UN P-4 Salary in Cotonou, Benin

What an internationally recruited Professional (P-4) 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.

P-4 salary in Cotonou — at a glance

Internationally recruited Professional & Director (P/D) — the global USD scale plus this station's post adjustment. Recruited locally? See the GS/NO local scale.

USD 114,588
Net rem · step 1
USD 129,549
Net rem · mid
USD 144,502
Net rem · top step
USD Post adjustment +33% 13 steps Hardship B January 2026

Net remuneration = net base + 33% post adjustment (net base USD 86,027–USD 108,485), before hardship/danger allowances and pension.

P-4 salary scale — by step

Global net base (un_scale), effective January 2026, with the 33% post adjustment for Cotonou. Per year, USD.

StepNet basePost adj (+33%)Net remunerationEst. take-home
Step 1USD 86,027USD 28,561USD 114,588USD 95,957
Step 2USD 87,898USD 29,182USD 117,080USD 98,021
Step 3USD 89,771USD 29,804USD 119,575USD 100,088
Step 4USD 91,641USD 30,425USD 122,066USD 102,151
Step 5USD 93,513USD 31,046USD 124,559USD 104,217
Step 6USD 95,384USD 31,667USD 127,051USD 106,281
Step 7USD 97,259USD 32,290USD 129,549USD 108,350
Step 8USD 99,130USD 32,911USD 132,041USD 110,414
Step 9USD 101,002USD 33,533USD 134,535USD 112,480
Step 10USD 102,870USD 34,153USD 137,023USD 114,540
Step 11USD 104,746USD 34,776USD 139,522USD 116,610
Step 12USD 106,613USD 35,396USD 142,009USD 118,670
Step 13USD 108,485USD 36,017USD 144,502USD 120,736

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 in Cotonou

Allowances an internationally recruited P-4 may receive at this duty station. Annual USD unless noted.

Post adjustmentCost-of-living multiplier on net base+33%
Hardship allowanceICSC category BUSD 7,330
Mobility incentiveFrom the 2nd assignment onwardUSD 8,625 +
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 for Cotonou — plus cost of living & relocation
Your Take-Home in 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).

You must already have 5 years' continuous UN service to qualify, and it applies from your 2nd duty station onward. Paid for up to 5 years at any one station.
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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) pay is in US dollars; GS/NO on the local scale in local currency. For information only — not official advice.

Other Professional grades in Cotonou

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

Frequently asked

What is the P-4 salary at the UN in Cotonou?

A Professional P-4 in Cotonou, Benin has a net base salary of about USD 86,027 (step 1) to USD 108,485 (top step). With the 33% post adjustment for this duty station, net remuneration is roughly USD 114,416 to USD 144,285 per year, before hardship, danger and other allowances.

How does post adjustment work for a P-4 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 P-4 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 for Cotonou
These are UN common-system pay figures. The World Bank, IMF and NGOs and other non-UN employers posting in Cotonou set their own pay — a role here does not guarantee these figures.