Leaving behind the high costs of the UK, a British mother has swapped Hertfordshire for an idyllic Greek island, where she and her family now benefit from an incredibly low cost of living.
Life on this stunning island has slashed Renae Wasik’s expenses to £99 a week for rent and just £20 for groceries – plus she gets fresh olive oil completely for free.
The 43-year-old moved from Welwyn Garden City to Lefkada in November last year with her husband, Pawel, and their two-year-old daughter, Rocca.
Thanks to the affordability of their new island home – connected to mainland Greece by a floating bridge just a minute away – budgeting is now largely a thing of the past.
Before relocating, Renae and her husband – who runs a painting and decorating business – were struggling with a ‘stressful’ lifestyle in the UK, facing £3,000 monthly rent payments alongside rising food and energy bills.
While holidaying in Lefkada, they spotted a plot of land for sale and made a spontaneous offer – which was accepted immediately.
Renae, who is head of PR firm The Atticism, said: ‘That was the moment everything shifted – it forced the conversation into something concrete.’
At the time, she’d joked: ‘We’ve either just made a huge mistake or we’re about to completely change our lives.’
Renae Wasik benefits from an incredibly low cost of living after relocating to an idyllic Greek island
Pictured: The 43-year-old, with her husband, Pawel, and their two-year-old daughter, Rocca at their former home in Hertfordshire
Life in Lefkada means the family now pay just £99 a week for rent and £20 for groceries – all while being able to dine out every week
Now settled into island life, the family of three are able to eat out regularly, with dinner and wine at a local restaurant costing around £11.30 per person, while a flat white is priced at roughly £2.18, and a beer on the marina costs as little as £1.74.
Although some supermarket staples are similarly priced to the UK, local produce is far cheaper, with around £20 enough to cover fruit and vegetables for a week’s worth of meals.
Renae also receives freshly pressed olive oil from a friend, though nearby factories charge as little as 87p per litre.
She said: ‘Every property here has olive trees and when you collect your olives, you take them to the factory and they press it for you for something like €1 per litre. Honey is very similar.
‘We get olive oil from a friend of ours, who gives us 2L plastic bottles whenever we need them for free. It is freshly pressed and the deepest green you’ve ever seen.’
While waiting for their permanent home to be built, the family are happy renting a two-bedroom flat for just £430 a month, including utilities.
The island of Lefkada is located just a minute away from mainland Greece via a floating bridge
The family now enjoy days out relaxing by the marina, or spending weekends sailing, visiting waterfalls, or attending friends’ barbecues, where they sip on €2 (£1.70) beers
Living in Lefkada, home to around 23,000 people, also means prices drop further during the off-season.
Renae said: ‘In winter, if you buy fruit and veg at the local markets (not for tourists) you can get enough for the whole week (3 meals a day) for €25-30.’
Some expenses, including gym memberships and fuel, remain comparable to Britain, and fuel is more costly at €2.009, though the mother insists she doesn’t need to go far as the family live just 10 minutes from the beach in a coastal town called Vasiliki.
One thing that Renae considers ultimately priceless is the slower pace of life and natural surroundings on the island.
Most days are spent working outdoors under orange trees, relaxing by the marina, or spending weekends sailing, visiting waterfalls, or attending friends’ barbecues, where they sip on €2 (£1.70) beers.
She said: ‘In the UK, I worked from home, inside, at a desk, with the heater on most of the year. Now I’m sitting outside under an orange tree while my daughter plays in the dirt, and I work like this most days.
‘Technically, you can do anything in the UK but the reality of how you live day-to-day is completely different.’
The only thing she truly misses is the convenience of food delivery apps and supermarket delivery slots.
The mother said: ‘I miss Deliveroo, UberEats, Waitrose and M&S. I miss being able to get any ingredient I want within 20 minutes.’
However, she insists ‘the peace, the space, the beauty’ of life in Greece is worth the trade-off.
Their daughter, Rocca is set to start preschool next year, with childcare expected to cost the couple next to nothing.
Renae also has two adult daughters, Kyah, 24, and Paris, 23, who are still living in the UK – though they’re not planning on making the move any time soon due to having ‘lives and partners’ at home.
Reflecting on her new life, she concluded: ‘We spend less and live better – way, way better. It’s not about earning more – it’s about needing less, and choosing a different way to live.
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