Simplify the following text for a Grade 11 native English-speaking person.
Original: Since the collapse of the Soviet Union , the city has become a relatively lively and well-provisioned capital , with a much higher standard of living than most rural areas .
Simplified: Since the collapse of the Soviet Union , the city has become a relatively lively and well-provisioned capital , with a much higher standard of living than in most rural areas of the country .