Juazeiro do Norte, Brazil

With a population of 173,566, this northeastern Brazilian city is no small-town backwater. But the local bureaucracy is a persistent headache, and the semiarid sertão climate can be grueling. Juazeiro do Norte is best known as the base of the charismatic priest Padre Cícero, whose November pilgrimage attracts thousands of devoted followers. The city has grown to become the second-largest in the state, thanks in large part to this religious tourism. However, unless you're a devout pilgrim drawn to the priest's mystical pull, this city in the Brazilian wilderness may not be the most practical place to call home.