Chuzhou, China

This city of nearly 4 million people is not for the faint of heart. The population figure alone should give you pause - Chuzhou is a sprawling, densely populated urban area, not the quaint village you may have envisioned. And the bureaucracy is a persistent headache, with 178 township-level divisions to navigate. The climate is also a mixed bag, with frigid, damp winters and sweltering, humid summers.

On the plus side, Chuzhou does offer some natural beauty, with the scenic Mount Langya drawing tourists. And the city has a long history, as the birthplace of Ming dynasty founder Zhu Yuanzhang. But overall, this is a crowded, bureaucratic metropolis better suited for seasoned expats than those seeking a quiet life abroad.