A future in another city? How migration costs shape young people's college choices: Guest post by Merve Demirel Development Impact Guest Blogger November 05, 2026 This page in: English

https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/impactevaluations/a-future-in-another-city--how-migration-costs-shape-young-people A central puzzle in economics is how massive income disparities over space can persist. If the gains from migrating are so large, why do people stay in places with fewer opportunities? Economists often infer that there must be costs that prevent them from leaving. Some of these costs, such as the monetary cost of transport, can be observed and counted. But estimates of these costs are usually not high enough to explain why people don’t move, suggesting other costs may matter more.