A family of six from north Warwickshire has moved to Gdansk, Poland, trading their three-bedroom semi-detached house for a six-bedroom, three-storey home overlooking a forest. The move, completed in July 2026, means they now pay £1,400 per month in rent, compared to the £850 mortgage they previously paid in the UK, and they report a family meal out costs as little as £12.60.
Brittany Balinski, 35, her husband, 44, and their four children relocated after deciding their UK life was no longer sustainable. Brittany, a content creator, said her husband's quality of life had declined after years of working night shifts as an HGV driver. "After having our fourth child and the chaos of four kids – it's like a creche – he was working really hard and I noticed a slight decline in his quality of life," she explained.
Friends' emigration inspired the move
The decision came after conversations with friends who had already emigrated and were thriving. "It was a combination of things, my husband's declining quality of life, my friends leaving and my friend who had settled in Sweden that made me turn a corner in my own mind and think 'this could be us'," Brittany said.
Brittany's remote job and business allowed her to work from anywhere, and because her husband is a Polish national and all four children hold dual citizenship, she was able to apply for a D visa, which permits a one-year stay with an option to apply for residency later.
Property sold within 24 hours
The couple sold their north Warwickshire home for £275,000 in January 2026, just 24 hours after listing it. They had previously sold Brittany's shop business in December 2025. To avoid disrupting the children's school year, the family rented a friend's property for £2,700 for the final 11 weeks before departing.
The relocation itself was remarkably cost-effective. Brittany's husband hired a £500 van to transport larger belongings to Gdansk, with a relative driving it back. They spent £1,500 on a courier for extra boxes, and £700 on flights for Brittany and the three youngest children, who flew out in July 2026. "We literally managed it in less than £3,000," Brittany said.
Cost of living comparisons
Once in Poland, the family found everyday expenses significantly lower. Their monthly bills total £350, compared to roughly £500 in the UK (covering council tax, water, gas and electric). Food costs have dropped from £230 per week to £170. A trip to IKEA's restaurant fed all six for £12.60, versus around £24 in the UK. Even a routine vet consultation is far cheaper: £30 in Poland against £80 in the UK.
However, not everything is cheaper. "Polish salaries are comparatively lower, and vehicles can be costly," Brittany noted, though diesel is approximately 35-40p per litre cheaper than in the Midlands. "It's swings and roundabouts really, you choose what to put your money into," she added.
Adjusting to life in Gdansk
Brittany plans to enrol in a Polish language course at a nearby college, attending three sessions a week. She admits to feeling "frightened" about driving left-hand drive vehicles on the right side of the road, and hopes the course will build her confidence behind the wheel.
She is delighted with the peace and space their new home offers. "I've lived rurally all my life yet there is no road noise, no vehicle noise," she said. "The houses are so far away from each other you can't hear anything. It's overlooking a lovely patch of forest, you can see all the pine trees in the distance and you can only hear the birds, it's lovely."
She also appreciates the proximity to nature. "Yesterday we drove 20 minutes and were on the beach. It felt like a holiday but it's not, this is life now."
Positive feedback and personal reasons
Sharing her relocation journey on social media, Brittany has received an "overwhelmingly positive" response, though some political comments have surfaced. "A few comments turned sour in terms of politics which I've had to ignore as it got overwhelming," she said. "It has nothing to do with anything going on in the world politically or culturally. It's deeply personal reasons. This move works for us and is doable purely because my husband is a Polish national."
Reflecting on the decision, Brittany said: "I've never really considered I'd make a very good immigrant. I feel very British through and through. But even though we're renting and the property is signed on for a year, I feel already more settled and at home in this property than I ever did in my own house. There is no long-term plan and nothing set in stone but it's already feeling like we've definitely made the right decision."
