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In terms of high living costs for what you get in return, London and Sydney would be much worse than NYC.
In addition, saying New York city feels like a developing country outside of Manhattan does feel like the usually melodramatic anti-americanism. If you've never been to Paris or Rome or the projects just outside of London or Manchester...these places look as bad, if not poorer than most downtrodden parts of American cities, with the difference usually being higher crime in the US (though not all the time).
I think the difference is that Europeans are uncomfortable with the presence of poverty around wealth when they come to the states, whereas Americans more so notice and are unsettled by the comparative lack of visible wealth in Europe - larger portions of Europe, as well as areas fringing London and particularly Paris, felt almost entirely working class/near poverty level compared to back home in Chicago, where you would have some working class suburbs, and then stretches of extremely genteel suburbs with huge houses and a much more visible and high rate of financial consumption/disposable income - which you don't see as much of in Europe, generally. When you do, they're usually in metropolitan centers, and don't usually consist of single family homes, more so row-houses and apartments.
This varies though.
Definitely not true. Paris also has really nice suburbs outside the ring. When I was on my way to catch a flight from the airport that is located in Queens, I can’t remember the name LaGuardia? Anyway, I actually felt back in a South American third world country. Ugly streets, with the noisy subway above you, and the dirtiness around. It just looks not well maintained at all. Same when I was on my way JFK, the Uber driver went through some neighbourhoods and they looked really really bad
I have lived for an extended period only in London out of the 4 but visited or lived a couple of months he other Three.
I will keep it short.
My first choice I see London. Beautiful architecture, nightlife, job opportunities, food etc. Plus very close to amazing European capitals plus English countryside. Diversity of people is amazing. I dated 7-8 nationalities in 2 years I spent there. Weather is pretty mild and while not med is actually one of its stronger points. Really uncomfortable summers last just 15 days in comparison to NYC or Toronto where it lasts 2 months. I honestly believe Londons gloomy weather reputation is a hangover from classic English literature borrowed from Dickens etc. So much so even native Londoners have started to peddle and perhaps believe in it. When I first came there I was warned of the gloomy days ahead. I waited 2 years and was ppleasantly Surprised. Off topic that's true of Vancouver to a lesser extent. While it's winter Months are indeed gloomy, the glorious summer months make up for it.
NYC second. NYC and London are a class apart at the world stage and NYC is a slightly more important city. But it has very hot and humid summers and winters are more brutal than a London. Suburbs are dirtier and crime is actually a factor. I felt unsafe walking around some NYC streets in dark and I am a pretty well built guy. Never felt slightest unease in London anywhere anytime.
Toronto third. I found Sydney and Toronto pretty comparable and similar. And it comes to personal taste. I don't like Aussie accent all too much for some reason plus it's pretty isolated.
While I'm in agreement with many of your preferences, I'm baffled by your choice of Sydney for immediate surroundings. Sydney is one of my favorite cities and i go there frequently for at least a week, but one of the shortcomings for me is that there is such a lack of attraction in its surroundings..So boring. Blue Mountains and some beaches. That's it. Maybe Hunter for wine.
By comparison, For example, within a short drive of New York, is the dramatically beautiful part of the Hudson River (Storm King), the Catskills, Berkshires, Poconos mountains. The beautiful stretches of Long Island Beaches, and the Jersey Shore, and the lovely historic countryside of New England (CT, and MA) studded with beautiful towns and villages.
Hunter, Blue Mountains, Beaches in the city, and especially the Southern Highlands, glorious country. Sydney is my least favourite city in Australia, but the surroundings are fantastic and the best part of it!
I find the jersey shore and LI beaches to be very dull and unattractive relative to what is found in Australia in general and Sydney specifically. But I do love the Hudson Valley, and the Finger Lake region...I'd love a home on Lake Seneca! But the immediate surrounds of the Cities...Sydney by a country mile!
In terms architecture London with it's long history and UN World Heritage sites usually wins.
As I said, for my architectural interests, the history and development of modern highrise, NYC is the mecca with Chicago not far behind. London doesn't rate in that category which is what I was applying my rating to. After all, this stuff is all subjective.
Nightlife
1. NYC, 2. Sydney, 3. London, 4. Toronto
Sydney is not even in the conversation with regard to nightlife. Absurd lockout laws decimated what was there. It isn't even the best nightlife city in Australia, let alone being ahead of London.
Corona seems to be bypassing East Asians largely for some unknown reason. That has positively benefited Aus and NZ imo
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