IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/sagope/v14y2024i3p21582440241273869.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Standard of Living of Migrant and Non-Migrant Households in Kerala: a Comparative Study Based on Migration Survey 2018

Author

Listed:
  • Afsal Kalangadan
  • Muhammad Thalil
  • Muhammad Rishad
  • Reshmi Ramachandran Sukumari

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in standard of living between households with migrants and households without migrants in Kerala, one of the most remittance-receiving states in India. Data from the Kerala Migration Survey (2018) was used for the study. The survey sampled 15,000 households, including both households with migrants and without migrants. Cross tabulation, standard living index, and ordered logistic regression analysis were used to examine the difference in living standards between households with migrants and without migrants. A total of 28.4% of households were with migrant and 71.6% were without migrant in this study. The proportion of households without migrants that fell below the poverty line (42.38%) was higher than the proportion of households with migrants (30.13%). A significant percentage of households with migrants (16.3% and 38.7%) lived in houses categorized as “luxurious†and “very good,†respectively, compared to households without migrants (10.4% and 27.8%, respectively). In addition, households with migrants allocated a larger budget for house construction, with costs exceeding ₹5 lakhs, compared to households without migrants. The proportion of households with migrants that owned consumer durables such as vehicles, home appliances, and electronic gadgets was also higher than their counterparts without migrants. In terms of standard of living, households with migrants had a significantly higher proportion of households with a better 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). This study highlights the significant positive impact of international migration on the living standard of households, including better housing quality and higher levels of ownership of consumer durables. These findings suggest that international migration can be a positive force for development, leading to improved standards of living for both households with migrants and non-migrants.

Suggested Citation

  • Afsal Kalangadan & Muhammad Thalil & Muhammad Rishad & Reshmi Ramachandran Sukumari, 2024. "Standard of Living of Migrant and Non-Migrant Households in Kerala: a Comparative Study Based on Migration Survey 2018," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(3), pages 21582440241, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:sagope:v:14:y:2024:i:3:p:21582440241273869
    DOI: 10.1177/21582440241273869
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/21582440241273869
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/21582440241273869?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zsóka Kóczán & Franz Loyola, 2021. "How do migration and remittances affect inequality? A case study of Mexico," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(2), pages 360-381, March.
    2. Martin Ravallion & Shaohua Chen & Prem Sangraula, 2007. "New Evidence on the Urbanization of Global Poverty," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 33(4), pages 667-701, December.
    3. John Chiwuzulum Odozi & Timothy Taiwo Awoyemi & Bolarin Titus Omonona, 2010. "Household poverty and inequality: the implication of migrants’ remittances in Nigeria," Journal of Economic Policy Reform, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 13(2), pages 191-199.
    4. Md. Hashibul Hassan & Lubna Jebin, 2018. "Comparative Capability of Migrant and Non-Migrant Households: Evidence from Rural Bangladesh," Asian Economic and Financial Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 8(5), pages 618-640.
    5. Richard Adams, 2011. "Evaluating the Economic Impact of International Remittances On Developing Countries Using Household Surveys: A Literature Review," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(6), pages 809-828.
    6. Vatana Chea, 2023. "Effects of remittances on household poverty and inequality in Cambodia," Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(2), pages 502-526, April.
    7. Jamal Bouyiour & Amal Miftah, 2015. "The impact of migrant workers' remittances on the living standards of families in Morocco: A propensity score matching approach," Migration Letters, Migration Letters, vol. 12(1), pages 13-27, January.
    8. Kul Kapri & Stuti Jha, 2020. "Impact of remittances on household health care expenditure: Evidence from the Nepal Living Standards Survey," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(3), pages 991-1008, August.
    9. Bang, James T. & Mitra, Aniruddha & Wunnava, Phanindra V., 2016. "Do remittances improve income inequality? An instrumental variable quantile analysis of the Kenyan case," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 394-402.
    10. Manohar Sharma & Hassan Zaman, 2013. "Who migrates overseas and is it worth their while?: an assessment of household survey data from Bangladesh," Journal of Developing Areas, Tennessee State University, College of Business, vol. 47(1), pages 281-302, January-J.
    11. Sridhar Thapa & Sanjaya Acharya, 2017. "Remittances and Household Expenditure in Nepal: Evidence from Cross-Section Data," Economies, MDPI, vol. 5(2), pages 1-17, May.
    12. Moshe Semyonov & Anastasia Gorodzeisky, 2008. "Labor Migration, Remittances and Economic Well-being of Households in the Philippines," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 27(5), pages 619-637, October.
    13. Ravi Srivastava & Rajib Sutradhar, 2016. "Labour Migration to the Construction Sector in India and its Impact on Rural Poverty," Indian Journal of Human Development, , vol. 10(1), pages 27-48, April.
    14. Mubinzhon Abduvaliev & Ricardo Bustillo, 2020. "Impact of remittances on economic growth and poverty reduction amongst CIS countries," Post-Communist Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(4), pages 525-546, May.
    15. John Chiwuzulum Odozi & Timothy Taiwo Awoyemi & Bolarin Titus Omonona, 2010. "Household poverty and inequality: the implication of migrants' remittances in Nigeria," Journal of Economic Policy Reform, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(2), pages 191-199.
    16. Hom Gartaula & Leontine Visser & Anke Niehof, 2012. "Socio-Cultural Dispositions and Wellbeing of the Women Left Behind: A Case of Migrant Households in Nepal," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 108(3), pages 401-420, September.
    17. Mergo, Teferi, 2016. "The Effects of International Migration on Migrant-Source Households: Evidence from Ethiopian Diversity-Visa Lottery Migrants," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 69-81.
    18. Md. Hashibul Hassan & Lubna Jebin, 2018. "Comparative Capability of Migrant and Non-Migrant Households: Evidence from Rural Bangladesh," Asian Economic and Financial Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 8(5), pages 618-640, May.
    19. Andrew W. Hobbs & Kenneth P. Jameson, 2012. "Measuring the effect of bi-directional migration remittances on poverty and inequality in Nicaragua," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(19), pages 2451-2460, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bang, James T. & Mitra, Aniruddha & Wunnava, Phanindra V., 2018. "Hollowing Out the Middle? Remittances and Income Inequality in Nigeria," IZA Discussion Papers 11438, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Richard Disney & Andy McKay & C Rashaad Shabab, 2023. "Household inequality and remittances in rural Thailand: a life-cycle perspective," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 75(2), pages 418-443.
    3. Disney, Richard & Mckay, Andy & Shabab, C Rashaad, 2023. "Household inequality and remittances in rural Thailand: a life-cycle perspective," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 121207, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    4. Amadi, Matthew Chima & ODOZI, JOHN CHIWUZULUM, 2024. "An Exploratory Analysis of Remittances, Financial Development, and Economic Growth Using Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) Model for Nigeria," SocArXiv bygma, Center for Open Science.
    5. Titus Ayobami Ojeyinka & Cleopatra Oluseye Ibukun, 2024. "Do remittances mitigate poverty? Evidence from selected countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 57(3), pages 1-28, June.
    6. Amadi, Matthew Chima & ODOZI, JOHN CHIWUZULUM, 2024. "An Exploratory Analysis of Remittances, Financial Development, and Economic Growth Using Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) Model for Nigeria," SocArXiv bygma_v1, Center for Open Science.
    7. Joel OUDINET, 2021. "Introduction - L’impact de la migration sur le développement inclusif," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 53, pages 5-21.
    8. Chhavi Tiwari & Sankalpa Bhattacharjee & Pradeepta Sethi & Debkumar Chakrabarti, 2022. "Internal Migration and Rural Inequalities in India," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 41(4), pages 1673-1698, August.
    9. Selçuk Akçay, 2022. "Remittances and income inequality in the Philippines," Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, The Crawford School, The Australian National University, vol. 36(1), pages 30-47, May.
    10. Manuela NGABA, 2021. "How does mobile money affect the use of informal remittance channels in Sub-Saharan Africa?," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 53, pages 123-146.
    11. Joel Oudinet, 2021. "L’impact de la migration sur le développement inclusif," Post-Print hal-04065384, HAL.
    12. Joseph I. Uduji & Elda N. Okolo-Obasi, 2021. "Empowerment of Rural Young People in Informal Farm Entrepreneurship: The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Nigeria’s Oil Producing Communities," Working Papers 21/033, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    13. Joseph I. Uduji & Elda N. Okolo-Obasi, 2021. "Empowerment of Rural Young People in Informal Farm Entrepreneurship: The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Nigeria’s Oil Producing Communities," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 21/033, African Governance and Development Institute..
    14. Uduji, Joseph Ikechukwu & Okolo-Obasi, Elda Nduka & Asongu, Simplice A., 2021. "Oil extraction in Nigeria's Ogoniland: The role of corporate social responsibility in averting a resurgence of violence," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    15. Dhruba Bhandari, 2020. "Are Households Utilizing Remittance on Quality Education? An Empirical Study from Nepal," Journal of Development Innovations, KarmaQuest International, vol. 4(1), pages 179-195, July.
    16. Joseph I. Uduji & Elda N. Okolo-Obasi, 2023. "Ecotourism for Transformative and Youth Development in sub-Saharan Africa: the Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Nigeria’s Oil Host Communities," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 23/036, African Governance and Development Institute..
    17. David Margolis & Luis Miotti & El Mouhoub Mouhoud & Joël Oudinet, 2013. ""To Have and Have Not": Migration, Remittances, Poverty and Inequality in Algeria," CEPN Working Papers hal-00907035, HAL.
    18. Joseph I. Uduji & Elda N. Okolo-Obasi & Simplice A. Asongu, 2020. "Sustainable Peace building and Development in Nigeria’s Post-Amnesty Programme: the Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Oil Host Communities," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 20/026, African Governance and Development Institute..
    19. Joseph I. Uduji & Elda N. Okolo-Obasi & Simplice A. Asongu, 2021. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Traditional Practices Recognized as Violence Against Women in Nigeria’s Oil Region," Research Africa Network Working Papers 21/034, Research Africa Network (RAN).
    20. Joseph I. Uduji & Elda N. Okolo-Obasi & Simplice A. Asongu, 2020. "Sustainable Peace building and Development in Nigeria’s Post-Amnesty Programme: the Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Oil Host Communities," Working Papers 20/026, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:sagope:v:14:y:2024:i:3:p:21582440241273869. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.