washington and riyadh are pretty much tied

My perspective isn't particularly that of a New Yorker (though that's where I moved from, so that's where my habits were most recently molded). I've lived for extended periods of time in (alphabetical order) Amsterdam, Ann Arbor, Athens, London, New Haven, New York, Riyadh, San Francisco, Sydney, and now, Washington.

Each of these cities has something to offer. Each has aspects that make them less desirable. Each reaches balance somewhere. New Haven's certainly the worst of the bunch. Ahead of that, Washington and Riyadh are pretty much tied. Riyadh is more affordable and has more interesting neighborhoods; Washington has public transportation and we're allowed to wear shorts.