Urban Prepping - Can You Survive In A City?

Think you need a ranch, a bunker, or a cabin in the woods to survive a disaster? Nope. The reality is most of us live in cities or suburbs. And guess what? You can absolutely survive and thrive right where you are, if you prepare the right way. Today, I’m breaking down the essentials of urban prepping so you’re not the one scrambling when the lights go out. So, today, we are talking about the benefits and hazards of urban prepping and how to prep smart in the city.

You may ask, "What about the suburbs?" The answer is, "Well, it just depends".  Some suburbs can be quite remote and on the edge of the city, others are closer to the city and much more urban.  You will have to be the judge on what you mean based on the comparison I'm providing in this video of a true urban setting vs a remote ranch, wooded compound, or bugout paradise.

Benefits of Urban Prepping

1) Quicker access to resources and services - Not only more emergencies, fire stations, and police, but are prioritized for aid distributions during emergencies.
2) Community Networks - groups can form to create barter, mutual aid, and neighborhood watches. 
3) Diverse Supply Lines - cities offer numerically more and more diverse supply lines than your remote small town with only a dollar general and a walmart
4) Infrastructure Redundancy - some have multiple utility providers which may support each other to get the lights back on.
5) Better information - In the city you likely have better access to radio signals, emergency broadcasts, etc. In the country you may be limited to satellite, HAM, or the local radio station

Hazards of Urban Prepping

1) High Population Density Risks - immense competition for limited resources increase the risk of looting, unrest, and price gouging. 
2) Limited space for prepping - apartments and small urban homes don't usually have space for large amounts of water, food, and gear. It is hard to stockpile
3) Dependence on infrastructure - a breakdown in utilities can disproportionately affect cities where it is common for those in outer suburbia or the country to have wells or generators.
4) Vulnerability to secondary threats - cities face higher risks of fires spreading in dense buildings, flooding in poorly drained areas, or the inability to address crime spikes during social unrest
5) Evacuation challenges - high-rises, narrow streets, or reliance on elevators can trap residents during earthquakes, fires, or floods. Urban evacuation routes are often congested, and public transport may shut down, limiting escape options

So which is better? To me it comes down to the disaster. For those hurricanes and earthquakes, we see that areas with higher populations get help first. Lights get on faster, food and water are brought in, etc. For a situation that lasts longer or where it is so large any ability to help is overwhelmed, the rural setting provides a better option.  

Now, given the same disaster hitting urban or rural communities, those with little to no preparedness it is a tossup with both urban and rural options facing equally difficult challenges. For those with a medium level of preparedness or higher, the rural setting provides a much more clear and viable path to longterm survival.  

Given all that, for you in an urban or dense suburban setting, here are 5 great steps to get started and be as prepared as your limited space allows.

• Water Access & Storage - Water is the #1 survival priority, but in the city it’s tricky. If the power grid or water system goes down, faucets dry up fast. You need two strategies: storage and purification.
  • 5–7 gallon containers (Aquatainers, stackable jugs) in each bedrooms closet.   
  • Bathtub liners for quick fill-up.   
  • Portable filters like Sawyer Mini, Berkey, or livestraw.   
• Food Storage Without a Basement or Pantry - You don’t need a bunker filled with MREs. Start with shelf-stable food you already eat — rice, beans, pasta, canned protein.  Just keep your cabinets full as a first step
  • Use under-bed storage bins.   
  • Stash canned food in closets, bookshelves, even furniture.   
  • Rotate your food regularly.
  • Focus on calorie-dense options (peanut butter, oats).
• Power and Light - When the grid goes dark, you don’t want to be sitting in pitch black. Power = safety, information, and sanity.
  • Portable power banks (20,000+ mAh) or bigger.   
  • Get small solar chargers you can put on balconies/windowsills.   
  • Focus on rechargeable LED lanterns, flashlights, and headlamps.   
  • Avoid open flame candles in apartments due to fire risk.   
• Security in a City Setting - Urban prepping isn’t just about gear — it’s about defense and blending in. You want to be the gray man, not the target.
  • Don’t advertise your supplies.    
  • Layered defense: locks, window security film, door braces.    
  • Pepper spray, bat, or legal self-defense options if firearms aren’t possible.
  • Build relationships with neighbors — security in numbers.    
• Mobility and Bug-Out Reality - In cities, bugging out is way harder than YouTube makes it look. Roads jam, public transit fails. That’s why the goal is to get out BEFORE it's too late, shelter in place if you have to, but always be ready to move.
  • Keep a “get home” bag in your car/office.   
  • Have multiple routes planned out of the city.   
  • Comfortable boots + durable backpack ready.   
  • Pre-stage water, cash, and IDs in your bag.
  • Have somewhere to go to such as family, friends, etc and let them know that is your plan.

Here’s the truth: You don’t need 50 acres of farmland to be prepared, but you do have to do something. For those in the country you do have an advantage if you decide to prep like you mean it. I can't live in the city, I can barely stand being in suburbia.  For those that love or have to live the city life, I recommend finding a way out of that dense urban jungle as soon as you can. For those that can't or won't leave the city, start with water, food, light, security, and mobility and you’ll be putting yourself and your family in the best possible position.