I ditched overwhelming bills in the UK for Doha sunshine — and no longer ‘work to exist’

When Andreea Daly booked her one-way flight to Doha in May, she’d truly had enough of living in the UK.

Her monthly rent in Berkshire racked up to an exorbitant £1,300 per month – and once bills, transport and essentials like food had been added on, her wallet was left pretty empty.

Restaurants, alcohol and even simple hobbies weren’t in her budget, as she ‘didn’t have the time or spare cash for them.’

So, she decided to swap out grey skies for desert sunshine in the Qatar capital, putting all her belongings in storage.

In Doha, the same amount gets her a hotel-style apartment with all bills included, meaning she can splash her spare cash on beach clubs, travel and adventures.

What was meant as a summer experiment has turned into a permanent move, with Andreea finding the work-life balance she’d been craving.

‘In the UK, you’re just working to exist and pay the bills. I didn’t have the time, energy or spare cash to do any socialising really,’ she says.

‘I had the mortgage and the Netflix subscription, which didn’t give me much joy – but I didn’t have a bad life by any stretch.’

It was a relationship change that prompted her to seek a new life, and so she decided that, having lived in the UK since she was eight, it was time for a fresh start.

Andreea was born in Romania, but says she’s never felt truly at home in either country – now, she’s truly found her people.

‘I had no social life for a long time – partly out of choice, partly because I was working so hard. My social side was only really through work events,’ the 41-year-old, who runs a money-saving start-up for small businesses called Money Squirrel, says.

Being self-employed, Andreea has worked for herself for years – but admits that she never considered taking full advantage of the digital nomad set-up before.

Visiting Doha for a tech conference completely changed her perspective on her vision for life, and when her previous relationship ended, the decision was cemented for her.

She says: ‘There was never a better time to take advantage of [moving]. It’s such an awesome expat community. Everyone there treats you like you’re part of the family.

‘When I decided to put everything in storage, I thought, you know what, let’s see how summer goes and spend a bit of time there.

‘I knew if I could find somewhere fairly cheap to rent, I could spend the rest of my salary on flights and see this side of the world.

‘I just wanted to live the laptop life that other people live and experience more of the world for myself.’

But over the last five months, Andreea hasn’t had to travel further afield to experience the adventure she was searching for – as she’s been busy simply enjoying ‘day-to-day life’ in Doha.

Now, Andreea’s social life is blossoming – and her WhatsApp often ‘blows up from people making plans one day to the next.’

‘I now get to spend my cash on such different things, on such a different lifestyle like going to beach clubs, spending the day with friends on weekends because it’s too hot to do anything else,’ she says.

She adds that she often ‘goes to the desert overnight,’ usually because ‘someone wants to take a 4×4 out there and watch the sun come up in the morning.’

When she was in the UK, she’d often spend her weekends ‘stuck indoors,’ but now, beach clubs are the norm for her.

The experience has also reignited her passion for scuba diving, and she loves that she has the freedom to take a dip whenever she wants. Plus, the weather has given her a renewed appreciation for the outdoors.

She reflects: ‘What’s really important to me is being outdoors and having some warmth and sunshine much more of the year. It’s not as frivolous as it sounds – it’s about being outdoors and enjoying it.’

For now, Andreea is organising her full-time residency status, but is happy enough living on a tourist visa and crossing the border every couple of months to meet the conditions.

Though she’s not sure exactly how long she’ll stay for, she’s in no rush to return to the UK, as she says she doesn’t ‘miss the rain, the rush hour or the bills.’

‘I’ve never felt so content,’ she says. ‘Every day can feel like an adventure, and I finally have the balance I always dreamed of.’

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