Does anyone believe that our cities are not overblown in terms of livability, overpriced real estate, traffic, sidewalks, shops, cafes, etc?
Depends on perspective I suppose, and extent of what qualifies as a city ie the CBD or including surrounding suburbs.
Livability: There are people living in apartments in and around the Brisbane CBD, in particular. I would assume that they are in the younger age demographic. Able to walk to shops and entertainment facilities, so saving on transport time and costs. Likely a fair percentage of them working at or near the CBD as well. No gardens to look after, no lawns to mow. I never saw myself as an apartment dweller myself but spent many years doing just this but in the suburbs. No real great cost savings compared to with living in a house, and I ended up with a house and garden, and have gotten away from the Strata Committee situation that can be frustrating at times.
I live about 10km from the CBD and work in the CBD. Door to door is an hour by bus, each way. Driving might be slightly quicker but traffic would make me homicidal, plus the high cost of parking, so bus it is (I can catch up on 24hr CF on the bus.) There are a couple of big shopping centres close to where I live but I need my car for shopping.
Real Estate costs: The cost of homes is pretty shocking these days, but they sell anyway. I was amazed at what the place next door to me went for, and the house has been knocked down and to be replaced with a new house. There was a premium based on the number of bedrooms and bathrooms that the old house had, but it's been leveled.
Many years ago, when I was living and working in Perth, I was seconded to a project in Sydney so sent three months over there (with fortnightly trips back to Perth). Was living in an apartment in Potts Point, shopped at Kings Cross and worked in the CBD. I didn't actually mind the rat race (by population size, Sydney CBD was the direct opposite extreme of Perth CBD). I went to a gym at Surry Hills and even jogged out to the botanical gardens and back. Then again accommodation was paid for. I didn't have or need a car while there, although I hired a car once to visit Lithgow to see the small arms factory of course.
I also went to New York once for a holiday and quite liked it. The ability for a large population to ignore each other, but follow the basic rules of respect and conduct, certainly helped. I was a tourist though, so actually living there bring different feelings and perceptions.
