Qisha, China

With a population of just 44,561, Qisha is hardly the bustling metropolis one might expect. The reality is a sleepy town where bureaucratic headaches are a persistent nuisance. While the Yi actor Ci Sha may have found inspiration here, the average expat will be hard-pressed to replicate his success. This is a place for those content with a slower pace of life, far from the glitz and glamour of China's coastal hubs.