A short, funny—and painfully relatable—video from a Kenyan woman living in the United States has struck a nerve across social media after she broke down the costs of the so-called “American dream” with brutal honesty.
In the viral clip, the woman rattles off her monthly expenses with the energy of someone trying to laugh through financial pain:
“American dream. $2,500 rent. $1,000 car insurance. $1,000 car mortgage. $800 child support. $200 electricity and water. $100 phone bill. I remain with only $3. This is my American dream.”
Her deadpan delivery turns the video into comedic gold, but the numbers behind the joke reflect a larger, growing reality for immigrants and Americans alike.
The cost of living in major U.S. cities has soared to unprecedented levels, and even middle-income households now find themselves squeezed by rent, insurance, utilities and transportation costs that can swallow entire paychecks.
A Joke With a Hard Truth
For many Africans seeking opportunity in the U.S., the idea of the “American dream” remains powerful. But in recent years, immigrants have increasingly used social media to show the other side of the story: the long hours, the debt, the stress, and the relentless bills that follow.
The woman’s breakdown mirrors the financial strain faced by thousands who migrate in search of stability, only to discover that the U.S. economic landscape can be unforgiving, especially for newcomers balancing remittances, childcare, transportation and housing with little structural support.
The humor is her coping mechanism, but the commentary is real.
Why the Video Hit Home
The clip has been widely shared not just for its comedy, but because viewers across continents recognized themselves in it. From Nairobi to New York, comment sections are filled with people comparing their own cost-of-living battles.
It also highlights something immigration experts have long pointed out: the U.S. remains a land of opportunity, but it increasingly requires a level of financial endurance and resilience that many are unprepared for.
As more immigrants publicly push back against romanticized narratives of life abroad, videos like this serve as mini-dispatches from the diaspora — honest, humorous and necessary. They chip away at the myth that success in America is automatic or easy.
