Moving From A Big City To A Small Town: Pros and Cons to Expect

For generations living in the big city has been portrayed as the pinnacle of achievement. We’ve seen it time and time again in films and TV series – the main character grows up in a small town and can’t wait to grow up and move to the big city. 

So, it should come as no surprise that a lot of young people tend to gravitate towards larger cities in search of employment opportunities, especially after graduating from their university, seeking to make a name for themselves in their chosen fields.

Traditionally, people would live in the city while they are young and establish themselves in a career. As they grow older, however, their priorities often change and they decide to move to the suburbs or a small neighbouring town to settle down and start a family.

For a while, many young adults rejected this lifestyle and focused wholeheartedly on city living, but in recent years more and more young people have been moving to or showing an interest in, smaller towns. The cause of this city exodus appears to be a mixture of rising living costs, the stress-inducing, fast-paced lifestyle, and advances in modern technology allowing for reliable remote working.

If you are among the growing number of people who would like to exchange their metropolitan city life for the peacefulness of a small town, then this is the article for you. We will explore the good and bad sides of small-town life, as well as provide a step-by-step guide on how to adjust to your new lifestyle.

Reasons people move from a big city to a small town

When you leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind, a series of unexpected benefits will be revealed. There is an untold number of reasons why people move to small towns, but the most common are:

• You will find that you have much more free time
  Your social calendar will no longer be besieged by countless event invitations. This will allow you to invest more time into a hobby you really enjoy.
• The slower pace of life will allow for reflection on life choices and goals
  This will help you figure out how to reach your future milestones.
• There are more opportunities than you may think
  Many people move to a city for the employment opportunities they provide, but small towns can still offer attractive career options with less competition. It is also often easier to stand out with exceptional skill since the talent pool will be smaller. Even if your town doesn’t offer suitable employment opportunities, there’s still the option of remote working as most towns have reliable Internet connections.
• You will no longer be just another anonymous person
  One of the defining features of small towns is that everyone knows everyone else, and it’s refreshing to walk into a shop or pub and be greeted by name.
• You can make some substantial savings
  Housing costs, rental rates and the general cost of living are lower in small towns than in cities. If you could only afford to rent a one-bedroom, shoe-box-sized apartment in the city, don’t be surprised if you can rent a two or three-bedroom house for the same price (or less) in a town.
• Your children can grow up in a more calm and peaceful place
  It’s hard to grow up in the city with busy parents and very limited time at the park or in nature. In the small city, your kids can have just that – a nature-filled childhood within a caring community.

How to move out from a big city to a small town

So, you took the plunge and moved into a small town and away from the big city, but now that you’re here, it’s…different.

People smile at you, talk to you on the street and your new neighbours come to introduce themselves when you move in. Don’t worry, people who live in small towns are generally quite friendly and the culture shock fades over time. To adjust to your new environment a little quicker, follow the steps below.

• Research living costs
  What are the rents and utility bills, what is the council tax? Do they have good internet providers and how much does it cost? What are the grocery prices? Do they have local farmers’ markets where you can get good food for less price?
• Research good schools and kindergartens
  Whether you have children now or are planning on having them in the future, you should take a look at the available childcare facilities and schools in the area. Are they good? Are locals happy with them or not?
• Research good doctors, vets, dentists
  Make sure you find reliable medical assistance nearby. Is there a nearby emergency room? Are there enough GPs to sign up for? What about vets, if you have pets? Dentists can also be seen for emergencies, are there any in the area?
• Research public transportation
  Some small commuter towns have great public transportation but not all. Do your research so you don’t get a bad surprise when you move.
• Think whether you’ll need to invest in a car if you don’t have one
  If public transportation won’t suffice your needs, it may be time to consider having your own car to move about town and go to the nearest big city whenever you need.
• Ask a couple of moving companies for a quote to choose the best one for you. Think about whether you’ll need to use a storage service.
• Plan your relocation costs
  There are several things to consider when you move, especially to another town. Make a thorough list of all your expenses and see what you need to prepare for your move. Plus, calculate the cost of the removal service, packing, storage, and whatever else you’ll need to do the actual move. Will you be getting your full deposit back? How much of a deposit will you need for the new house?
• Get to know the locals
  Introduce yourself to the people in the shop, the local pub, and the school staff (if you have children). Take every opportunity to make new connections with the locals as they will be able to help you adjust to the town and can let you know about upcoming events.
• Learn to strike up conversations with strangers
  For a city dweller, this may be difficult at first, but almost all small towns operate on the basis of six degrees of separation. By continuing with the old habit of keeping yourself to yourself, you might miss out on opportunities, such as job offers or making new friends.
• Introduce yourself to your new neighbours
  Getting to know your neighbours when moving to a small town is essential as they will be able to fill you in on local events, attractions, job opportunities, and the latest gossip.

Check also:

Moving to the Coast – Getting Ready for Life by the Sea

Tiny pieces of happiness you only get in small towns

Along with the major benefits of living in a small town mentioned above, it can also present some little joys, which are otherwise easily overlooked.

• Your daily commute will be shorter if you work in the town
  No longer will you have to sit in horrendous traffic or squeeze yourself onto packed public transport for an hour or more in each direction.
• There is less crime
  As small towns experience much less crime than big cities, you won’t have to spend as much mental energy worrying about it. Plus you don’t have to listen to sirens every ten minutes.
• Weird and wonderful traditions and events
  While you might not be able to attend ultra-chic gallery openings as often as before, many small towns host a variety of strange events, such as River football or rolling cheese down a hill. These events may not be as cultured as their big-city counterparts, but they are darn good fun.
• More time spent in nature, most likely
  Since rents and prices are cheaper, many people can afford to live in a house with a nice yard or lawn. Also, there are lots of parks and green spaces to have Sunday picnics with family or friends. You’ll get to spend more time in a healing environment than in the concrete city.
• No more parking problems
  It surely depends on the town itself, but it would be a lot easier to find a parking space in the small town centre than it is in the big city.

The downsides of living in a small town

As with all things in life, where there are good points, there are also bad points. Thankfully, the downsides of living in a small town are not as serious as those found in the city.

• Everyone knows everyone else
  This was raised as a benefit earlier in the article as it helps create a sense of a close-knit community. But this also means that what you, and everyone else, say and do will be subject to the scrutiny and rumour mill of the town.
• Lack of service
  You now have the peaceful life you were dreaming of but, if you want to go out shopping, visit the cinema, or order takeaway, you may find that you have to drive to a larger town as certain brands and stores are hesitant to open branches in areas with a small population.
• Longer commute to get fancy ice cream
  There’s no point in hiding the fact that if you’re looking for the latest food trends, you’ll hardly find them in a small town. When you decide to splurge on some fancy food or other items, you will need to take the time to travel to the nearby big city to do so. See our post on the best London commuter towns to move to.
• Frewer entertainment options
  Like the previous point about the latest trends, in small towns you’ll hardly have too many entertainment options. There are usually some regular fairs and other festivities that the locals organise, but for anything else, you’ll have to look in the big city.
• Early closing time
  Most businesses are small and they close rather early. Get ready for shops, cafes and even restaurants to be closed by 8-9 pm at the latest.
• Smaller job market
  Looking for a job in a small town can be quite difficult as there aren’t as many places to choose from. The position diversity and salary diversity is also less likely to be noticeable.

Takeaways

As a moving company, we can say we’ve seen a rise in the number of people moving out of London to smaller or commuter towns. It is not surprising with the rising costs of everything, mainly rent and utility bills. But as we said, that’s only one of the many reasons people prefer to move to a smaller and more tranquil area to live in.

So, there we have it, your introduction to moving to a small town from a big city. Overall, if you are looking for a slower pace of life, a sense of community and the chance to attend some weird local events, then moving to a small town might be the answer you have been seeking. You’re likely to find out that you enjoy it more than the busy life in the big city.

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