Ryan Blackley, 35, his wife Jess, 34, and their sons Noah, six, and Bodhi, four, moved to Chiang Mai, Thailand, on February 24, 2026, and now travel the world on a budget of £60 a day. The family, originally from Cambridge, fund their new lifestyle by renting out two flats and their family home in the UK, which they still own. They class themselves as 'retired' because the property work requires minimal upkeep and effort, according to Ryan.
Why the Blackleys left the UK
The Blackleys say they became disillusioned with life in Britain. '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,' Ryan told Metro. 'The cost of living is insane,' he added. Safety was also a key motivator: '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.'
In the year ending March 2025, there were around 53,000 offences involving a sharp instrument in England and Wales, according to official figures cited in the report. The couple were also disenchanted with the traditional 9-5 schedule. '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,' Ryan explained. 'Who knows, one, if you’ll be alive then and then two, health-wise, what that will be?'
World-schooling their children
The family plans to continue world-schooling their sons, an alternative educational approach where children learn through travel, cultural immersion and real-world experiences rather than a traditional classroom. 'This way we’re teaching the kids everything,' Ryan claimed. 'They know how to read, write, maths and English and then learn the skills they don’t get taught at school.' Jess said they got caught up in the 'monotony' of school runs back in the UK. 'Every time I’d pick Noah up from school, I’d ask, “How was your day blah blah blah,”' she explained. 'He’d say, “These kids were naughty today” or “These kids got their names on the board.” I never heard positive things.'
How they afford to retire early
Their early retirement was built on property investments. Jess bought her first flat at 20 years old for £120,000 and rented it out. The couple then bought a second flat for £145,000 after saving 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. Renting them out through Airbnb or with private tenants brings in £2,500 per month. 'We had a plan of how to get out of the UK, and that was through property,' Ryan said.
Life in Asia and future plans
The family originally planned to move to Portugal but changed to Asia for warmer winter weather, moving 5,800 miles away. After their 60-day tourist visa expired, they applied for the five-year Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), which allows them to live and work remotely. They have travelled around Thailand, including Chiang Rai, Bangkok, Udon Thani and Kanchanaburi, and are currently in Koh Samui, planning to visit Malaysia and Singapore next. 'The plan still is to travel the world, but having a base in Asia makes it easier,' Ryan said.
They travel with only two large suitcases and a backpack each. 'It makes you realise you don’t need much in life,' he said. 'We’ve basically got freedom and don’t have to be anywhere by a certain date or time.' The couple stay in Airbnbs, apartments and hotels, booking only a few days in advance. They don’t budget, but Ryan tracks spending. 'We’re quite fine with the simple life, like eating Thai food,' he said. 'We don’t drink alcohol or go to bars or fancy restaurants.' Their rolling average from the last five months is £1,800 per month for the family of four.
The Blackleys don’t plan to return to live in the UK. '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,' Ryan said. However, they keep the UK house as a safety net: 'Obviously we still have the house in the UK, and if this all fails, we’ll simply go back.' They share their journey on Instagram @blackleysabroad and TikTok @travelwiththeblackleys.
