Fort McMurray, Canada

With a population of 68,002, Fort McMurray is a remote boomtown at the heart of Alberta's oil sands industry. Housing prices and rents are sky-high, while the brutal winters and devastating wildfires are an ever-present hazard. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, with the city's official designation as an "urban service area" rather than a municipality causing confusion. While Fort McMurray has thrived on oil wealth, this isolated outpost is best suited for those drawn to the region's lucrative energy jobs - everyone else may find the trade-offs simply too steep.