Are you dreaming about escaping to the country, leaving behind the hustle and bustle of the city? Moving to the country definitely has its advantages. There are acres of unspoiled nature literally on your doorstep, friendly people, peace and tranquility, plenty of space for kids to play, virtually no crime and all the things you hate about living in London or other major cities.

However, not everything is as idyllic as it may seem at the first glance. If you focus only on the upsides while ignoring the downsides, country living can soon turn into a nightmare.

To make the right decision, you are recommended to consider the following:

Bills, Bills, Bills

Property in the country may be slightly cheaper but the bills can be much higher than you think. It’s a lot cheaper to buy or rent a place in the country than in the city, especially in London where property prices have been soaring for many years. For the same money, you can get a much larger and spacious house. However, larger houses typically reflect higher utility bills. Not to mention, larger properties have added costs of maintenance due to their size.

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Countryside Shopping

You can grow your own food in the country more easily, but there are no supermarkets just around the corner. On the contrary, it’s not unusual for the first supermarket to be 10 miles or more away. Don’t worry though, there is usually at least one well-stocked grocery in every village so you won’t exactly have to drive an hour just to buy bread and milk. But it’s difficult to get everything you need in the village, while the things you do get are typically much more expensive than larger grocery retailers.

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Alternative Entertainment

There is plenty of peace and tranquility but little entertainment. That’s not an issue if you aren’t a regular visitor of cinemas, theatres, fine dining restaurants, art galleries, concerts, etc. But if you are, the country can soon get very boring. You can always visit the city but getting there can be a serious issue if you don’t have a car.

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Prepare to Drive

There is no noise from traffic but there is also no tube service. In fact, there is hardly any public transportation links, especially in more remote areas. If you want to get anywhere further than the village pub, you will need your own vehicle.

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Internet Access

Country living is ideal if you work remotely but only if you have a good broadband connection. People who work remotely can “afford” to live just about anywhere where there is a good broadband connection. Unfortunately, many rural areas have very poor broadband speeds, making any serious work from home extremely difficult.

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Commuting to Work

Close to nature but far from everything else; including work. Living in the country enables you to be close to nature and it’s not unusual to see wildlife from your doorstep. Many country-dwellers commute up to two hours to work in the city. And that’s just one way!

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Community Feeling

People in the country are warm, sincere and welcoming but they can also be very noisy. Forget about privacy when living in the country. Everybody knows everybody, and everybody knows everything about everyone. This may feel refreshing at first but over time, it can become very invasive. And while newcomers are usually well accepted, it may take years before they get used to the idea of an integrated community.

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The Smell of the Country

There is no pollution from industrial activities and traffic but the air is not as clean as you may think it is. And it’s not just the unpleasant smells that can be spread from farms by the wind. Smell of cattle, manure and other agricultural “by-products” can be extremely unpleasant, but it isn’t usually dangerous. In contrast, pesticides and herbicides which are used in huge quantities are extremely dangerous. Studies investigating the effects of pesticides and herbicides on human health found a link to multiple types of cancer, neurological problems, impaired fertility and other very serious health issues.

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