We moved to a cheap as chips European country with 3 kids – houses are less than UK train tickets & our food shop is £43

The Sun

16-07-2025

A FAMILY-OF-FIVE have left the UK and moved to a cheap as chips European country.
Now, not only are the houses cheaper than UK train tickets, but their weekly food shop has been majorly slashed too.
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And that's not all, as luckily for these parents, who have three children, their petrol costs are also now a third of the price.
Posting on social media, a couple who are known as 'Fresh Start Sticks', have shared an insight into their new life in Bulgaria.
The family made the decision to move abroad in search of a 'homesteading life,' which is a lifestyle focused on self-sufficiency and often involves practices such as small-scale farming, food preservation, and crafting.
Standing in front of their three-bedroom house which they bought without viewing it in the flesh, the mother said: 'We bought a house in Bulgaria for less than a UK season train ticket, but the price is secondary to the reasons why we made the decision.'
While the mother didn't confirm how much they paid for their home, the cost of a yearly train ticket in the UK varies significantly based on the specific route and class of travel.
The most expensive annual train ticket in the UK is typically for journeys into London, with routes like Harlow Town to London Liverpool Street costing £3,496.
However, some long-distance routes, such as those from Canterbury and Southampton into London, are set to rise more than £300 to £7,100 and £7,477 respectively.
The savvy mum explained that buying the home was a 'massive risk' and while it 'isn't perfect' it's worth it for them.
She then acknowledged their reasons for leaving the UK, as the content creator highlighted: 'We were running out of steam in the UK, things were not getting any better, in fact, it was getting worse - a lot of people's attitudes had changed, things were different, people were different.
'We did a lot of research before turning up in Bulgaria - for us, Bulgaria ticked all the boxes, it was warm in the summer, the only thing that we were a little unsure of was the winter, which gets down to -20.'
We lived in one of the UK's most expensive seaside towns but house prices were mental - so we saved £293k by packing up and moving abroad
The mum-of-three explained that the Visa process was a bit of a faff, but this wasn't the only issue they came across.
She continued: 'When we came to Bulgaria, there were so many pitfalls that we unfortunately fell into and that was the first thing that really irritated us.'
As well as the lengthy Visa process, she shared: 'The estate agents were showing us properties that were derelict and we were not interested in anything that was beyond what we could live in, and also the fees to get your visa were astronomical.'
Huge savings
In another clip, the mother got candid about the cost of living in Bulgaria.
Opening up about her costs, she confirmed that the family spend around £43 a week on food shopping.
They also spend around £26.60 on fuel and £15 a week on fresh fruit.
When it comes to their miscellaneous spending, this normally costs just £6.65 a week, bringing their total weekly spend to around £91.25.
The parents confirmed that this is much cheaper than what they were previously spending, as they explained that whilst in the UK, they would normally fork out between £60 to £80 a week on petrol.
How easy is it to move abroad?
Brexit means British citizens now have to apply for visas to move to countries within the EU. While some countries residency restrictions are easier than others, here's what you need to do at home before moving:
Notify HMRC about your upcoming move.
Let your local authority know and provide a forwarding address.
Contact your mortgage and utility providers and bank before leaving.
If you have paid enough UK national insurance contributions, you can qualify for a state pension abroad - contact the International Pension Centre.
You can sign up to the Royal Mail's redirection service.
If you have outstanding student loans, contact the Student Loans Centre.
If you have children, give due notice to childcares and schools.
Meanwhile, their supermarket food would typically cost them £180 a week and fruits would set them back between £70 and £80 a week.
With a total cost of around £320 a week in the UK, this savvy saver beamed at the 'big difference.'
And not only are they saving a huge amount, but they are also on a mission to reduce their spending even further, as the couple have plans to reduce their shopping costs and grow their own food on their land.
Big divide
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @ freshstartsticks, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 521,400 views.
But social media users were left totally divided by the family's decision to move to Bulgaria - whilst some thought they would 'love' it, others expressed their concerns.
One person said: 'Enjoy your life in Bulgaria.'
Another added: 'Very cool! Welcome to such a beautiful journey.'
A third commented: 'You'll love it in Bulgaria.'
Meanwhile, one troll slammed: 'I couldn't even be paid to move there.'
A second chimed in: 'There is a reason why it's so cheap!!!'
Someone else asked: 'I'm stunned 😳, why have you done this? I have no words.'
Whilst another claimed: 'This is just reckless 😖 I pray for your children and the hell they'll have to go through.'