Is living in New York City really a surreal/ life changing experience ? (as shown in movies)

"Greatest city in the world" is probably rather subjective depending on the criteria, but it certainly is certainly in the top five. There are amazing experiences and views to be had all over the city.  There is certainly no lack of things to keep someone occupied in NYC.  There are amazing restaurants, museums, cultural events, live music, Broadway, etc. That said, it can be overwhelming, crowded, expensive, etc.  The pace is definitely faster here, and many people tend to work a lot of hours, either out of necessity or just to keep up with their peers.  I personally can't imagine living anywhere else, but then again I was born here.  It's a great place to live if you have the means and enjoy the lifestyle, but it's certainly not for everyone.

To paraphrase EB White, there are roughly 3 New Yorks: that of the native, the commuter and the person who sought out New York.  The native just sort of accepts the all of the idiosyncrasies of city life for what they are.  The commuter sets up a perch outside of the city and contributes to the restlessness of the city.  The seeker gives the city its passion. I think that your experience of the city largely depends on which class you fall into.

First, NYC is a number of different "cities".  I'll focus on Manhattan, as that is the only 'borough' in which I've lived. Generally, you become spoiled by New York.  You expect that you'll be able to find certain things at just about any time of the day or night (other than a cab).  Because of the sheer number of people of all ages, it's a great place to do things.  It has an advantage over, say, LA for creative types because it's so dense in comparison.  If you like "weird", you can wander around with your ears open and eavesdrop on some truly odd sounding conversations. Depending on your wonder, sense of adventure, and willingness to leave your apartment, the "honeymoon" period can last for a long time. Eventually, though, you'll likely settle into more of a routine.  You'll go to the same drugstore, get your groceries from the same store or bodega, and your circle of novelty will shrink.  At that point, NYC can become very annoying.  Small living quarters, crappy weather, expensive everything, crowds, whatever annoys you.  If you eventually turn into a "work, home, work, home" schedule, NYC will be worse than most other cities because New York is not a center of innovation in a number of areas. If I had to make a recommendation, I'd encourage anyone to go to university or grad school in Manhattan, or their first or second job in their 20s.  You'll be more likely to build a circle of friends without any effort and can bootstrap your way to learning the city and expanding your base of acquaintances who may share one or two interests with you, but are not *like* you. Of all the places I've lived, I'd say Paris was the most "life changing", but Manhattan is a phenomenal example of self-organizing emergent behavior.  Now I live in San Francisco, and while I love it, I'm very well aware that it's a "JV" city.  But you can't beat it if you're in the tech industry.

No. Sure, there's a lot of sensory stimulation but the lives of ordinary New Yorkers are as mundane and routine as anywhere else. Experiences in life are more about who you are than where you live.