Georgia

UN & international careers in Georgia.

Georgia at a Glance Compare Georgia with

Considering a career with the UN or another international organization in Georgia? 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
Tbilisi
Currency
Lari (GEL)
Region
Asia
Languages
Georgian, Russian, Armenian, Azerbaijani
Area
69,700 km²
Calling code
+995
Bordering countries
Cost of Living
33 / 100 (US = 100)
local spending goes
3× as far as in the US
rising · price level vs US, 2016–2025 (31.7 → 32.9)

Everyday prices in Georgia are roughly 33% of US levels — so local-currency spending goes about as far. This is the World Bank price-level index: a national average of consumer prices measured against the US as a whole (US = 100) — a country-level figure, not tied to a specific city or to New York. (World Bank, 2026.)

How this relates to your UN pay. For internationally-recruited (P / D) staff, it's the UN's post adjustment — set against New York, not the US average (here about 27%) — that governs your purchasing power, so don't add the saving above on top. For locally-recruited (GS / NO) staff, paid in local currency with no post adjustment, this index is the better lifestyle guide.
How this is measured (World Bank ICP)
Real UN Purchasing Power UNjobnet estimate
109 / 100 (New York = 100)
9% further than New York

For internationally-recruited (P / D) staff, net pay — base salary plus post adjustment — stretches about 9% further against local prices in Georgia than in New York.

How we work this out. Net-pay index (1 + post adjustment) ÷ an effective price level — about half local prices, half internationally-priced goods (housing, imports, schooling), since staff don't buy everything locally — indexed so that New York = 100. Inputs here: post adjustment 27%, World Bank price level 33 (US = 100), New York post adjustment 76%.

A UNjobnet estimate from UN ICSC post adjustment and World Bank price levels. Because post adjustment equalises an international-staff basket across duty stations, the gain shows up mostly on local goods and services — so we assume staff spend about half locally and half on internationally-priced goods (housing to international standard, imports, schooling), which keeps the estimate realistic where local prices are very low. It uses Georgia's national price level and its main duty station's post adjustment, so treat it as a guide, not a payslip.

See how Georgia ranks among all UN duty stations →
Is This the Right Posting for You? UNjobnet estimate

Two quick reads that pull the picture together — one for bringing family, one for the practical difficulty of relocating — built on the ICSC hardship classification for Georgia (it varies by duty station within Georgia).

Family posting suitability
Well suited to families

Eligible dependants may accompany staff. This read weighs the hardship category, child-health conditions and safety — the things families ask about most.

Mild hardship (A) Family duty station Under-5 deaths 8.6/1,000 Homicides 2.0/100k
Relocation difficulty
Straightforward relocation

How demanding the practical move is likely to be — the hardship category alongside everyday infrastructure. The UN's relocation entitlements (shipping, DSA, settling-in grant, rental subsidy) are designed to offset this.

Mild hardship (A) Electricity 100% Internet 84% Safe water 97%

How we calculate these. Both begin with the ICSC hardship category — the UN's own assessment of living and working conditions — refined by child-health and safety indicators (family suitability) and infrastructure access (relocation difficulty). These are national estimates, not verdicts: each duty station has its own security, medical and family arrangements.

Economy & Jobs

The wider economy and job market in Georgia, beyond UN roles — useful for weighing a move, a partner's job prospects, or how well local-currency pay holds its value.

+7.5% GDP growth (yearly, real)
growing
12.1%
Unemployment
30.3%
Youth unemployment
64.3%
Labour-force participation
3.9%
Inflation (CPI, yearly)

Unemployment and labour-force participation are ILO-modelled estimates. Inflation is the yearly change in consumer prices. (World Bank / ILO, 2025.) World Bank data

Human Development & Society
Very High Human Development
0.844 HDI rank #57 of 193
74
Life expectancy (yrs)
$20,753
GNI / capita
12.7
Mean yrs schooling
16.8
Expected yrs schooling
4.2%
Extreme poverty
16.8%
Women in parliament

The UNDP Human Development Index combines health, education and income; Georgia is in the very high band — a signal of living conditions, services and schooling for staff and family. Extreme poverty (share on under $2.15/day) and women's share of parliament seats are UN SDG indicators of equity and inclusion. UNDP and World Bank data

Safety & Health

Two of the questions relocating staff and families ask most — how safe is it, and what's the standard of healthcare. These are national figures; conditions vary by city, and UN duty stations have their own security and medical arrangements.

2.0
Homicides / 100k
8.6
Under-5 deaths / 1,000
20
Maternal deaths / 100k

The homicide rate is per 100,000 people (UNODC) — the global average is roughly 5–6, and this country-wide figure says little about any specific area. Under-five and maternal deaths (per 1,000 and per 100,000 live births) are widely-used proxies for the health system's reach and quality. (UNODC & WHO, via the World Bank, 2019–2024.) World Bank data

Living Conditions & Infrastructure

Everyday practicalities for settling in — connectivity, reliable power, safe water and sanitation, and healthcare access — especially for family duty stations and hardship postings.

83.8%
Internet users
100.0%
Access to electricity
97.3%
Basic drinking water
90.7%
Basic sanitation
5.64
Physicians / 1,000

Internet, electricity, water and sanitation are population shares (water and sanitation are UN SDG 6 indicators); physicians are per 1,000 people — a rough proxy for healthcare access. (World Bank, 2023–2024.) World Bank data