Cheonan, South Korea

This city of over 656,000 people may seem like an attractive gateway to South Korea, but the reality is that it's a sprawling transportation hub with a heavy bureaucratic load. The climate is temperate but can get bitterly cold in winter, with average temperatures ranging from -13.4°C to 34.2°C. And while the city boasts a growing foreign population, including over 1,000 foreign inmates, integrating into the local culture can be a persistent headache. Cheonan is a pragmatic choice for those seeking a transportation nexus south of Seoul, but it's hardly a glamorous expat destination.