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Measuring the Urban Quality of Life Premium

Author

Listed:
  • Gabriel Ahlfeldt

    (HU Berlin)

  • Fabian Bald

    (Viadrina University)

  • Duncan Roth

    (Institute for Employment Research (IAB))

  • Tobiad Seidel

    (University of Duisburg-Essen)

Abstract

We employ a quantitative spatial model that accounts for trade fritions—generated by trade costs and non-tradable services—and mobility frictions—generated by idiosyncratic tastes and local ties—to recover unobserved quality of life (QoL) and estimate the urban QoL premium. For Germany, we find that a city twice as large offers, on average, a 22% higher QoL to the average resident—far exceeding the urban wage premium of 4%. Our model-based Monte Carlo simulations suggest that the lack of strong empirical evidence for an urban QoL premium in earlier literature likely stems from measurement error in the Rosen-Roback framework due to omitted spatial frictions.

Suggested Citation

  • Gabriel Ahlfeldt & Fabian Bald & Duncan Roth & Tobiad Seidel, 2025. "Measuring the Urban Quality of Life Premium," Rationality and Competition Discussion Paper Series 544, CRC TRR 190 Rationality and Competition.
    • Handle: RePEc:rco:dpaper:544
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J2 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor
    • J3 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs
    • R2 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis
    • R3 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Real Estate Markets, Spatial Production Analysis, and Firm Location
    • R5 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis

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