Chapecó, Brazil

With a population of just 123,050, Chapecó is no cosmopolitan hub. This planned industrial city in southern Brazil is the self-proclaimed "agribusiness capital," home to major meat processing plants and technology firms. But the region's strategic location on the border has long made it a flashpoint, with the Contestado War raging here in the early 20th century. Today, the city's bureaucracy remains a persistent headache, and its subtropical climate can be sweltering. Chapecó may appeal to those seeking an affordable base for Brazil's heartland, but it's hardly a tropical paradise.