The answer to this age old debate usually comes back to something like “well it depends on personal circumstances”. True enough, but regardless of someone’s own situation, I believe that there are very clear advantages to living in a city.

There are some very obvious benefits, starting with job opportunities. Even in tough times, cities around the world offer a wealth of jobs and careers for people. For many, their chosen job can only be found in metropolitan areas; government positions being the one example. Large cities such as London tend to buck economic trend to a certain degree; the UK’s capitol experienced GDP growth higher than the national average in 2011. Cities offer more schools and universities as well, and can give parents a greater choice in how their children are educated.

However, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy; cities are fantastic places to have fun as well. Because of competition and rapidly developing cultural movements, there is a much higher choice when it comes to restaurant, bars, theatre and cinema. Population centres play host to larger attractions as well, such as department stores, galleries, museums and landmarks; if you live in a city, then these are always on your doorstep.

Socially, cities are great places to be as well; it tends to be easier to meet up, meet new people and keep busy. Immigration, opportunities and natural migration mean that cities are multicultural and ethnically diverse; this makes living in one an exciting experience. Just next week for example, I am celebrating Chinese New Year, for no apparent reason!

For all the obvious benefits to living in a city, there are some ambiguous areas that polarise city slickers and country bumpkins. There is of course, the touchy issue of pollution. Sure, cities are more polluted, but there are plenty of green spaces as well, so if you live in an urban area then you are fortunate to get the best of both worlds; the convenience of a shop next door and a big green space to spend the warm summer months. Make no mistake about it, city parks are a fantastic contradiction.

City transport is another hot topic; even people who live in cities complain about it sometimes. But truth be told, I would rather have public transport at 2-minute intervals with occasional delays than wait 20 minutes for a commuter train or have the extra expense of a car to ferry me around. Additionally, more often than not, people who live in urban areas are in close proximity to major transport hubs; an added convenience.

And what about quality of life overall? Crime? Are cities a good place to raise a family? Well maybe so, maybe not. All I can is that after living in London for going on five years, I have never once felt unsafe and can totally imagine raising a family there. The reason why? Cities are great fun; sure, they are crowded but they just take a bit of getting used to. What about urban areas being more expensive to live? In many cases this is offset with higher average wages in metro areas.

I write here to demonstrate why I think cities are the best places to live, however who is to say that in 20 years’ time I will think the opposite? Things change. When it comes to choosing a place to live, everyone’s life is different, and everyone has different priorities. For the time being, I’ll conclude as follows; if one was to draw up a list of what they need for a fulfilling and happy life then it may read something like this: safety, social opportunities, career opportunities, a place to get away from it all, personal space and achievement. The fact of the matter is that people can only get everything here in cities; and that’s why I think they are so special, and such great places to live.  It’s also good to have lots of Starbucks shops nearby as well.