Magnitogorsk, Russia

Capital City

This industrial city in the Ural Mountains is home to over 400,000 people, but the reality is far from idyllic. Magnitogorsk's massive steel plant dominates the landscape, belching out noxious fumes that leave only 1% of children in good health. The brutal winters, with temperatures plunging below -36°C, are a persistent headache. And the city's closed-off past under Soviet rule has left a legacy of bureaucracy that still frustrates residents today. While Magnitogorsk may have been a showpiece of Soviet achievement, it's a tough place to call home - one best suited for hardy industrial workers, not the average expat.