Jade Gartshore decided to quit her job and move with her husband Edward Partis
A couple abandoned the UK for Spain, where a glass of wine costs €3.50 – roughly £3 – and there are complimentary concerts every evening. They say it feels like a “permanent holiday”.
Jade Gartshore, 25, had a thriving career, but says it didn’t provide her with “enough” satisfaction and she battled with the “dark” days. After travelling with her husband Edward Partis, 25, an electrical engineer, she became enchanted with the Spanish city of Murcia.
Jade abandoned her position to relocate there last November and said they can’t envisage themselves “moving back to the UK”.
Jade said: “I used to sit in the office and used to look out and think, this can’t be life, you know, every day going to work in the dark and coming back in the dark. I was always doing very well in my job, but it just didn’t give me enough.
“It’s like a permanent holiday, I wake up feeling a lot happier and often have those pinch me moments where I still can’t believe I live here. We have a free concert every night. It’s different in each town.
“So you’ll have jazz, you’ll have disco, techno – they’ll just be on the seafront – and it’s all put on by the council. That’s where some of your money goes, which is a nice feeling. You can get a glass of wine for €3.50, which is crazy, but your day-to-day shopping can be pretty much the same as the UK.”
Jade and Edward, who are from Leicester, embarked on a six-month adventure in 2023 and spent five weeks of their journey in Murcia, where Jade’s parents had settled into retirement. The pair continued their travels across Asia, but found themselves constantly drawn back to thoughts of Spain.
Jade explained: “The whole six months we were just working out ways how to get back to Spain and we just completely fell head over heels for it. The conversation just kept coming back to Murcia that we kind of loved it and both felt exactly the same way, which was really lucky.
“To be honest, growing up in the UK, I always felt like it wasn’t my home. When I was 16, I was going to California on holiday by myself to see friends and when I was 19 we tried to live in Australia, but it just wasn’t for us.
“So I just feel like, my whole life, I’ve just known that the UK is not for me. It can be scary, but definitely making the jump in your 20s is a perfect time.”
Jade had been on track for promotion to manager at her estate agency position, but chose to “make the jump” and pursue a fresh start abroad.
She revealed: “I was completely petrified, I had this great job, and my collegial manager wanted me to become a manager. I just left it all behind because it didn’t feel right.
“The people here, especially in Murcia, are just so kind. I’ve always wanted to live by the sea, but Murcia also has the mountains where you can go on hikes. It’s very outdoor living, which is right up my street.”
Despite complimentary events organised by the local council, Jade sought to dispel the myth that living overseas costs significantly less than residing in the UK.
She explained: “I think people have the perception that it is quite cheap here, especially when you come on holiday, but it’s mainly the alcohol that’s a big difference.”
Jade, who is presently looking for work, detailed how accommodation costs and utilities were similarly priced, as “it fluctuates as to where you live”.
“Some places near us are more expensive than what you’d rent in the UK and you get less for your money, but then some areas you get more for your money, depending on location,” she said.
Murcia sits in the south-eastern region of the nation and ranks as Spain’s seventh most populous city. The area has earned the nickname “the fruit basket of Spain” thanks to its abundant production of fruits, vegetables and flowers.
Jade said: “The fruit and vegetables are so much bigger and they just have so much more flavour. Our diet hasn’t changed drastically because I feel like it’s difficult to just quickly change. So we’d still have our basic meals that we’d have in the UK, but you just feel better.”
She can also visit local growers and participate in farm tours to observe the cultivation for as little as €12. Jade’s parents relocated to the city two years ago upon retirement, and the pair are currently residing with them before their major transition to their new flat 15 minutes from the coastline.
The couple have observed one particular cultural distinction in Spain when compared to the UK. Jade revealed: “One thing I’ve noticed is that people don’t just want to do stuff on the weekend, they’ll happily make plans every day, even if it’s just a walk.”
Initially, she was “quite concerned” about potential loneliness whilst living overseas, but has discovered she now has “more friends here than in the UK”.
Jade is “100%” more outgoing now, explaining: “I think I’ve had two events every day. The other day we went to the beach with friends and then drove to another area to watch the sunset. And with my other friend we went to see a concert, so it’s just utilising the free things and not being weather dependent.”
The pair have achieved this by embracing local culture and are even attempting to master Spanish, with assistance from their new mates.
Jade explained: “I go to an hour lesson in the village once a week and then just picking up comments from my social media and putting it into practice.”
Jade documents her Murcia lifestyle on social media and has built a following of people who similarly aspire to relocate overseas. Her followers are roughly 60% Spanish, which has helped her “learn the area and the culture a lot quicker”.
She added: “I try to use my account to show people that if I can do it, they can do it. Even if it’s just going to travel, take the risk, do what you want to do.”
CompareMyMove’s data reveals a 32.6% surge in Brits leaving the country during the first half of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024. Spain has emerged as the top destination for British expats this year. Jade, who now plans to live permanently in Murcia, said she “can’t see herself moving back to the UK again”.
