The market is divided between three significant groups - locals, who have often resided in the communities for generations; foreigners, predominantly from the States, Europe and South America; and Brazilians, who have invested in property but live elsewhere in the city.

Favelas such as vidigal are quite clearly spatially demarcated between these groups, where locals live towards the bottom, with practical access to public transportation and their workplaces, and foreigners and investors who tend to own property towards the top, where there are pleasant views.

There is a huge variation in housing prices across the different favelas and even within favelas themselves - in Rocinha, a 1 or 2 bedroom home can range from 30,000 to 150,000 reals.