SA Woman Who Lives And Works in USA Shared Her Experience in the Country

A South African lady who now lives and works in the US recounted her time here after being taken aback by the cost and size of a takeout meal she had just bought. South Africans were enthralled by her story, which went viral on social media and sparked a passionate debate about food costs, cultural differences, and the expense of living overseas.

The lady, whose TikTok username is @samukelisiwem92, shared a video on October 23, 2026, in which she sat in a car and lifted the lid to reveal a $12 (or roughly R200) container of steak and rice.

Viewers contrasted the meal’s exorbitant price to the cheap, plentiful lunches sold at taxi stops around South Africa, drawing attention away from the meal’s seeming simplicity.

The lady said that for some time now, the flavour of traditional South African takeout had been nagging at her. The staples of these meals include rice or pap, a protein source such chicken, pig, or beef, and a variety of salads and veggies.

Famous for their vibrant seven-color supper tradition, these meals are loved for their diversity, big servings, and handmade, comforting tastes.

But the American takeout didn’t seem to have the variety she was hoping for, so she was amused.

With over 1,300 comments, her video attracted a lot of attention from people who had different views on whether the purchase was appropriate in terms of value.

Direct comparisons of US costs with South African currencies, according to some observers, provide the false appearance of cheap.

Instead of continually turning their costs into rands, they added, dollar-earning individuals should think about the local buying power.

Tshamano Mukhethwa said that $12 was a fair price for a dinner in the US and urged South Africans residing outside to quit analysing mundane purchases based on currency conversion.

Some viewers were very much against the idea, saying that it was outrageous to spend almost R200 for steak and rice without any extra salads.

Several reviewers noted that the typical South African takeout fare lacked common condiments like coleslaw, beetroot and potato salad.

The topic of South Africans living abroad and their challenges in finding meals that capture the tastes, quantities, and cultural familiarity of home cuisine was also brought up throughout the conversation.

Not only did the video go viral, but it also sparked a larger discussion on how South African and American consumer cultures vary in terms of food, living expenditures, and expectations.

The debate’s conclusion showed how a seemingly insignificant takeout order could spark a national conversation about South African expats’ daily struggles with money, nostalgia, and the mundane.

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