Savar, Bangladesh

Life in Savar is no walk in the park. With a population of over 2.3 million, this bustling industrial hub northwest of Dhaka has a literacy rate of 84.38%, but the tax burden is heavy and bureaucracy a persistent headache. The garment factories that employ hundreds of thousands have a troubling history of negligence - a 2012 fire killed at least 112 workers, and the 2013 building collapse left 1,129 dead. While Savar is home to the National Martyrs' Memorial and several universities, the grim realities of life here make it best suited for the hardened expat seeking opportunity over comfort.