A savvy Briton has moved into an all-inclusive five-star resort abroad - which he says is cheaper than his home life in the UK. Josh Kerr, 24, will spend 28 days living at the five-star Port River Hotel and Spa in Antalya, Turkey, on a trip that costs £944 compared to the £950 per month he pays for rent and bills for his flat in Manchester. What's more, this price includes his return flights plus drinks and meals at the hotel - and access to its five swimming pools in 20C sunshine. The hotel also boasts several bars and restaurants, a spa and entertainment area and is only 300m from the beach, which is popular for snorkelling and windsurfing.
Josh announced his relocation in a TikTok video, telling his 48,000 followers: 'I'm not being funny but I pay £950 for my rent, bills, council tax. Here you get breakfast, lunch, evening meals, drinks, snacks and a gaff. What are we doing in England?'
Josh's video went viral, racking up more than a million views in 24 hours. In the clip, he showed how he had used On the Beach to find a deal for Xoria Deluxe Resort in Turkey, where he could live in luxury with all the food and drink he wanted for a month. Then bosses at the online travel agent got in touch and challenged him to pack his bags and try it. The hotel from Josh's original video does not open until March so instead, he is staying at the Port River Hotel and Spa, located on the beach in Antalya.
He checked in on Saturday and spent the weekend lounging by the pool and exploring the area, including the nearby city of Side, which he described as a 'beautiful' place 'surrounded by ancient ruins'. 'I can't believe I'm actually doing it,' Josh told MailOnline Travel. 'I was sat around wondering if it would be cheaper to go all-inclusive abroad than live at home and it turns out it is.' Comparing Manchester to life at the hotel so far, he added: 'Everyone is much happier here. I guess it's because they're all on holiday.'
Josh, a creative strategist, will continue working his full-time job from the resort and said he plans to do this outside in the sunshine. It means he will keep earning money from the hotel while avoiding his usual supermarket costs, energy costs, council tax, rent and bills, which will be covered by On the Beach. 'I’m exercising one of the perks I have with my workplace that allows me to work abroad,' he said. 'My daily work schedule still looks the same. It’s just three hours later in Turkey, so I hope nobody puts in any calls at 5pm UK time, which would be 8pm here.
'The hotel has WiFi, which pretty much works everywhere on the complex, meaning that if I really wanted to, I could work from a sun lounger by the pool. 'There’s a desk in the room for any private calls, but I plan to work out in the sun.' Zoe Harris, chief customer officer at On the Beach, said: 'When we saw Josh's TikTok showing how cheap it is to live in an all-inclusive for a month, we knew we had to challenge him to do it. 'It's a brilliant idea for anyone who can work from anywhere in their job. 'Pack your bags, list your flat or house on a rental site for a month to cover your mortgage or rent and instead live it up in the sun for a month, and you'll still have saved money!'