Is Village Life Really Better Than City Life?

I hear a lot of people saying that village life is better than city life.

Let's examine that once.

First and foremost, people think that villages have good air, good food, and good weather.

But I think they are wrong.

Good Weather?

1. Weather is weather.

When a flood will come, you don't know. Where a cyclone will come, you don't know. The same applies to earthquakes.

Natural disasters do not select rural or urban areas.

2. Heat waves affect everyone.

This year, Indians faced heat waves. Heat waves do not cause heat by selecting only rural or urban areas.

Of course not.

3. More trees do not automatically mean less heat.

We think villages have lots of trees, so they experience less heat.

But reality can be different.

For example, Mumbai may have less direct sunlight or a different climate compared to places such as Odisha or Rajasthan. Weather depends on the location and geography, not simply on whether a place is a village or a city.

4. Cities can provide better protection from extreme weather.

Cities have lots of jobs, so people can afford air conditioners.

Even if someone cannot afford an AC at home, they may work in an office or workplace with air conditioning or a comfortable ventilation system.

5. Rural workers often work under the open sky.

Village people are mostly working in jobs that require them to stay outdoors.

They may work under the open sky, sell things in harsh sunlight, or work in agriculture.

There are fewer desk and office jobs.

Some rural areas also have electricity-cut issues.

6. Water crises can happen anywhere.

This year, lots of villages faced water crises.

Similar things can happen in urban cities too.

But employers and businesses in cities may be able to afford water tanks, and many workers can access clean drinking water at their workplaces or take water home.

Good Food?

People think village food is automatically better.

Think about this.

Suppose you are a farmer and you produce milk and vegetables.

If you sell them in your village, you may get a lower price. But if you sell the same vegetables in a city, you may get more value.

So where will you sell your products?

You already know the answer.

Premium apples from Kashmir and good-quality mangoes from Hyderabad move towards cities and markets where people are willing to pay more.

Meanwhile, in some villages, B-grade fruits and loose products such as wheat, sugar, and other goods may be sold without proper packaging, batch numbers, or expiry dates.

The same can apply to medicines too.

I have personally bought the same brand of medicine at a higher price in a village.

Also, many village people depend on cheap roadside doctors because educated and highly qualified doctors often choose to live in cities for better opportunities, salaries, and income.

People also think products in America and Western countries are always better than Indian products, even when the brand is the same.

But the reality is that different cities and regions in India can also receive different versions or varieties of products based on local demand and taste.

I am not simply assuming these things.

I have lived in a village too.

Are Village People Better?

You are wrong here too if you think village people are automatically better.

You cannot say village people are good or bad.

Good and bad people live everywhere.

Some villages may have good teachers but no good students.

In other places, there may be talented and potential students but no good teachers.

A lot of talent in India remains hidden because people in villages may not have access to good resources.

In cities, the chances of becoming successful can sometimes be better than in rural villages because cities provide more opportunities.

Because of fewer opportunities, many people spend years preparing for government jobs.

Why Do People Move From Villages to Cities?

In my point of view, people who move to cities to earn money are intelligent people.

People who earn money, save it, start living in a city, and eventually bring their parents to the city are doing something good.

However, someone who earns money and invests everything in a small village shop may have a different mindset.

Personally, I sometimes feel that such a person may be choosing comfort over exploring bigger opportunities.

Too Much Free Time Can Also Become a Problem

This is sad to say, but I have personally seen many village people having a lot of free time.

They may use that time for:

Playing cards
Betting apps
Futures and options trading
Drugs
Drinking

Lots of people drink because their understanding of the world is mostly shaped through movies and television.

And we all know how powerful marketing companies are in influencing people.

In my opinion, people who are less educated or less exposed to different ideas may find it harder to understand how marketing and entertainment can influence their thinking.

Social Media Algorithms Can Also Feel Different

There is another very interesting thing I want to talk about.

Listen carefully.

I feel that social-media algorithms such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube can behave differently depending on where you are and what content people around you engage with.

When I stay in a village for a long period, suppose for one month, I notice that the content on my social-media feed becomes very different.

I see:

More sexual content
Less deep and knowledgeable content
Less intellectual content

You may need to search for certain topics yourself because many things you don't even know exist may never appear on your feed.

This is my personal observation.

Social Pressure in Villages

Because people have more free time, they may constantly ask you:

What are you doing?

How much do you earn?

Sometimes, I feel that some people behave like crabs in a bucket.

They try to pull you down to their position.

There can also be a lot of complaining.

If you live in a village and are still able to make a lot of money, suppose ₹1 lakh per month, people may come to you asking for money.

If you ignore them, they may spread negativity about you.

Even if you have a lot of money, your mindset and environment can sometimes keep you involved in village politics.

You may not be able to explore more opportunities in the same way you could in a city.

Why Are People Moving to Cities?

Lots of people from villages are moving to cities.

They are not stupid.

Actually, many of them are intelligent people who understand where opportunities exist.

They want better jobs, education, healthcare, businesses, and exposure.

Caste, Religion, and Beliefs

In my personal observation, many villages can be more caste-centric, more religious, and more influenced by blind beliefs.

There can also be less exposure to scientific and logical thinking.

Of course, this does not apply to every village or every village person.

The same problems can exist in cities too.

Startups and Opportunities

We are now seeing some startups emerging from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

But we still see fewer startups coming directly from villages.

Of course, exceptions exist everywhere.

Some people from villages in Gujarat and Rajasthan are doing extremely well.

But in my opinion, their numbers are still relatively small.

What About People Who Move to the Mountains or Villages?

We also see some city people moving to mountains and living a good life surrounded by nature.

But do not forget something important.

Many of them are rich.

They can afford:

A good house
An inverter
Air conditioning
A car
Domestic help
Better facilities

For them, village or mountain life can be good because they chose that life.

They have money and choices.

Rich People Can Afford the Best of Both Worlds

A rich person can afford many positives of both rural and urban life.

Every major city has premium areas where rich people live.

Those areas may have:

Less industrial pollution
More trees
Better-quality food and groceries
Clean water
Better healthcare
Better infrastructure

So, a rich person can create a lifestyle that combines many advantages of both rural and urban life.

Poor People Suffer Everywhere

Poor people suffer everywhere.

Whether it is:

Dharavi in Mumbai
Or a poor rural village

The problems may be different, but poverty creates suffering in both places.

Cities Have Their Own Problems Too

Of course, cities are not perfect.

Cities have their own problems, such as:

Small houses
Polluted air
Traffic jams
Noise
High living costs

But according to me, these problems can still be less limiting than the lack of opportunities in a village.

Why Do So Many People Like Village Life?

I think many people like village life because they visit villages for exploration or relaxation.

They stay for a few days.

They enjoy:

Nature
Peace
Fresh surroundings
Family
Village food

But if they were forced to stay there permanently, many of them might not like it.

There may be:

No Zomato
No Ola
No gym
Limited entertainment
Limited jobs
Limited services

Visiting a village for a few days and permanently living in a village are two very different experiences.

My Final View

I am not saying that every village is bad or that every city is good.

But I strongly disagree with the popular belief that:

Village life is automatically better than city life.

Good weather, good food, good people, and a good life do not automatically exist simply because a place is a village.

Similarly, cities have many problems too.

But in my personal experience and viewpoint, cities provide more:

Opportunities
Exposure
Jobs
Education
Healthcare
Services
Choices

Lots of people move from villages to cities because they understand this.