Garissa, Kenya

With a population of over 841,000, Garissa is hardly the idyllic Kenyan paradise that travel brochures depict. The bureaucratic headaches here are relentless, from navigating the county's 30 electoral wards to dealing with the paltry 39.7% literacy rate. And safety is an ongoing concern, given the county's location on the Somali border. While the agricultural potential is clear, with farmers growing everything from maize to mangoes, the harsh climate and remote location make Garissa better suited for the most resilient of expats.