UN FS-2 Salary — Cotonou, Benin

What an internationally recruited Field Service (FS-2) earns at the UN in Cotonou — the global net base salary plus this duty station’s 33% post adjustment and the hardship, danger and non-family allowances on top.

FS-2 salary — Cotonou, at a glance

Internationally recruited Field Service (FS) — the UN’s worldwide FS scale plus this station’s post adjustment. Recruited locally? See the GS/NO local scale.

USD 57,672
Net rem · step 1
USD 65,325
Net rem · mid
USD 73,084
Net rem · top step
USD Post adjustment +33% 13 steps Hardship B January 2026 Checked Nov 7, 2026

Net remuneration = net base + 33% post adjustment (net base USD 43,297–USD 54,868), before hardship/danger allowances and pension.

FS-2 salary scale — by step

Worldwide Field Service net base (UN OneHR), effective January 2026, with the 33% post adjustment for Cotonou. Per year, USD.

StepNet basePost adj (+33%)Net remunerationEst. take-home
Step 1USD 43,297USD 14,375USD 57,672USD 48,613
Step 2USD 44,263USD 14,695USD 58,958USD 49,687
Step 3USD 45,227USD 15,015USD 60,242USD 50,758
Step 4USD 46,191USD 15,335USD 61,526USD 51,829
Step 5USD 47,159USD 15,657USD 62,816USD 52,905
Step 6USD 48,120USD 15,976USD 64,096USD 53,973
Step 7USD 49,043USD 16,282USD 65,325USD 54,998
Step 8USD 50,050USD 16,617USD 66,667USD 56,117
Step 9USD 51,015USD 16,937USD 67,952USD 57,190
Step 10USD 51,981USD 17,258USD 69,239USD 58,263
Step 11USD 52,944USD 17,577USD 70,521USD 59,333
Step 12USD 53,905USD 17,896USD 71,801USD 60,401
Step 13USD 54,868USD 18,216USD 73,084USD 61,471

Est. take-home deducts a 7.9% UNJSPF pension and an indicative 2.5% medical premium. Indicative — the estimator below computes single/dependency rates and your exact deductions.

On top of base salary — Cotonou

Allowances an internationally recruited FS-2 may receive at this duty station. Annual USD unless noted.

Post adjustmentCost-of-living multiplier on net base+33%
Hardship allowanceICSC category BUSD 6,110
Mobility incentiveFrom the 2nd assignment onwardUSD 6,900 +
Danger paySecurity-risk designationNot a danger-pay station
Non-family allowanceWhen dependants may not accompany staffFamily duty station
Spouse / single-parent allowanceDependent spouse, or first child if a single parent+6% of net remuneration
Child allowancePer dependent child (flat rate)USD 2,929 / child
See these allowances explained in full — Cotonou, plus cost of living & relocation
Your Take-Home Pay — Benin

An estimate for a UN post at Cotonou, Benin — for internationally recruited staff (Professional P / D, in US dollars) or locally recruited staff (General Service / National Officer, local scale).

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Field Service net base: UN OneHR scale effective January 2026. The pension line uses pensionable remuneration derived from the ICSC Professional scale (FS figures are no longer published).
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* Health insurance is indicative only — real premiums vary by organization, plan (medical and dental are billed separately) and coverage option. The ~2.5% shown is a placeholder, not a quote.

Indicative estimate — excludes rental subsidy, education grant and settling-in. Professional (P/D) and Field Service (FS) pay is in US dollars; GS/NO on the local scale in local currency. For information only — not official advice.

Other Professional grades — Cotonou

Same duty station, different grade — see the full scale for each.

Frequently asked

What is the FS-2 salary at the UN in Cotonou?

A Field Service FS-2 in Cotonou, Benin has a net base salary of about USD 43,297 (step 1) to USD 54,868 (top step). With the 33% post adjustment for this duty station, net remuneration is roughly USD 57,585 to USD 72,974 per year, before hardship, danger and other allowances.

How does post adjustment work for a FS-2 in Cotonou?

Post adjustment equalises purchasing power across duty stations. In Cotonou it is about 33% of net base salary, added on top — so the same FS-2 net base is worth more or less depending on the station’s cost of living.

What is the cost of living in Cotonou, Benin?

Everyday prices in Benin are roughly 34% of United States levels (World Bank price level index, US = 100). Post adjustment is designed to offset this. For internationally recruited (P/D) staff, our Real UN Purchasing Power estimate for Cotonou is 113/100 (New York = 100) — net pay (base + post adjustment) stretches about 13% further here than in New York.

See the Real UN Purchasing Power — Cotonou
These are UN common-system pay figures. The World Bank, IMF and NGOs and other non-UN employers posting here set their own pay — a role here does not guarantee these figures.