You're presuming people like living in big cities. In reality it could be they are only there because of the jobs and the reasonable commute. Lose a job? Can find another one without moving. And of course, there's the night life, the concentration of museums, art galleries, performance arts, etc.

But most people I know still go (or at least try to) for their vacation to some tropical paradise. They would live there if they could. But most people can't.