La Paz

UN & international careers in La Paz, Bolivia.

La Paz at a Glance Compare with

Considering a career with the UN or another international organization in Bolivia? This profile covers cost of living and purchasing power, the ICSC hardship classification and human development — so you know what living there really means. For pay by grade, see the Salary & Benefits tab.

Capital
Sucre
Currency
Boliviano (BOB)
Region
South America
Languages
Spanish, QU, AY
Area
1,098,580 km²
Calling code
+591
Cost of Living & Purchasing Power
40 / 100 (US = 100)
local spending goes
2.5× as far as in the US
roughly flat · price level vs US, 2016–2025 (40.2 → 40)

This is the World Bank price-level index: a whole-economy, national average of consumer prices benchmarked against the United States as a whole (US = 100), from the International Comparison Program. It is a country-level figure — it isn't tied to a specific city or measured against New York. At about 40, everyday prices in Bolivia are roughly 40% of US levels, so local-currency spending goes about 2.5× as far. (World Bank, 2026.)

How this relates to your UN pay. For internationally-recruited (P / D) staff, the UN's post adjustment — set per duty station against New York, not the US average — is what actually governs your purchasing power. It already prices in local costs (here about 29%), so it isn't added on top of the saving above. For locally-recruited (GS / NO) staff — paid in local currency with no post adjustment — this national index is the more useful lifestyle guide.
How this is measured (World Bank ICP)
Real UN Purchasing Power UNjobnet estimate
184 / 100 (New York = 100)
84% further than New York

An internationally-recruited (P / D) staffer's net pay — base salary plus post adjustment — stretches roughly 84% further against local prices in Bolivia than the same pay does in New York.

How we work this out. Net-pay index (1 + post adjustment) ÷ local price level, indexed so that New York = 100. Inputs here: post adjustment 29%, World Bank price level 40 (US = 100), New York post adjustment 76%.

A local-economy estimate. Post adjustment is calculated to equalise the cost of an international-staff basket across duty stations, so this extra purchasing power is what you gain by spending on local goods and services rather than imported or international ones (international schooling, for instance). It uses Bolivia's national price level and its main duty station's post adjustment, so treat it as a guide, not a payslip. A UNjobnet estimate, calculated from UN ICSC post adjustment and World Bank price levels.

Human Development & Society
High Human Development
0.733 HDI rank #108 of 193
69
Life expectancy (yrs)
$9,445
GNI / capita
10
Mean yrs schooling
15.6
Expected yrs schooling

The UNDP Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Bolivia is in the high band — a useful signal of living conditions, services and schooling for staff and accompanying family. UNDP data