Here Are 5 of the Coldest Places on Earth Where People Actually Live
If the cold never bothered you anyway, perhaps these cities are for you.
Published Jan. 30 2025, 3:01 p.m. ET
While some people are attracted to "climate havens," or cities that steeled against the most dramatic climate changes, others enjoy frigid temperatures, feet of snow, and all of the pros and cons that come with it.
Pack your heavy winter coat and your passport, and prepare for a bone-chilling tour around the world. Whether these regions will play host to your next winter vacation or serve as the site of your future home, it is important to learn about the climates in various parts of the world and how citizens cope with the elements. Check out five of the coldest places on Earth where people live, below.
Spend your summers in the coldest place on Earth: Antarctica.
While you cannot build a home amidst the coldest place in the universe — the Boomerang Nebula — you can still live and work in the coldest place on Earth: Antarctica.
According to glaciologist Bethan Davies, approximately 1,000 people call Antarctica home year-round, which jumps to 5,000 people during the summer.
"Overwintering in Antarctica is a special experience," Iain Rudkin tells Davies in Antarctic Glaciers. "To be able to not only visit this amazing continent but to spend a winter there is a privilege that few get to experience."
According to the United States Antarctic Program, the average temperature at McMurdo Station (the main U.S.-manned station in Antarctica) is 0 degrees Fahrenheit. That jumps to a tolerable 46 degrees in summer, however.
The coldest permanently inhabited city is Oymyakon, Russia.
The brave citizens of Oymyakon, Russia, must guard against frozen eyelashes and, according to The Weather Channel, average temperatures of 58 degrees Fahrenheit below zero. Roughly 2,000 people call the city home, per The Guardian.
The city's lowest recorded temperature was 96 degrees Fahrenheit below zero (1924), and glasses-wearers must contend with the prospect of having them become stuck to their faces.
“I remember feeling like the cold was physically gripping my legs, the other surprise was that occasionally my saliva would freeze into needles that would prick my lips," photographer Amos Chapple tells The Weather Channel.
Additional highlights: bonfires must be started to warm the ground to a point where graves can be dug, and cars outside must run at all times to remain operable.
Residents of Verkhoyansk, Russia live in the cold year-round.
The competition for the coldest permanently inhabited region falls between Oymyakon, Russia, and their Verkhoyansk neighbors. Per BBC Science Focus Magazine, the city is home to 1,000 people.
According to Weather Atlas, temperatures in January drop to almost 55 degrees below zero. Summer temperatures may reach the mid-70s.
Outdoor enthusiasts flock to Denali, Alaska.
If you are planning a trip to visit every national park in the U.S., don't miss the breathtaking Denali National Park in Alaska. Per Northern Hospitality Group, the Denali area offers beautiful mountains to hike, lakes to kayak, and a plethora of adventures for outdoor enthusiasts.
Per the National Park Service, the average annual temperature in Denali is 28 degrees Fahrenheit, which drops to below six degrees in winter. The lowest recorded temperature in Denali National Park was 54 degrees below zero, which occurred in 1999.
Visit Harbin, the "ice city" in China.
The capital of the Heilongjiang province of China, Harbin is a destination straight out of a Disney movie. According to AccuWeather, more than 10 million people live in Harbin, where January temperatures may reach 12 degrees Fahrenheit below zero.
The Harbin Ice Festival brings worldwide visitors to witness one of the most mesmerizing winter displays imaginable.