A family from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, who felt 'trapped in the matrix of the 9 to 5', have sold their five-bedroom dream home and relocated to Southeast Asia, where they now live on £40 a day.
Parents Amelia Wray, 31, and Billy Evans, 37, decided to make the move after realising they had limited time to spend with their children Archie, four, Annie, two, and Albert, one. They travelled to Thailand in July 2025 for seven weeks to test the lifestyle and, after falling in love with it, listed their house for sale.
The family departed from Heathrow on November 4, using proceeds from the house sale to fund their new life. They now spend £1,250 per month on living expenses and £550 on accommodation, compared to £2,500 per month in the UK.
Ms Wray said: 'We were both feeling very trapped in the matrix of the nine-to-five. We felt like we only got one day a week as a family on a Sunday – it was just not cutting it.' She added that they want to show their children they don't have to follow society's expectations.
The family are starting in Bangkok before heading to northern Thailand and then exploring the islands, with plans to move around Southeast Asia. Ms Wray said the response from friends and family has been mixed, but that the lifestyle is family-oriented and affordable.
