Whakatane, New Zealand

Capital City

With a population of just 16,850, Whakatāne is a sleepy backwater that offers little to draw in ambitious expats. The regional hub's main industries - forestry, agriculture, and tourism - provide stable if unexciting work, while the town's frequent sunshine hours and coastal setting offer a quiet retirement lifestyle. However, the area's history of natural disasters, including the deadly 2019 White Island eruption, serve as a sobering reminder that Mother Nature is never far away. For those seeking an off-the-beaten-path existence in New Zealand, Whakatāne may provide the simple, laidback lifestyle they crave, but it's hardly a dynamic hub for the globally-minded.