Is residing in Makkah better or in al-Madinah?

Question:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This questioner says: What is better, residing in Makkah or in al-Madinah? And is it better for the one who resides there to be in al-Hal or in al-Haram?

Answer:
Mere residence is not enough. The one who resides in Makkah and al-Madinah is required to seize the opportunity for righteous deeds, seeking knowledge, and rectitude, and to be patient with staying there and being a neighbor to al-Masjid al-Haram and al-Masjid al-Nabawi, and to pray in them, or is it mere residence only? Yes. As for which is better? There is no doubt that Makkah is better; because prayer in al-Masjid al-Haram is worth a hundred thousand prayers, while prayer in al-Masjid al-Nabawi is worth a thousand prayers. It is a clear difference. Prepared by the Project of the Senior Scholars of Kuwait, may Allah honor it with tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and the Sunnah.