Sustained changes to urban mobility after COVID-19 amplified socio-economic inequalities in Latin America (2504.15871v2)

Abstract: Urban mobility is central to economic activity, social inclusion, and access to essential services. COVID-19 caused disruptions to mobility globally, yet its long-term impacts in less developed countries remain poorly understood. Using over 170 million anonymised mobile phone records from Meta-Facebook users in Argentina, Chile, and Colombia (March 2020 to May 2022), we find sustained changes in mobility across socioeconomic and rural-urban gradients. We reveal that mobility recorded the sharpest declines and remained below pre-pandemic levels in most high-density and low socio-economic deprivation areas, while low-density and more deprived communities returned to baseline. These differences reflect the scale of the initial mobility shock rather than subsequent recovery rates. Net mobility to urban cores remained consistently below pre-pandemic levels, suggesting a shift in their functional role. By revealing how COVID-19 reinforced mobility-related inequalities, we contribute novel evidence for planners and policymakers seeking to build more inclusive and resilient mobility systems.