Indiga, Russia

Living in Indiga is a frigid endeavor. The river flows for 193 km through the Malozemelskaya Tundra before emptying into the Barents Sea, with a watershed spanning 3,790 sq km. The town is blanketed in ice for over half the year, as the river remains frozen from late October to May. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, with government agencies tightly controlling the remote region.

This isolated outpost on the northern coast is a tough sell. Only the hardiest of souls seeking a rugged, off-the-grid lifestyle should consider braving Indiga.