{"id":239544,"date":"2025-10-25T09:16:12","date_gmt":"2025-10-25T09:16:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/239544\/"},"modified":"2025-10-25T09:16:12","modified_gmt":"2025-10-25T09:16:12","slug":"aussie-family-pack-up-and-move-to-bali-after-growing-tired-of-sydney-traffic-taxes-and-the-cost-of-living-heres-why-theyre-never-coming-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/239544\/","title":{"rendered":"Aussie family pack up and move to Bali after growing tired of Sydney traffic, taxes and the cost of living – here’s why they’re never coming back"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Kate and Leigh sat in a caf\u00e9 in Sydney<\/a>‘s Erskineville, they weren’t planning a life overhaul, just a short break.<\/p>\n

Leigh had long service leave coming up, and Kate was on a career pause.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But what started as a casual chat quickly snowballed into a bold decision: pack up their lives and move to Bali with their two children.<\/p>\n

‘I was imagining us aimlessly wandering Sydney, sipping coffee with no real purpose. But then we realised, why not do something extraordinary?’ Kate said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Within months, the family had swapped city traffic for scooter rides through rice fields, school drop-offs for surf lessons, and Sydney’s sky-high costs for Bali’s breezy affordability.<\/p>\n

Their 16-month adventure became more than a sabbatical – it was a complete lifestyle reset.<\/p>\n

They settled in Canggu, choosing Canggu Community School after Kate toured five different campuses across the island.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The kids adapted quickly. Annie had a birthday party with ten new friends just weeks after arriving. Flynn found his rhythm with gym sessions and surfing.<\/p>\n

\"Kate, <\/p>\n

Kate, Leigh and their children (pictured) packed up their lives in Sydney and moved to Bali\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘The kids settled faster than we did. Within two months, we had routines, favourite warungs, and a community,’ Kate said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Their days were filled with wellness activities, yoga, breathwork, cold plunges, and gym workouts.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kate even overcame her fear of scooters, eventually embracing the freedom of zipping through Bali’s bustling streets.<\/p>\n

The family tried living in two neighbourhoods, Umalas and Canggu, each offering a different vibe.<\/p>\n

Umalas was more residential and close to school, while Canggu had a stronger expat community and a deeper local connection.<\/p>\n

Healthcare, often a concern for expats, turned out to be a pleasant surprise.\u00a0<\/p>\n

From house calls to affordable procedures, the family has found Bali’s medical system more responsive than Sydney’s.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘The nurse who comes to our villa is the best I’ve ever had,’ Kate says.<\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The family say that the cost of living changes are the most noticeable in their Bali lifestyle<\/p>\n

One of their most noticeable changes was the cost of living.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Local meals for a family-of-four cost just $15, while transport via Gojek scooters was rarely more than $1.20.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Villas ranged from $AUD25,000 to $140,000 per year, and often included household staff, cleaners, gardeners, and pool maintenance.<\/p>\n

‘We live in gym clothes,’ Leigh said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘We’ve simplified everything. It’s healthier, cheaper, and we spend more time together.’<\/p>\n

Originally planning to spend nine months in Bali, the family extended their stay to 16 months after seeing how much their children thrived.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘It’s like a student exchange, but we got to come with them,’ Kate says.<\/p>\n

The family’s story is part of a much bigger trend.<\/p>\n

\"Kate <\/p>\n

Kate and Leigh are among a rising trend in Aussies leaving Australia due to cost of living<\/p>\n

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 30,470 more Australians left than returned in 2022\u201323, followed by 24,170 in 2023\u201324, the highest net departures in nearly a decade<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Increasingly, it’s not just retirees or backpackers leaving it’s young families and professionals seeking better financial futures.<\/p>\n

Dubai is another hotspot, attracting Australians with its zero income tax, safety, and luxury lifestyle.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Back home, the pressure is mounting.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The University of Melbourne’s HILDA report reveals that Australians are working longer and paying more tax than ever.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The average tax rate for full-time workers has surged to 20.3 per cent, the highest since records began in 2001.<\/p>\n

Australians in their 30s to 50s are bearing the brunt, with many delaying retirement due to financial strain.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

And the stress is reshaping family life.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Simone <\/p>\n

Simone Collins, founder of Our Year in Bali (pictured) helps Aussies relocate to the island<\/p>\n

Australia’s fertility rate has plunged to a record low of 1.461 births per woman, well below the replacement level of 2.1.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Experts warn the country is entering ‘ultra-low fertility territory’, a demographic cliff that can be difficult to reverse.<\/p>\n

With more Aussies moving overseas, experts fear a looming ‘brain drain’, a loss of talent to countries offering a better quality of life and financial freedom<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Simone Collins, founder of Our Year in Bali, has helped families, including Kate and Leigh relocate to the island.<\/p>\n

She says motivations for the move are changing.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘Before, it was all about adventure,’ she told Daily Mail.<\/p>\n

‘Now, it’s about survival. Families are coming to Bali because they’re overwhelmed by the cost of living in Australia, especially childcare, housing, and everyday expenses<\/a>.’<\/p>\n

Ms Collins says she’s seen a surge in inquiries from young families and retirees alike, particularly from Sydney and Melbourne.<\/p>\n

\"Bali <\/p>\n

Bali offers expats a laidback lifestyle, a focus on wellness and a better cost of living (stock)<\/p>\n

‘People are exhausted. They’re working long hours, paying high taxes, and missing time with their kids. In Bali, their money goes further, and they get their time back.’<\/p>\n

The savings are substantial.<\/p>\n

‘Food is at least 30 to 40 per cent cheaper. Transport, domestic help, and childcare are dramatically more affordable. Even if housing costs are similar, you’re getting a villa with a pool and staff, not a cramped apartment,’ Ms Collins said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For many, the move isn’t just financial, it’s emotional.<\/p>\n

‘They’re sick of the grind. Bali offers breathing space, better value, and a chance to reset. The money equals more time. And that’s what people are really chasing.’<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When Kate and Leigh sat in a caf\u00e9 in Sydney‘s Erskineville, they weren’t planning a life overhaul, just…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":239545,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[100,43,44,41,39,42,40],"class_list":{"0":"post-239544","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-headlines","8":"tag-dailymail","9":"tag-headlines","10":"tag-news","11":"tag-top-news","12":"tag-top-stories","13":"tag-topnews","14":"tag-topstories"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/239544","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=239544"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/239544\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/239545"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=239544"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=239544"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=239544"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}