Tongling, China

Copper built this city and still runs it. Tongling Nonferrous Metals Group — one of China's largest copper producers — is the dominant employer, and the broader non-ferrous metals supply chain (smelting, processing, manufacturing) accounts for the majority of formal industrial employment. There's little here for foreign professionals outside of occasional English teaching positions at local schools or the odd manufacturing-sector role. Remote workers can technically base here, but the city isn't courting them, and the economic identity is firmly industrial, not entrepreneurial.

Rent for a decent two-bedroom apartment runs roughly ¥1,500–2,500/month ($210–350 USD), making it genuinely cheap by any standard. Local food and transport are similarly low-cost — city buses cost ¥1–2, and high-speed rail connects to Hefei in under an hour. Healthcare exists at the city level but expect limited English-speaking staff; anything serious means traveling to Hefei or Nanjing. Mandarin is non-negotiable here — English signage is sparse, menus are Chinese-only, and bureaucratic processes like residence permits require either fluency or a patient local contact.

Summers are brutally hot and humid, pushing 38°C with heavy rainfall from May through July — not a selling point. Winters are mild but grey. The food scene leans on Anhui cuisine: braised meats, preserved vegetables, freshwater fish from the Yangtze. Weekend options include the Tianmen Hill scenic area and the copper culture museum, which is actually worth a visit. The expat community is essentially nonexistent — no foreigner bars, no expat Facebook groups, no soft landing. This city suits a specific type: someone partnered with a local, teaching English, and genuinely comfortable disappearing into Chinese daily life.