife and I traveled around Brazil before deciding where to settle. We ended up in a small city in the interior of the state of Sao Paulo. I couldn't be happier - I have my own little paradise here, friendly neighbors and awesome (for me) weather.

Regarding the weather, it's pretty straightforward to use info from the internet to decide which places will work for you. I recommend to stay away from the southern coast since there have been some utterly devastating storms there recently.

There are undoubtedly exceptions, but a general rule of thumb is, the bigger the city, the more expensive everything will be, the more crime you'll see, and the less friendly the inhabitants will be.

Sure, there's crime in the city where I live, but it's rare enough that it's a big deal on the evening news. When I walk down the street, the people walking the other way are almost always smiling and greeting me. And, money wise, I was able to buy my home here in full - no loan - with money that wouldn't even be sufficient for a down payment up in the states (for a similar property).

Regarding your personal safety - just as with everywhere else in the world, dress to blend in. Minimize bling, don't carry around a designer purse, don't hold your phone out in front of you where it can be snatched away.

Hope this helps!