Ryan Blackley, now 35, and his wife Jess, 32, have 'retired' and left the UK to travel the world with their two sons, spending just £60 a day. The family moved to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand in February with Noah, six, and Bodhi, four, after deciding the UK was not the right place to raise their children.
Funding the Lifestyle
The couple class themselves as retired because they rent out two flats and their family home in the UK, bringing in an estimated £2,500 per month. They spend an average of £1,800 each month on their travels, compared with £2,200 monthly costs in the UK.
Their original plan was to move to Portugal and travel Europe, but they changed course when they realised Asia would be warmer in winter, leading them to move 5,800 miles away. They left with just two suitcases and a backpack each.
Reasons for Leaving
Ryan, originally from Cambridge, said: "We had a plan basically of how to get out of the UK and that was through property. But I think we obviously had a good life in the UK but it got to a point where I guess we felt that the UK wasn't the right place for us to live and bring up kids."
He added: "The cost of living is insane. We've got two boys and at some point, they are going to want to go out on their own and we don't feel the UK is a safe country anymore because knife crime is massive and I don't want one of the kids being a statistic of knife crime anymore."
Ryan also criticised the school system, saying: "The school system is a very outdated system. For us the whole concept of life is backwards because you've got to go to school, work, and then enjoy life when you're 68-years-old. Who knows one, if you'll be alive then and then two, health-wise what that will be. This way we're teaching the kids everything."
Property Journey
Jess bought her first flat at 20 for £120,000, rented it out, and the couple bought their second flat for £145,000 after saving money while travelling and working abroad for two and a half years, visiting 27 countries. They sold it for £183,000, bought another two-bed flat for £190,000, and finally bought their four-bed family home in 2021.
All properties are rented out either through Airbnb or with private tenants, allowing them to retire early. Jess said they got caught up in the "monotony" of school runs in the UK, adding: "Every time I'd pick Noah up from school I'd ask 'how was your day blah blah blah'. He'd say 'these kids were naughty today' or 'these kids got their names on the board' and I never heard positive things."
Life in Thailand
The couple hold a five-year Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), which allows them to live and work remotely in Thailand. They have travelled around Thailand, including visits to Chiang Rai, Bangkok, Udon Thani and Kanchanaburi, and are currently in Koh Samui, planning to visit Malaysia and Singapore next.
Ryan said: "Obviously we still have the house in the UK and if this all fails, we'll simply go back. We've done nearly six months already and I don't see us ever returning, not in a living capacity but literally just to visit the family."
He added: "We're quite fine with the simple life like eating Thai food. We don't drink alcohol or go to bars or fancy restaurants. The rolling average from the last five months is £1,800 for the month for four of us. We were everyday people, just a normal family who had a dream to get out and travel the world and give our kids a different life."
Their monthly costs in Thailand include accommodation at £790, food at £350, and other expenses averaging £420, totalling £1,560 in July. In the UK, their monthly costs were mortgage £1,459, bills £427, and food £400, totalling £2,296.
