I think the advantages of living in a big city really emerge when you have hobbies/interests/needs that are not very common. In that case if you want in-person

I think the advantages of living in a big city really emerge when you have hobbies/interests/needs that are not very common. In that case if you want in-person interaction with like-minded people, or to attend specific facilities, you need a big enough population that the relevant small percentage of people becomes a significant community.