This U.S. Army veteran couldn’t achieve the American dream and now is happy in this South American country: ‘People are friendlier’
Some Americans grappling with the cost of living in the US have taken a leap and moved abroad, now find they can breathe easier like this Army veteran.
It’s never been a walk in the park for Americans living on a fixed income, but rising costs over the past few years have made it even more of a struggle. Some have found that the best way to make their incomes go further is by pulling up stakes and moving abroad.
That was the case for Christopher Boris, a retired US Army veteran. “I could not afford the American Dream,” said Boris speaking to CNN. After five years of barely keeping their heads above water, he and his wife Maria Jesus decided to move up their long-term plan and relocate overseas.
‘People are friendlier’
Christopher and Maria Jesus had originally though about moving to Bolivia, where she is originally from. However, they decided on moving to Brazil, specifically Rio de Janeiro, “because of the higher quality of life,” said Boris. He and his wife had also previously lived there during one of his foreign postings between 2007 and 2008.
"I could not afford the American Dream"
— BuzzRadar (@buzzradarr) May 12, 2025
Christopher Boris an US army veteran relocated to Brazil after struggling with the cost of living in the United States.
(CNN) pic.twitter.com/mu7uK5vF3O
They resettled in an upscale neighbourhood near the famous Ipanema beach in a one-bedroom apartment in July 2024. Nearly a year on, they are living more comfortably and aren’t as stressed about money.
“The dollar goes a long way here,” Boris said, adding, “I live very comfortably. I just have to live on a budget… I have to be careful.” But he acknowledged that life is more affordable for them than it is for many Brazilians.
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He says that they are spending $1,000 less per month on housing and very little on food. “Food in general is just a lot more inexpensive,” he explained. He says that he can get a drink and healthy large snack for about $2.
Boris and his wife felt immediately at home. They’ve found that “there’s more community, it seems like. Even though I don’t have relatives down here… People are friendlier to me,” Chritopher explained to CNN.
He’s been able to make friends relatively easily despite the language barrier. While he still struggles with understanding conversations, his grasp of the language has gotten better and he can understand when someone is talking to him.
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