Mujiayingzi, China

With a population of 706,312, this city is no quaint village. The harsh climate, with temperatures plunging below -24°C, is a real concern. And bureaucracy is a persistent headache, with the district divided into an unwieldy 244 administrative villages and 44 urban residential communities. On the plus side, the economy is broad-based, with the tertiary sector accounting for 59.4% of GDP. But the disparity in incomes, with urban residents earning over twice as much as rural ones, suggests this is no workers' paradise. Overall, Mujiayingzi seems best suited for hardy souls with the patience to navigate its complexities.