Etten-Leur, Netherlands

With a population of just 44,152, Etten-Leur is a sleepy Dutch town that offers little to excite the average expat. The former peat-producing and trading hub has fallen on harder times, with the economic decline of the 19th century only partially reversed by the government's mid-20th century push for industrial development. While the area was a major battleground during the Eighty Years' War, today's residents face a more persistent headache: the notorious Dutch bureaucracy.

Aside from a brief stint by the artist Vincent van Gogh, Etten-Leur lacks the cultural cache to draw in international transplants. Unless you're a devout Catholic eager to enroll your children in the local Katholieke Scholengemeenschap, this nondescript North Brabant municipality is unlikely to be an appealing destination.