They earn between 150 thousand and 160 thousand Australian dollars a year (the equivalent of 100 thousand euros), have their own home and three sources of income. Yet, before doing the shopping, they find themselves checking their bank account. It is one of the reasons that pushed Krysti-Glory Gallo and Ricardo Parata, a 36-year-old Australian couple with two children aged 11 and 6, to make a radical decision: sell everything, leave the Gold Coast, one of the most beautiful and famous tourist regions of Australia, and start again in Italy. The destination is Lucca, in Tuscany, where they have already purchased a house worth 205 thousand euros. The move is scheduled for February 2027.
The Australian website tells their story news.com.au. The couple lives in Queensland, one of the best-known and most touristy areas of Australia, but say the cost of living has become unsustainable. “We realized that moving abroad was a better solution than staying in Australia when my salary was no longer enough to cover the mortgage,” Krysti-Glory explained to Daily Mail.
“We work a lot, but we have to control every expense”
The numbers explain why. In 2023 the couple purchased a house on the Gold Coast which they now hope to resell for around a million. On the mortgage, as told by Krysti-Glory to Daily Mailapproximately 600 thousand dollars remain to be repaid. The woman also calculated that, by paying the loan for the entire thirty years foreseen, the total cost would have reached almost 1.3 million Australian dollars.
Despite family incomes of between 150,000 and 160,000 Australian dollars, annual expenses reach at least 120,000 dollars. Ricardo, who works in the education sector, had to find a second job, sacrificing evenings and weekends.
“Ricardo works two jobs, one full time and another that involves working nights, weekends and travel. Yet we continue to check the account before buying the necessary things,” his wife said. Hence the choice: use the equity accumulated with the Australian house to purchase a home in Italy without taking out another mortgage.
The house in Lucca bought without ever having seen it
The couple has already bought a three-bedroom terraced house, located in a small town near Lucca, for 205 thousand euros, equivalent to around 330 thousand Australian dollars. The purchase occurred remotely, without an in-person visit.
“Many people ask us if we’re worried because we haven’t seen it with our own eyes yet. But honestly we’re not at all,” explained Krysti-Glory, who works in the styling and design industry. Before signing, the two reviewed documents, photographs and videos, participated in a virtual visit on Zoom and even asked some local residents to film the neighborhood.
By selling the Australian property and paying off the remaining debt, they estimate they will raise around AU$450,000 in equity. A sum which, according to their plans, will allow them to finance the new house and start their Italian life without real estate debt.
Their forecasts indicate annual family spending of around 45 thousand euros, once the mortgage has been eliminated. This is, of course, an estimate that will have to be compared with the actual costs of the new life.
The Italian origins and the dream of returning
For Krysti-Glory and Ricardo, Italy is not an unknown country. Her grandfather was originally from Catanzaro, in Calabria, while his grandparents came from Celano, in Abruzzo. In 2023 the family visited Italy, falling in love with its landscapes and the pace of daily life.
The Italian origins also facilitated the project. Ricardo and his children obtained Italian passports thanks to citizenship by descent, while Krysti-Glory will be able to move in as a spouse.
They initially considered Florence, Pescara and Bologna, but were looking for a less expensive location with a more intimate atmosphere. The choice fell on Lucca, appreciated for its schools, the international community and its cultural heritage.
“We don’t want to earn more, we want to enjoy life”
It wasn’t just the savings that convinced them. In the videos published on TikTok, through the profile @the_italianproject, they talk about the desire to spend more time together and offer their children new opportunities.
“We’re not changing our lifestyle to earn more. We’re doing it so we can finally enjoy life”
Their dream is simple: sitting in the square for a coffee, seeing children play, being able to visit other European cities without having to travel intercontinentally. “Instead of going to the mall on the weekend, we could decide to go to Barcelona,” the man said. But, beyond this, it is precisely the different lifestyle and the different rhythms that are fascinating: “We want a different lifestyle. We want to sit in the square and drink an espresso or a spritz, while our children play with other kids” said the couple.
Leaving Australia won’t be easy. Both acknowledge that they have had a good life in their country, but feel that work and expenses have ended up taking up too much space.
“We know it will be very sad to say goodbye at the airport, but we have to do it,” Krysti-Glory said. “The opportunities that will open up for our children will be incredible. They will be bilingual, European citizens and will have many possibilities.”
The transfer has yet to take place and it remains to be seen whether the Italian reality will correspond to expectations. For now, though, the family has already made their choice: give up a million-dollar home on the Gold Coast to seek a more debt-free life in Tuscany. And if changing your life is synonymous with Caribbean beaches and sun all year round, the lesson is that even our Apennines, in short, and its splendid cities (and villages), can become destinations for which you can change your life.