'I quit the UK for a life of constant sunshine and adventure in Qatar'

A woman who swapped grey skies for desert sunshine says she has never been happier after ditching the UK to start a brand-new life in Doha. Andreea Daly packed up her belongings, put everything into storage and traded her home in Berkshire for an apartment in the Qatari capital – and she’s now saving a fortune.

Back home, the 41-year-old spent around £1,300 a month on rent alone – plus bills, transport and other costs that quickly added up. 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.

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

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“I didn’t go out to restaurants, have expensive food habits, drink or even have any hobbies. I didn’t have the time or spare cash for them.”

Andreea, who runs her own money-saving start-up for small businesses called Money Squirrel, has worked remotely for years but had never taken advantage of the setup before. After a relationship change and with no children or ties keeping her in Britain, she decided it was time for a fresh start.

Originally born in Romania, Andreea moved to the UK aged eight and spent most of her life here. But she says she never fully felt at home in either country. Earlier this year, she made the bold decision to fly out to Doha in May 2025 after visiting the city for a tech conference – and she instantly fell in love with the lifestyle.

She said: “There was never a better time to take advantage of [moving]. It’s such an awesome expat community. Everyone who’s there treats you like you’re part of the family as soon as you step off the plane. 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.

“I’ve ended up not even travelling the last four months – I ended up enjoying day-to-day life in Doha.”

Instead of spending her weekends stuck indoors, Andreea now spends her free time socialising with friends, relaxing at beach clubs and heading into the desert for sunrise drives in a 4x4. She’s also rediscovered her passion for scuba diving and loves being able to get into the water whenever she wants.

The weather – while scorching at times – has given her a new appreciation for the outdoors, and she relishes being able to live in the sunshine all year round. She said: “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, and being near or on the sea. I’m a big scuba diver and I get to be in the water whenever I want now.”

Life back in Britain, she says, had become all work and no play. Between the long hours, the mortgage, and rising living costs, she found herself with little time or money left for a social life. Now her days are filled with new friendships, spontaneous plans and a lifestyle that feels worlds away from the grind she left behind.

She said: “I took a furnished one-bedroom apartment; it’s about £1,300 a month and includes all bills. I looked to rent near where my sister stayed near Stevenage – it’s not particularly a posh or expensive area. But I would have struggled to get anything similar for the same price.

“Basic rent would be around that, plus bills, plus transport costs going in and out of London regularly would have added up. 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.

“Going to the desert overnight because someone wants to take a 4x4 out there and watch the sun come up in the morning. 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. Now my WhatsApp blows up from people making plans one day to the next.”

Andreea is still sorting out her residency status, but for now, she’s content living on a tourist visa and crossing the border every couple of months. She admits she’s not sure how long she’ll stay – but says she’s in no rush to return to the UK.

Andreea added: “I don’t miss the rain, the rush hour or the bills. I’ve never felt so content. Every day can feel like an adventure, and I finally have the balance I always dreamed of.”