Nauru: considering a career with the UN or another international organization here? 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.
Nauru: everyday prices are roughly 103% of US levels. 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.)
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 Nauru.
Eligible dependants may accompany staff. This read weighs the hardship category and the things families ask about most.
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.
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.
Nauru: the wider economy and job market beyond UN roles — useful for weighing a move, a partner’s job prospects, or how well local-currency pay holds its value.
(World Bank, 2025.) World Bank data
The UNDP Human Development Index combines health, education and income; Nauru is in the 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 · World Bank data
A read on healthcare standards for relocating staff and family. These are national figures; conditions vary by city, and UN duty stations have their own security and medical arrangements.
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. (WHO / UN, 2023–2024.) World Bank data
Everyday practicalities for settling in — connectivity, reliable power, safe water and sanitation, and healthcare access — especially for family duty stations and hardship postings.
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, 2015–2024.) World Bank data