Pato Branco, Brazil

With a population of just 55,675, Pato Branco is a sleepy backwater that offers little in the way of economic opportunity or cultural excitement. The city has experienced some positive economic development in recent years, but the reality is that it remains a small, isolated town with a limited commercial airport and a quiet, sub-tropical climate that can bring morning frost and occasional snowfall during the mild winters.

While the city is home to a couple private colleges and the local branch of a federal university, the bureaucracy and red tape involved in navigating daily life are a persistent headache for residents. Notable figures like footballer Alexandre Pato and goalkeeper Rogério Ceni may have hailed from Pato Branco, but this unremarkable municipality is best suited for those seeking a simple, provincial lifestyle far removed from the dynamism of Brazil's major urban centers.