Beni, Democratic Republic of the Congo

With a population of just over 232,000, Beni is a hard-scrabble city in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, plagued by violence from rebel groups and outbreaks of deadly diseases like Ebola. The town was the site of fierce fighting during the Second Congo War and has endured over 200 Ebola cases since 2018, according to the World Health Organization. Safety is a persistent headache, with 500 local deaths attributed to Ugandan Islamist rebels between 2014-2016 and a 2019 ISIL attack that killed or wounded 25. For all its challenges, Beni does offer a market, airport, and a Christian university, but this turbulent city is only suited for the most intrepid and resilient expats.