A Queensland couple discovered the secret to the “perfect life” after selling their property in Australia and moving to Bali for the ultimate family adventure..
Plagued by demanding jobs and mounting expenses, Chad, 40, and Mia Dickson, 38, moved their family to Sanur, 20 minutes southeast of Bali airport, last Christmas after spending a month there in August.
The Dicksons had taken a long holiday for Chad’s 40th birthday before falling in love with the idea of living in Bali “for real” with their three children, ages 18, 13 and nine, and their seven-year-old daughter.
They have been documenting their expat journey on social media, where they have a growing audience of followers who are inspired by their island lifestyle.
But they also have their fair share of critics who warn it’s only a matter of time before they end up back in Australia or asking for help on GoFundMe when things go wrong.
A Queensland couple discovered the secret to the “perfect life” after selling their property in Australia and moving to Bali for the ultimate family adventure.
After spending a month in Bali in August last year for Chad’s 40th birthday, the Dicksons (pictured) returned home, sold their belongings and then moved to the Indonesian island in December.
The family’s extraordinary story began after their trip to Bali for Chad’s birthday.
They were halfway through Australia in a caravan when they decided to turn around and move permanently to the island of Indonesia.
“We didn’t want to go home,” Mia told FEMAIL.
“We came home and sold the car and the caravan,” he added. “The kids were already being homeschooled and we were working online, so we didn’t have much else to figure out.”
Selling their house on wheels gave them some good savings to start their life in Bali. This, in turn, helped them secure a long-term rental.
“You have to pay a year’s rent in advance, and in this area it can range from $20,000 to $60,000 for a three-bedroom villa,” Mia said.
They also had to pay for their visas, two of the most expensive elements of their decision to move.
The couple has a two-year visa; It is six months into their stay and they are not sure if they will return home or not.
Mia and Chad said their work-life balance has never been better since moving to Indonesia.
The family spends only $200 a week on groceries and can ‘eat out for $40’
“We don’t want to put an end date on it, we’re not missing anything from Australia,” he said.
“We miss the family, but most of them have already been visiting.”
The couple said living in Bali had given them the best work-life-school balance they could ask for.
“We’re really getting to know our kids,” Mia said. “We are very lucky to be able to be with them every day.”
Homeschooling is flexible and as long as they finish the work, they can move it up or stop as needed.
“We just did a mini tour of Bali for a week, so we didn’t do any school work then,” Mia said.
They also spend much more time with their children than in Australia.
‘And this week we will do more important days so that we can have free time when my parents are here. “We are heading to Kuala Lumpur later this week and will do the same.”
Most weeks, kids and their parents end up going to school and working for two or three days and “hanging out” the rest.
“We also do a lot of other things, like dance classes, that we’ve never been able to do before in our small town,” Mia said.
Mia is also learning to make jewelry with her 18-year-old son.
The family said living in Bali was certainly possible on a limited budget, especially if imported products were avoided.
Mia’s family participates in many extracurricular activities; she is learning to make jewelry
“We are having a lot of fun trying the Indonesian version of all the foods,” Mia said.
The couple spends about $200 a week on groceries and cooks at home most nights.
When they go out to dinner, they can feed their family of six for $40.
“If we spend $100, it’s a really fancy restaurant,” Mia said.
“We’re also sober which helps, you could spend a lot more if you went out.”
They also try to “live a local life.”
‘We remember that we are not here on vacation: we live here. We don’t have to see all the waterfalls in the first week,” Mia said.
Since they don’t drink and don’t fancy “Australian food” they can be extra frugal, although they are happy to spend money on what is necessary.
‘We drink good coffee every day and that costs us $6 for two. Sometimes we have two a day,” Mia laughed.
The family has Indonesian motorcycle permits, so they can get around like locals and avoid paying drivers.
However, there have been some major adjustments for the family.
‘It’s hard to get things done or know who to contact. For example, if you have a problem with electricity, plumbing, or need a handyman, they will come. But we will get to know these things,” Mia said.
In Indonesia, energy is paid in advance and vouchers are purchased at local stores, similar to prepaid credit for a phone.
The children study online and their course is run in accordance with the Queensland Department of Education, meaning they can “re-enter” if the family decides to return to Australia.
They’ve also all had a “Bali belly”, but they say that as long as you have Gastro-Stop and probiotics on hand “everything will be fine.”
“The doctors come to your villa, draw your blood, give you drips, the full service, and it costs about $120,” Mia said.
“It’s very affordable and they actually take care of you instead of serving you for five minutes and charging you $180 before Medicare like in Australia.”
They haven’t had to go to the dentist yet, but they are confident that everything will be fine. They say it’s as clean and as good as home, only cheaper.
The couple is particularly excited that their 18-year-old son has decided to go on the adventure with them and want other families to know “how easy” it is to live and work from Bali.
“We’ve never had a better lifestyle,” Chad said.
‘We love the freedom of time and space, and you could move here with nothing, as long as you can work online to make ends meet.
“You don’t need savings, it was just our decision to do it so we don’t have to worry about money, and I can choose the jobs I want to do.”
People who don’t have enough cash to pay a full year’s rent up front can move week-to-week or month-to-month.
The family “really don’t miss anything” from Australia and have not decided on an “end date” for their vacation
They say their children benefit from spending so much quality time together.
‘It is very feasible. and we don’t have to work nine to five and miss the opportunity to see our children grow up,’ they said.
The couple is sometimes criticized for their decision to move to Bali; Some trolls claim that they will inevitably have to create a GoFundMe at some point due to an injury or illness.
These insults arise from a series of high-profile incidents of Australian tourists and expats needing urgent help after becoming embroiled in conflicts overseas.
In 2023, kind-hearted Australians will shell out millions on GoFundMe campaigns set up in the wake of sudden deaths or to repatriate desperately ill people from as far away as Thailand, Bali and Taiwan.
When asked about the trolling, the family told FEMAIL: ‘We ignore it. “We have adequate insurance and have done everything we can to prevent it.”