Standard of Living of Migrant and Non-Migrant Households in Kerala: A Comparative Study Based on the Migration Survey

Afsal K, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Muhammad T, Ph.D. Scholar
Muhammad Rishad, International institute for Population Sciences
Reshmi R.S, International Institute for Population Sciences

The study examines the standard of living differences between migrant and non-migrant households in Kerala, India. Using data from the Kerala Migration Survey (2018), cross-tabulation, standard living index, and logistic regression were employed. Results show that migrant households had higher living standards than non-migrant households, with a lower poverty rate, better housing, and higher ownership of consumer durables. Migrant households allocated larger budgets for house construction. In terms of standard of living, households with migrants had a significantly higher living standard than households without migrants. Further, households with migrants had a significantly higher likelihood of having a better standard of living than households without migrants (AOR: 1.729; CI: 1.609-1.858). The findings emphasize the positive impact of international migration on living standards, indicating its potential as a development driver for both migrant and non-migrant households in Kerala.

Keywords: International Migration, Population and Development, Human Capital, Education, and Work, Economic Demography

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