Momentous choices

Gifu City or Aisho Town, created by merging two smaller towns?

The difference?

380,000 more people, 22 other new-arriving ALTs, and a rich history and cultural tradition, on the one hand - and $2700 more a year, plus a taste of non-city Japanese life on the other. (I'd add Japanese friends to the list for the latter, but I know the realistic chances of developing close Japanese friends in the - relatively - short time I'm there.)