Cost of Living
Your money lives differently abroad.
Cost-of-living headlines are almost always written for single-person backpackers. This hub shows what a UK family actually spends — once schools, healthcare, housing and the weekend coffee are all in the same column.
The big picture
What changes, and what doesn't.
Some costs collapse abroad: fresh produce, eating out, healthcare, household help, transport. Some stay similar: a decent international school costs a decent international school amount, almost anywhere. And some go up: imported brands, alcohol, electronics, and the comforting Western groceries you didn't realise you needed.
"We expected things to be cheaper. We didn't expect which things to be cheaper."
Side by side
A family of four, six countries.
Illustrative monthly costs in GBP for a family of four living a comparable middle-class lifestyle. Schools assume private/international where state isn't a realistic option for English-speaking families.
| Location | Housing | Food | Healthcare | Schooling | Transport | Lifestyle | Total / mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK (Surrey, family of 4) | £2,200 | £900 | £120 | £0 (state) | £480 | £600 | £4,300 |
| Portugal (Algarve) | £1,250 | £550 | £140 | £480 | £280 | £500 | £3,200 |
| Spain (Costa del Sol) | £1,400 | £500 | £160 | £550 | £260 | £600 | £3,470 |
| Thailand (Krabi) | £950 | £420 | £90 | £780 | £180 | £500 | £2,920 |
| Bali (Canggu) | £1,100 | £380 | £110 | £620 | £140 | £450 | £2,800 |
| Dubai | £2,800 | £950 | £220 | £1,400 | £420 | £900 | £6,690 |
Illustrative figures, mid-2025. Real spending varies widely with city, lifestyle and family size. Not financial advice.
Category by category
Housing — usually the headline number.
For most relocating families, housing is both the biggest line and the biggest variable. A three-bed villa with a pool on the Algarve costs less than a two-bed flat in Guildford. A central Lisbon apartment costs the same as it does in many UK cities. The country matters less than the city.
Food
Fresh wins. Imported loses.
Fresh produce, meat, fish and cheese cost a fraction of UK prices almost anywhere south of the Channel. Imported British snacks, branded baby formula and good wine often cost more than at home. Most families' food bills drop by 30–50% — but only after they stop trying to recreate their UK shop.
Healthcare
The pleasant surprise.
Private healthcare in Portugal, Spain, Thailand and Malaysia is excellent and dramatically cheaper than UK private equivalents. A family of four can be comprehensively insured for £150–£250 per month in most popular destinations — and the experience usually beats the NHS waiting list.
Illustrative example
Family of four, comprehensive private cover
- Portugal (Médis or Tranquilidade)
- £180 / month
- Spain (Sanitas or Adeslas)
- £200 / month
- Thailand (BUPA or Pacific Cross)
- £140 / month
- Dubai (DHA-required cover)
- £420 / month
Illustrative figures only. Not financial, mortgage, tax, legal or immigration advice.
Schooling
Where the budget often goes.
State schools are excellent in many destinations — but only if your children speak the language. For most arriving UK families, international or bilingual private schools are the realistic option, and they're the single largest line that doesn't drop versus the UK.
Expect £4,000–£12,000 per child per year in popular relocation destinations, with Dubai and Singapore at the higher end and Thailand, Vietnam and parts of Portugal at the lower end.
Transport
Cars matter less than you think.
In coastal Portugal, Spain and most of South-East Asia, a family genuinely needs one car instead of two — and often none. Walkable town centres, cheap taxis and good public transport mean transport budgets routinely halve.
Lifestyle
The line that turns a budget into a life.
Dinners out, weekend trips, gym memberships, kids' activities, the morning coffee. Lifestyle is what makes living abroad feel like living abroad rather than just being there. Budget realistically — most families happily spend the difference between UK and overseas living on actually enjoying the destination.
Questions worth asking
Frequently asked
Are these figures realistic for a single person?+
Single-person costs are typically 40–55% of the family-of-four figures above. Housing scales the least; food and lifestyle scale the most.
How much do I need in 'runway' before relocating?+
Most successful relocators arrive with at least 12 months of estimated overseas costs in liquid savings, on top of any property equity.
What about currency risk?+
Real. Most relocators keep a portion of savings in GBP and convert in tranches, rather than transferring everything on day one.
Do utilities and council tax disappear?+
Council tax does. Utilities are usually similar to or slightly lower than UK equivalents — except air-con in hot climates, which adds £80–£200/month in summer.
Numbers turn the dream into a decision.
Compare destinations, run your own figures, then talk it through.
Educational only · Not financial, mortgage, tax, legal or immigration advice.