Dacheng, China

With a population of just 84,620, Dacheng is hardly the glittering metropolis many aspiring expats imagine. The bureaucratic headaches of running a business here can be a persistent pain, and the legal landscape, while navigated by the massive Dacheng Law Offices, is hardly a model of transparency. Still, the city's strategic location and growing commercial ties with Iran may appeal to the savvier investor willing to cut through the red tape. Those seeking an easy, comfortable expat life would be better off looking elsewhere.