Tolyatti (Togliatti), Russia

Capital City

With a population of 662,683, Tolyatti is Russia's largest non-capital city, a distinction that offers little advantage. The sprawling industrial center built around the massive AvtoVAZ car plant is a far cry from the charming historic towns that draw many expats to Russia. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, and the city has a grim reputation for organized crime, with over 550 mafia-linked killings recorded between 1998 and 2004. Tolyatti is best suited for those drawn to Russia's automotive industry or with a high tolerance for the realities of provincial Russian life.