Even if people could find a job, even considering the low cost of living in a small town in the South - someone making €1400 a month could support a family down here, which is unthinkable in the larger cities - they would probably still move away. The roads are awful, public transportation is worse, the phone lines seem to crap themselves out at least once a month. Schools and hospitals are subpar. The infrastructure is rotting. Climate change isn't helping, either - this winter gave us rain, rain, and more rain, and most of the roads are still damaged by it. Without even thinking about things like culture and gender/sexual minorities, who would want to stay here?“What can you do about it? That’s life!” said Giuseppe Li Pani, 81, while playing cards with his friends at the bar in Piazza Plado Mosca under the scorching afternoon sun. “Young people leave and those who remain decide not to have children. How can you blame them? There are no job opportunities here. How can they look after a child?”
I'd love to live in a small, rural town and I'd be willing to give up some conveniences for it. City living, for all it has to offer, is often frustratingly hectic and stressful and I often dream about getting as far away from it as possible. I could probably deal with slower internet, sub par roads, not a lot of shops/restaurants/entertainment options nearby, etc. My big concern that would keep me from moving to such a place would be anything concerning health and safety. Things like poor water sanitation options or emergency services being over an hour away would be a big negative in my book.