Over the last two decades, Kenya has experienced increased rural-urban migrations, with majority of Kenyans hoping to get greener pastures in the cities.
Whereas most jobs in the city are well paying compared to the earnings from similar jobs in the rural areas, one has to consider other aspects before making the final decision to leave the village for the city.
At the same time, the number of people moving to rural areas has also gone up especially since the onset of the pandemic in 2020.
Bernard Ngugi, a financial consultant, in an interview with Kenyans.co.ke, opined that an equal earning in both the city and the village makes more sense in rural areas. He opined that a person earning Ksh30,000 in rural Kenya is better off than someone earning a similar or slightly higher pay in the city.
Kenyans.co.ke, with the help of the financial guru, has compiled a list of reasons why a person earning Ksh30,000 in rural areas is better off than the individual earning double in urban areas.
Low cost of labor
The labor in the rural areas is readily available and cheap. For individuals who venture into agribusiness, training is not necessary for agricultural labor since the locals are familiar with farming.
“In the rural areas, the cost of labor is low and the members of the rural population are not likely to unionize,” Ngugi stated.
Access to benefits of financial institutions
Financial institutions in the rural areas are more flexible than in the urban areas since most of the population has irregular incomes. An individual can take advantage of the community programs that focus on specific ventures such as agribusiness.
“For individuals who have access to Saccos, they can venture into their investment programs and explore the agribusiness programs launched by the banks in the region.” he stated
Affordable housing
An individual can build a luxurious home in the countryside at their pace and without the extra expenses such as building codes, labor, and land-use restrictions.
“In the rural areas, you can access huge tracts of land for less. The use of debt financing when acquiring land is not as risky as in urban areas. There is a hurdle in accessing qualified professions in some rural areas though,” Ngugi elaborated.
Fewer government restrictions
The majority of the population in the rural areas are not subjected to strict government restrictions in terms of conducting businesses.
“The small-scale businesses in the rural areas are not often bothered by the county officials. It is mostly assumed that individuals in the rural areas are trying to survive financially hence restrained action by government officials."
Crime rate
The rural areas have lower crime rates than the urban areas. An individual enjoys the safety of a tight-knit community where members of the public are familiar with their neighbors and will come to your aid in case of any distress.
“The community in the rural areas are alert to outsiders and are cooperative with village elders in rooting out rogue individuals from their areas.”
Cheaper to raise a family
There are good public schools that are located in rural areas and there is limited exposure to moral rot. Children can utilize the wide space of the compound to enjoy their childhood. The children are also sheltered from the risk of unlawful activities.
Better retirement option
The benefits derived from living in rural areas will cut across healthy diet, cheap and accessible elder care. The tight-knit communities dedicate themselves to offering assistance to the elderly at a cheaper cost. The culture in the rural areas is more selfless in comparison to the culture in urban areas.
