Quanzhou, China

With a population of over 8.7 million, Quanzhou is a major industrial hub, but one that comes with significant headaches. The tax burden is heavy, and bureaucratic red tape is a persistent issue. Typhoons and occasional earthquakes pose natural threats. And the city's cosmopolitan history has given way to ethnic tensions, with past massacres of foreign communities. Overall, Quanzhou is a challenging place to live - best suited for those seeking economic opportunity over an easy life.