A British family who spent £20,000 to move across the world say it was "worth it" because their new home reminds them of how the UK was "in the 90s".
Sean Purdy, 36, and wife Tania, 40, first travelled South America for nine months last year with their children Atticus, eight, and Aurelia, seven. Despite Tania tutoring online and Sean working as a freelance marketer while travelling, their savings dwindled, and they returned to the UK in May 2026.
Rapid Job Offer and Move
While travelling, Tania applied for teaching roles in New Zealand and secured an interview the day after they landed back in the UK. She was offered the role a week later, and the family put their home, which they had rented out for £1,500 per month during their travels, on the market.
After struggling to sell it, even at auction, they took out a £15,000 loan and secured a further £5,000 with help from family. In September 2026, they flew out to settle in Katikati, Bay of Plenty, in a three-bed rental annexe home on someone else's land.
Community Feel and Lifestyle
Sean has left his marketing job for a labouring role to make ends meet while Tania teaches at a secondary school. They have moved with the intention of staying in New Zealand for the rest of their lives and are loving the "community feel" of their new home.
Sean, originally from Nether Heage, Derbyshire, said: "Things happened quickly. The day after we landed Tania had her interview and then a week later she was offered the job. We sat on it for 10 days, but we realised it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We decided to make it happen."
He added: "It was a process of finding money from a combination of loans and help from the family. Initially, the reason we wanted to move out of the UK was the cost of living, but in New Zealand it's pretty much on par with back home. For us, it's the work-life balance. We still work in New Zealand, but everything is a bit more slow-paced and not so much like the nine-to-five rat race the UK seems to have."
Costs of the Move
The family spent an estimated £15,000 to £20,000 on the move, with straight-to-residence visas costing £3,000. Health checks for the family of four cost £800, police checks for Sean and Tania cost £300, and flights were £3,000.
Despite the initial costs, Sean said the move was "100% worth it". He said: "I think we knew the first year or two might be harder as we're starting from scratch in a new country and wages might be lower and finding out costs, and making things cheaper. Obviously for me I don't have a job in marketing, but I've done it just to get by."
He added: "We can walk to the beach or get mountain bikes and go to the mountain – it's a five-minute drive. In general there's a good beach an hour's drive away, max, in New Zealand. We've got that outdoors lifestyle, which is the big benefit and just the community element."
Settling In and Children's School
Settling into their new home, Sean noted the friendliness of people. He said: "It reminds me of how the UK was in the 90s, or the very rural countryside where people just seem to want to help out complete strangers. It threw us off a bit as our experience in the UK, people are helpful, but you are more into yourself and what you need to do."
Children Atticus and Aurelia have enrolled at a local school and will learn the New Zealand curriculum. Sean said: "They joined the school, which is like a Montessori equivalent that you'd have to pay for in the UK. In the UK it's normal, whereas here there is an outdoor forest play area and it's super chilled. Some of the classrooms are joined together and going barefoot is encouraged."
Long-term, Sean said their two-year plan was to have a mortgage and own their own bit of land. He said: "It does also depend on when we sell the house, as that will release a good chunk of equity to be put down as a deposit. We'll get a year under our belt, get a good credit history and get a mortgage."
Sean will earn $75,000 NZD (£31,942.50) annually, and Tania is estimated to earn $100,000 NZD (£42,590) per year with a slightly shorter working day than in the UK. He said: "We have moved with the intention of staying here for the rest of our lives. In some ways, the younger Kiwis end up leaving as they say there is not much to do. Who knows, when the kids are older they might leave and potentially we might leave with them."
The family's monthly costs in the UK were: mortgage £900, council tax £250, electricity £200, broadband £30, and food £400-£600, totalling £1,780-£1,800. In New Zealand, their costs are: rent £1,200, council tax £0 (they do not have to pay it), electricity £150-£200, broadband £40, and food £388, totalling £1,778-£1,828.
