City Life is Better than Country Life

American columnist Herb Caen once said, “A city is not gauged by its length and width, but by the broadness of its vision and the height of its dreams.” With a third of Australia’s population living in rural Australia, a vast number of us will never experience the preferable life of the city. From easily available resources and unmatched cultural diversity to overall higher education standards and opportunities. Why would anyone live anywhere else? 

With most places being over an hour away, living in the Australian countryside means having to sacrifice some of the daily luxuries the average person takes for granted in the city. One of these luxuries is having access to resources at a lower cost. Would you pay $9 for six mushrooms in inner-city Melbourne? Or $4.50 for one small piece of broccoli or cauliflower in Sydney? Probably not – but this is what rural Australians are being asked to fork out for their fresh produce. So they have two options, spend all their time growing fruit and vegetables, or spend all their money buying them. Although, with the harsh weather of Australia, growing them may mean going hungry some nights and losing even more money. 

With only 45% of the population in very remote areas being Indigenous and the rest of rural areas being over 84% white, moving to the country is not for those trying to move into a more culturally diverse, progressive community. In most country towns, the majority of the population are white Australians, whose families have been living there for generations. By living in an area surrounded by only one culture, you are stripped of identity and forced to conform to others beliefs. For someone to leave the country and migrate to a city, the experience of individuality and freedom will be a culture shock, for the better. Living in the city gives the advantage of growing up around different cultures, people and beliefs. With one in four Australians being born overseas, understanding the cultures surrounding us is very important, which is why living in the city has such an advantage. 

There are 9,444 schools in Australia (2017), and it’s clear that schooling is a big part of our country’s future. However, with the Australian Government spending a below average amount on schooling, some schools are missing out on valuable teaching staff and equipment. A majority of these are country schools. A study by independent think tank The Grattan Institute, found students from low socio-economic areas started behind and made less progress in school. Some students in disadvantaged schools made around two years less progress than students of the same age at advantaged schools. By living in the country, you’re giving your child a disadvantaged start at life. There’s a reason almost everyone who lives in rural areas are farmers or in the farming business. It’s how they make money, even though they came from a disadvantaged background. Those who leave the country in search of a job in the city tend to have to work harder to secure a reliable job than those who grew up there.

By living in the country, you’re exposed to a harsher lifestyle. A life where basic luxuries like fresh produce and education are hard to achieve. Is that really a life to choose to live? By living in an urban area, expressing your true identity will never be easier, and life will never be boring. Since, 'what is the city but the people?”.