Ketubot 110B

אבל לא מעיר לכרך, ולא מכרך לעיר.

However, even within the same land one may not force his wife to move from a town to a city, nor from a city to a town.

מוציאין מנוה הרע(ה) לנוה היפה, אבל לא מנוה היפה לנוה הרע(ה). רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אומר: אף לא מנוה רע(ה) לנוה יפה, מפני שהנוה היפה בודק.

The Mishnah adds: One may remove his wife from a noxious residence to a pleasant residence, even if it is in another land. However, one may not compel his wife to move from a pleasant residence to a noxious residence. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: One may also not remove her from a noxious residence to a pleasant residence, because a pleasant residence tests the individual, i.e., one accustomed to certain environments can suffer even in more comfortable living quarters.

גמ׳ בשלמא מכרך לעיר ⁠— דבכרך שכיחי כל מילי, בעיר לא שכיחי כל מילי. אלא מעיר לכרך מאי טעמא?

Talmud: With regard to the statement in the Mishnah that one may not force one’s spouse to move from a city to a town or from a town to a city, the Talmud asks: Granted, one may not remove her from a city to a town, as all items are readily available in a city, whereas in a town all items are not as available, and therefore the wife can argue that living in a town is inconvenient for her. However, what is the reason that the husband cannot compel her to move from a town to the city?

מסייע ליה לרבי יוסי בר חנינא. דאמר רבי יוסי בר חנינא: מנין שישיבת כרכים קשה, שנאמר: ״ויברכו העם לכל האנשים המתנדבים לשבת בירושלים״.

The Talmud answers: This supports the opinion of R' Yosei bar Ḥanina, as R' Yosei bar Ḥanina said: From where is it derived that residence in cities is difficult? As it is stated: “And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to reside in Jerusalem” (Nehemiah 11:2). This shows that living in a city is difficult, due to the noise and the general hubbub of an urban area.