Shuangliao, China

With a population of just 317,758, Shuangliao is a small city in western Jilin, China, bordering Liaoning and Inner Mongolia. The administrative area is spread across 3,121.2 square kilometers, with a climate that is decidedly four-season - long, cold, and windy winters are the norm, while summers are hot and humid. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, as the city was previously the de jure capital of the defunct Liaobei Province. Overall, Shuangliao offers a modest, provincial lifestyle far from the glitz of China's megacities, best suited for those seeking a quieter, more affordable existence.