A UK woman who saved $40,000 in eight months while living in Australia says the key wasn’t a glamorous job, but choosing regional Australia over a major city.

Instead of moving to Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, Jessamyn Jaime, 28, and her partner settled in a small town on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road near the Twelve Apostles, where lower living costs and job perks helped them save about $5000 a month.

Jess told Yahoo News that living outside a capital city made a major difference to their savings.

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“I was able to save more working as a cleaner in Australia than I did working as a teacher back in the UK,” she said.

“Once you’re outside the big cities, there are far fewer temptations to spend, and many rural jobs come with perks like free accommodation and meals.

“That means you can keep your living costs low and save much more of what you earn.”

UK traveller Jessamyn Jaime says her time in Australia changed her life – and left her with a surprising amount in the bank.

She says regional jobs, including cleaning, paid well.

She said smaller towns and country areas can offer travellers and locals a better chance to get ahead than major cities, where rent, transport and social spending can quickly add up.

In regional Victoria, Jess worked as an all-rounder at a motel, with duties including housekeeping, reception, general maintenance and filling in for managers.

She also picked up extra shifts at a local pub, lifting her weekly income further.

She said the secret to earning a decent wage was finding a job paid at casual rates.

“I was on a casual contract, which meant my hours varied from week to week, but I was paid casual rates of pay, which are higher,” she said.

On weekdays, she earned $31.19 an hour, rising to $43.66 on Sundays. On public holidays, her rate doubled to $62.38 an hour.

Jessamyn Jaime and her partner spent eight months living and working in Australia.

The couple saved $40,000 during their time Down Under.

Jess said many people wrongly assume regional Australia is dull, but her experience was the opposite.

After eight months, she had saved enough to help fund her next trip through Latin America.

Speaking from Ecuador, she said living and working in country Australia had been one of the most rewarding experiences of her life.

“I’d highly recommend it to anyone,” she said.

“I honestly feel like I learned more during my time in Australia than I did in my three years at university.

“I also took on jobs I never imagined myself doing, for example managing a motel, which gave me experiences I’ll always value and remember.”