A woman who said she was spending nearly £3,000 a month to feel depressed in the UK has revealed how she now lives in a Greek waterfront villa for a fraction of the cost. Renae Smith documented her move on TikTok, saying her new life on the continent has brought her 'pure joy' at a cost of just £706 (€800) per month.
Detailing her previous outgoings, she said: 'I paid £2,200 per month for my rent in the UK plus council tax, which was around £240 per month and electricity and gas, which was around £140.' She then panned her camera to show the stunning view from her Greek home, just yards from the sea with a mountainous backdrop.
Renae gave followers a brief tour of the open-plan Mediterranean stone villa, which she said was fully equipped. 'It just makes no sense,' she admitted. 'I just can't live in the UK anymore, I had to pack up and come here because I can look at this every morning for €800 a month and walk there... it's the sea.'
However, many TikTok users were sceptical about the value for money. One person noted that €800 to €1,000 is the average Greek salary, adding: 'Greeks definitely cannot afford this rent.' Another said paying €800 rent a month in Greece was the equivalent of paying £2,500 in the UK. A third pointed out that where rents are cheaper, work also pays less, making it hard for locals unless they work remotely.
Renae acknowledged this, stating: 'Yes. But my income is from the UK. Not Greece. I work remotely.' A Greek man living in the north west of England sided with her, saying he was tolerating the UK for another four years before moving to Santorini. A British woman also commented: 'What a beautiful life you are living. This is what I want.'
In a follow-up video, Renae responded to critics, clarifying she was not claiming €800 a month was cheap for a Greek person on a seasonal island. She said: 'I'm saying that in the UK I was paying £3,000 to live in suburbia and I was miserable, but here I rent an off-season Airbnb, which for me is much cheaper and I'm happy.' She added that she had been working towards this since 2017, and while she was proud of her achievement, she was not putting down those who could not do the same.
