A man moved from the UK to Thailand to live in a three-bedroom villa with a pool and jacuzzi as ‘it’s cheaper than London’ – saving him almost £10k-a-year on rent.
Richard Klein, 20, decided to move to Chiang Mai, Thailand, in June 2023 – after travelling Asia and falling in love with the country.
Why Thailand is better than London
The ex-athlete had been travelling with his sister, Santa, 29, an artist, since October 2022 and they had both initially wanted to move to Barcelona, Spain, before settling on Thailand.
Richard quit his job as a compliance and emigrations officer after making more money as an Amazon seller – and realising he could work from anywhere online.
‘Thailand is better’
Richard and Santa now live in a three-bedroom villa with a pool and spend £700 on rent, pay £2.50 for their water bill, and £25 to £30 on the electricity every month.
His family had been paying around £1.5k-a-month for their home in Twickenham, London – double the price of Richard’s rent in Thailand.
Richard said: ‘I found in the UK every person you meet is going through the system and not sure what they are doing. You have the ability to express yourself in Thailand.
‘It’s cheaper and the weather is nice. There are lots of digital nomads here.’
Richard started making money online alongside his corporate job and decided to travel to Europe in summer 2021.
After getting the travel bug, he backpacked around Asia before falling in love with it and deciding to move.
Richard and Santa found a place for £700 – less than half the price of their family rented home in London – but said they could have found something much cheaper if they went for a smaller home.
They are able to live in Thailand on educational visas – and Richard is learning Thai boxing, Muay Thai, to comply with his.
The hustle and bustle of Thailand
He said: ‘There are no financial restrictions. It’s flexible. It’s brilliant – a much nicer environment. Chiang Mai has the hustle and the bustle and the nature.’
Richard said the cost of living is very cheap and a night out will cost him a maximum of £30.
He said: ‘Shots are £1. You can drink all night long and not spend more than £30. It’s £1 for a dinner.’
Richard is now sharing tips for other people to start a business online to encourage them to move out and work remotely.
He said: ‘Day to day it can get a bit lonely. It’s a very different walk of life. It’s a beautiful country.
‘I’m really glad I moved. I wouldn’t change it for the world, I don’t have any regrets. You feel alive out here.’
Richard plans to stay in Thailand for the next few years, as he also manages parties on several islands near Chiang Mai, but wants to keep travelling and living in other countries.
