Port-Au-Prince at a Glance Compare Port-Au-Prince with

    Considering a career with the UN or another international organization in Haiti? 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
    Port-au-Prince
    Currency
    Gourde (HTG)
    Region
    North America
    Languages
    Haitian Creole, French
    Area
    27,750 km²
    Calling code
    +509
    Cost of Living
    86 / 100 (US = 100)
    local spending goes
    1.2× as far as in the US
    rising · price level vs US, 2016–2025 (40.5 → 86)

    Everyday prices in Haiti are roughly 86% of US levels — so local-currency spending goes about 1.2× 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 54%) — 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
    94 / 100 (New York = 100)
    6% less far than New York

    For internationally-recruited (P / D) staff, net pay — base salary plus post adjustment — goes about 6% less far against local prices in Haiti than in New York, one of the world's costliest duty stations.

    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 54%, World Bank price level 86 (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 Haiti's national price level and its main duty station's post adjustment, so treat it as a guide, not a payslip.

    See how Haiti 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 Port-Au-Prince, Haiti.

    Family posting suitability
    Non-family duty station

    Dependants may not accompany staff at a non-family duty station. Internationally recruited staff receive a non-family allowance (about $19,800/year with eligible dependants, $7,500 without).

    Highest hardship (E) Non-family Danger pay Under-5 deaths 52.8/1,000 Homicides 41.2/100k
    Relocation difficulty
    A very demanding move

    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.

    Highest hardship (E) Electricity 54% Internet 48% Safe water 73%

    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 Haiti, beyond UN roles — useful for weighing a move, a partner's job prospects, or how well local-currency pay holds its value.

    -2.7% GDP growth (yearly, real)
    contracting
    14.9%
    Unemployment
    37.5%
    Youth unemployment
    63.9%
    Labour-force participation
    28.6%
    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
    Medium Human Development
    0.554 HDI rank #166 of 193
    65
    Life expectancy (yrs)
    $2,935
    GNI / capita
    5.4
    Mean yrs schooling
    10.9
    Expected yrs schooling
    2.5%
    Women in parliament

    The UNDP Human Development Index combines health, education and income; Haiti is in the medium 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.

    41.2
    Homicides / 100k
    52.8
    Under-5 deaths / 1,000
    328
    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, 2023–2024.) 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.

    47.9%
    Internet users
    53.9%
    Access to electricity
    73.3%
    Basic drinking water
    29.1%
    Basic sanitation
    0.29
    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, 2022–2024.) World Bank data