Whoa, questions! I thought no one would have any.
@Gruach: I may not be the best person to answer, because while I was born and live in Brazil, I am very privileged in many ways: I am white (I am often amazed by how racist a country with a black majority can be!) and could afford things such as private education and health insurance.
Owning a house is a big goal in life, if you can afford it. Rent is ridiculous, to the point there are more empty houses than homeless people in Brazil. The apartment I currently rent (2 bed) for university costs me 1350 reais, roughly 250 pounds. Minimum wage, however, is currently a little under 1000 reais. So, like I said, I am privileged.
Interior designing is very much a rich people thing. Social class, by the way, is very much about money. There's a huge divide between the truly rich and the poor/middle class.
Good schooling is a problem. Sometimes I read complaints about state schools over there and shake my head, because that's something I don't think mumsnetters realise how lucky they are. It's very frustrating that we pay so much taxes, and yet don't get it back in public services. I would say, based on my experience with poorer people, that the only thing that comes before private education is private health insurance. It's often on the news how people get called for treatment years after they pass away.
Dressing well... I don't think it's a big focus, to be honest. Even people who can afford to buy designer stuff usually buy tees and shorts. It's too bloody hot for many layers of clothes, which means less options to "dress well".
Leisure activities, well, it depends a lot. I live in a reasonable big city (700,000), but there really isn't much to do. When we want to hang out, it's usually to a bar (I don't drink) or to the mall. So, if you want to do something fun, it costs, and it costs a lot. I love plays and orchestras, but it's not something I can do every weekend, or even every month. In February, I attended a ballet with DM and it cost us half a minimum wage, for two hours of entreteniment.
It really varies on where you are - I lived in the northeast Brazil for a while, and I would go to the beach every weekend, which could be free, if you didn't buy anything.
@Ilovewhippets Yes, I do, especially being a woman. There's a huge rape culture. A student was recently raped in my university by another student, and they are keeping it very hush-hush. I worry nothing is going to be done. Most Brazilians consider someone who wears revealing clothes deserves to be raped 
@Brendatheblender Despite all I wrote above, I do recommend Brazil for tourists. The most expensive part of travelling abroad is buying the tickets, so both by necessity and choice I've travelled around Brazil a lot.
I will tell you this: it's very easy to spot foreigners, which makes it easy to rob one. I'm not sure what it is (I suspect the clothes), but it doesn't take a conversation.
It doesn't mean you will be robbed, however. I was never robbed (only by cleaners and the like), and I've been to events rife for robbery: the 2014 world cup, and the Rio Olympics, for example. On public transport, carry your backpack in your front or sit on it; use your card instead of carrying money, and try to avoid using a cellphone in public.
Additionally, you can get a lot of value for your money here because of the current exchange rate. I'm travelling to continental Europe next week and it's going to cost much more than the last time, in 2012, because the exchange rate almost doubled.
Let me know what you like, and I'll recommend some places.