Angren, Uzbekistan

Moving to Angren is a gamble - the once-thriving industrial hub has fallen on hard times, with the population plummeting from 191,300 in 2021 to just 131,970 today. While the city retains a coal mining industry and some other manufacturing, the collapse of the Soviet Union has left Angren as something of a ghost town, with factories shuttered and skilled workers fleeing. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, and the climate can be bitterly cold in winter. Ultimately, Angren is best suited for those seeking affordable housing and a slower pace of life, but it offers little in the way of economic opportunity or modern amenities.