It is hard to say whether a particular style of living is better for any single person. But the historic evidence is clear that for the growth and expansion of civilization, urban centers are where ideas are exchanged, where most education and research happens, and where artistic and creative pursuits thrive the most. It is also where more people, proportionally, rise out of poverty compared to rural areas, which is exactly why Chinese gravitate toward their cities and away from the countryside. One has more opportunity. From an environment standpoint, cities are also denser and surprisingly better suited to deal with global warming.