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Migrants leaving mega-cities: Where they move and why prices matter

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  • Eva-Maria Egger

Abstract

Traditional economic models predict rural to urban migration during the structural transformation of an economy. In middle-income countries, it is less clear which direction of migration to expect. In this paper I show that in Brazil as many people move out of as into metropolitan cities, and they mostly move to mid-sized towns. I estimate the determinants of out-migrants' destination choice, accounting for differences in earnings, living costs, and amenities, and I test whether the migrants gain economically by accepting lower wages but enjoying lower living costs.

Suggested Citation

  • Eva-Maria Egger, 2019. "Migrants leaving mega-cities: Where they move and why prices matter," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2019-113, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2019-113
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Keywords

    Brazil; Internal migration; Prices; Secondary towns;
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