It’s not miserable, just different. But not too different — I’ve lived in districts with 3k people and cities with 1.6m and found that the big cities are mostly just clusters of little 3k communities squished together, with a few differences like 24/7 activities/clubs and arenas. And cheaper food.
I saved up for 19 years to buy a home, and even then almost missed the opportunity. At this point, I’d buy a 200k home in ruralia in a heartbeat as long as it had reliable affordable Internet and somewhere within an hour’s drive that had stores I could shop at.
But it all depends on what you already know how to live with.