“Checkers, I’m Sorry for Complaining”: Korean Man Shares Why Mzansi Is the Best Country in the World

• A South Korean content creator living in Cape Town went viral after explaining why he believes South Africa is the number one country in the world based on the cost of living
• Digital creator @minjae0307 shared his shock at paying R200 for four tomatoes in Mauritius that were grown in South Africa, comparing it to expensive cigarettes during Covid
• His video attracted over 3,400 reactions as he praised South Africa's affordability compared to other countries he's visited around the world

A South Korean man living in Cape Town has given South Africans a fresh perspective on their country's economy after a shocking grocery shopping experience abroad.

Digital creator @minjae0307, who has 48,900 followers and lives in Cape Town, shared a video on the 19 of June explaining why he considers South Africa the number one country in the world.

The content creator's revelation came after a recent holiday to Mauritius, where he went grocery shopping to buy healthy food. At the vegetable section, he discovered that four tomatoes cost R200, leaving him stunned.

"I'm looking at the package and I'm like these tomatoes must have been grown in Mount Fiji, non-GMO, gluten-free, organic, workers are giving positive affirmations to these tomatoes," he joked.

The biggest surprise came when he checked the packaging and found the expensive tomatoes were grown in South Africa. He compared the price to buying cigarettes during Covid, saying they were as expensive as purchasing a pack of Chicago cigarettes or paying R90 for Caesar Gold at the spaza shop.

Mzansi relates to his grocery shock

South Africans found the Korean creator's experience both amusing and eye-opening, with many relating to his perspective on local prices.

@laetitia.duplessis.353 agreed:

"With all the corruption in this country, fortunately, our food is quite affordable, and our countryside is so beautiful with animal and plant diversity ❤️"

@kebanem apologised:

"Checkers, I am sorry for complaining..."

@carla_muis added:

"And R40 for 4 tamaties is also duur."

@frannyforeveryoung joked:

"Haha, I've put the naartjies back today 🤭😂SA people don't even want to pay 15 rands for fruit n veg over there."

Global price differences explained

According to the World Bank, prices of goods and services differ dramatically across countries, and travellers often find products abroad cost very different amounts compared to back home. This is known as the Penn effect, where prices are typically lower in poorer countries and higher in richer ones.

The World Bank uses purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates to compare living standards accurately, adjusting for different costs of buying similar goods and services in each country. PPPs help measure how much a single unit of a country's currency can buy in another country, converting costs into "international dollars" for fair comparison.

For example, the same basket of goods might cost different amounts in different countries due to local economic conditions, labour costs, and market factors. This explains why South African tomatoes could be affordable locally but extremely expensive when exported to tourist destinations like Mauritius.

Watch the Facebook reel here.

3 other stories about the cost of living

• Briefly News recently reported on Capetonians complaining about unbearable living costs in 2025, but what specific aspect of daily expenses had them most frustrated, surprised many readers.
• A real estate agent gave viewers a tour of a R22,000 per month apartment in Green Point, though South Africans' reaction to the monthly rent sparked controversy about something concerning.
• A man shared his R500 Woolworths grocery haul for one week's meals, but what social media users said about his shopping choices had everyone questioning their budgeting skills.

Source: Briefly News