A British family of six has relocated to Poland, trading a cramped three-bedroom semi-detached house in north Warwickshire for a spacious six-bedroom, three-storey home in Gdansk, while slashing everyday costs – a family meal out now costs just £12.60.
Why the move?
Brittany Balinski, 35, her husband, 44, and their four children made the move in July 2026. The decision was driven by a combination of factors: the husband's declining quality of life after years of night shifts as an HGV driver, friends who had successfully moved abroad, and the realisation that Brittany's remote job and business could support the family from anywhere.
With her husband being a Polish national and all four children holding dual citizenship, Brittany was able to apply for a D visa, allowing her to stay for a year, with the option to apply for residency later.
Financial breakdown: UK vs Poland
The family sold their UK house for £275,000 in just 24 hours and sold Brittany's shop in December 2025. They now pay £1,400 per month rent for the six-bed property, compared to their previous £850 mortgage. While rent is higher, other costs are significantly lower: food costs £170 per week versus £230 in the UK, a family meal out is £45-£60 compared to £80-£100, and a litre of milk costs £0.68 versus £1.20.
Brittany highlighted the cost difference: "We went to IKEA on Monday and fed six of us for £12.60 at the restaurant and it's closer to £24 in the UK."
A smooth transition
The family took a "reccy" to Gdansk in December 2025 and found it "comfortable, safe and doable," and they found a school all four kids loved. After selling their home in January 2026, they rented a friend's cottage for 11 weeks, then transported their belongings to Poland for under £3,000 – hiring a £500 van for large furniture and paying £1,500 for a courier for other boxes. Brittany's husband drove to Poland with their eldest child and dog, while Brittany flew with the younger three for £700.
Brittany said: "We literally managed it in less than £3,000." She added: "Even though we're renting and the property is signed on for a year I feel already more settled and at home in this property than I ever did in my own house."
Life in Gdansk
Brittany is "loving" the remoteness of their new home, which overlooks a forest. "The houses are so far away from each other you can't hear anything... you can only hear the birds, it's lovely," she said. She also appreciates the proximity to nature: "Yesterday we drove 20 minutes and were on the beach. It felt like a holiday but it's not, this is life now."
She is enrolling in a Polish language course three times a week and admits she is "frightened" at the prospect of driving on the right side of the road in a left-hand drive car.
Challenges and advice
Brittany notes that Polish wages are "lower" than in the UK, and cars can be expensive, but diesel prices are around 35-40p cheaper. She describes the cost of living as "swings and roundabouts," adding: "You choose what to put your money into."
She also found the bureaucracy different: "Poland is very old school and oldy-worldly with bills. In the UK it's ringing every company and saying 'I live at this new address and I'm the new tenant'. In Poland, no, the landlord physically has to take the new tenant to the office and swap over the paperwork."
Sharing updates on social media, the response has been "overwhelmingly positive," though some comments turned political. Brittany said: "It has nothing to do with anything going on in the world politically or culturally... It's deeply personal reasons. This move works for us and is doable purely because my husband is a Polish national."
She advises other British families considering a similar move: "There aren't other countries you can move to in the blink of an eye and so cheaply as well."
