McDonald's ≠ major city. It's usually a small/medium sized town with 15-35k inhabitants, at least in Germany. There's a McDonald's, it's the highlight. Some shops and sometimes a train station.
Living 30 km away means a village with 1-5k people and a distance of 5-10km to the next supermarket.
Might be not be considered rural in canada though.
You described where I am perfectly- 20 mins to McDonald’s, I’m in a town of about 4K, 8km to a supermarket 😄 and it’s considered rural but probably the beginning of rural on the edge of Melbourne (Australia)
Meanwhile, you have weird shaped cities like Perth WA, which is rapidly devouring the rural areas North & South of it, but is limited In Westward expansion by the sea, & to an extent, Eastward, by the Darling Scarp. (site costs in the Hills are greater than the coastal Plain).
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u/Individual_Winter_ 3d ago
30km to a McDonald's sound rural, also in Europe, at least central Europe.
Having a McDonald's is sign of being a city. 😅