Ed Porter, 35, and his wife, Kim, 34, ditched their life in the UK to live in a remote New Zealand village
Ed, 35, and his wife, Kim, 34, with their two children Elijah, 12, and Willow, 7
A couple who upped sticks to New Zealand in a bid to provide their children with a ‘better future’ say they’ll never return home to the UK.
Ed Porter, 35, and his wife, Kim, 34, were living in Henley-on-Thames, South Oxfordshire, when they booked a family staycation in a cabin in New Zealand in 2024, and were astounded by the £1,200 price tag.
They then started questioning how much more costly life in Britain would become for their children, Elijah, 12, and Willow, seven, when it came to them buying a house.
The parents then chose to relocate the family to a remote village in New Zealand for a picturesque rural lifestyle, better financial opportunities and a more stable future for Elijah and Willow.
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They completed the £30,000 relocation to Warkworth on North Island in June following a year of preparation – and now Ed and Kim say they could never envisage themselves returning to the UK.
The family now enjoy an “idyllic” life in a five-bedroom beachfront property costing £1,600 a month to rent – and claim the equivalent in the UK would cost around £2 million to buy.
Their new home is allowing them to “live their dream”, all whilst creating a brighter future for their children.
Ed and Kim said they adore the “positive” community atmosphere, the warm and respectful nature of their Kiwi neighbours, the glorious weather and breathtaking scenery.
They now enjoy an ‘idyllic’ lifestyle(Image: SWNS)
While they acknowledge they “miss a Tesco shop”, the couple say New Zealand even boasts a ‘thriving pub scene’ that can match Britain’s – with top-quality pints priced at under £3.
“We started thinking about the future of our children in terms of having their own independence with buying properties in the future,” Ed, who works in property, explained.
“We initially considered a move to the States but that has its fair share of problems too, and we settled on here.
“The move was very nerve wracking and an emotional rollercoaster – but we love it.
“We’re blown away by how welcoming everyone has been, and we can already see ourselves growing old here.
“You’re never more than ten minutes from one of the beaches – which have crystal clear turquoise seas and white sands.
“Plus pints are £2 something and the the pies alone are worth moving for. It’s a slice of paradise.”
Before leaving the UK, Ed and Kim’s independent coffee shop was encountering difficulties. They decided that exploring an overseas relocation that would enhance the family’s finances whilst providing them with an alternative way of living.
The family say they made the right decision(Image: SWNS)
Following their decision on New Zealand, they set the wheels in motion – submitting applications for £600-per-person visas, £195-per-person health assessments and £100-per-person document validations.
They also secured a rental property and hired a £12,500 shipping container to transport all their furniture and belongings on an 11,500-mile journey to their new residence.
Following the closure of their coffee shop, both Ed and Kim embarked on building fresh careers – Ed ventured into property whilst Kim pursued a self-taught role in website development and data entry.
Having spent a month living in an empty house after their belongings were collected for shipping, the anxious yet thrilled family boarded their £830-per-person flight on June 26 and bid farewell to Henley-on-Thames permanently.
“We didn’t even go for a trip there to visit before we moved. We just had a gut feeling it was where we needed to be,” Ed said.
“The first two weeks were a roller coaster – we kept thinking one day how amazing it was, and the next we’d be questioning if we made the right decision.
“But once the kids came home from their first day at school and told us they loved it, we finally gave a sigh of relief.”
The family’s beachfront rental(Image: SWNS)
Ed praised the “welcoming, helpful and kind” local community – along with the “positive” outlook that New Zealanders possess.
“The kids walk themselves down the lane, and get the bus to school and back,” Ed said.
“Other British expats here have compared it to England in the 1970s.
“The kids cycle home and throw their bikes down without locking them up, doors are left on the latch, neighbours share food – people have time for each other.
“It’s just this amazing rural community.”
Ed said the family were taken aback by some aspects of New Zealand life – including the Kiwis’ “dark humour” and fondness for wandering around barefoot, even in supermarkets.
Pub culture is very much alive in New Zealand too, and Ed’s local community all head out for pizza and beers together.
He said the most expensive pint at his local costs “£2-something” – a third of what Ed paid in Henley-on-Thames.
“Everyone loves a drink here and it wasn’t hard to find a decent English cider either,” Ed said.
The family are enjoying a different lifestyle to the UK(Image: SWNS)
The couple live in a five-bedroom rental property overlooking the seafront, but have aspirations to purchase land down the line.
The family are searching for a smallholding – a building surrounded by land – where they plan to construct two additional houses for Elijah and Willow.
“I can’t see us coming back – we can see ourselves growing old here,” Ed said.
“If our kids want to travel, back to the UK or Europe or America, they can do – and they’ll have this safe HQ back in New Zealand.
“We’re not wealthy, we just had a dream and we did it.
“It took us 12 months – nothing happens overnight.
“But we paid around £30k – less than some people pay for a car – to buy a decent future for our children.”
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