Pinhais, Brazil

With a population of just 132,157, Pinhais is the smallest municipality in the state of Paraná, Brazil. As a suburb of the larger city of Curitiba, Pinhais rides the coattails of its neighbor, lacking the infrastructure and amenities of a standalone city. The town's recent history is intertwined with Curitiba's urban expansion, as developers carved up land for residential growth in the 1960s and 70s. While the presence of a Swiss-Brazilian private school suggests an international community, the day-to-day bureaucracy of living in this sleepy satellite town is likely to be a persistent headache. For those content with a quieter, more provincial lifestyle on the outskirts of a major metro area, Pinhais may suffice - but it's hardly the glamorous Brazilian experience many expats dream of.