Nauru

Cost of living

What a month costs

Almost everything arrives by ship or the occasional flight, so groceries and fuel run high. The formal rental market is tiny and mostly arranged through an employer or the government.

The scores

How it rates for a moving family

See and do

Top 10 in Yaren

1. Parliament HouseThe seat of government in Yaren, the practical heart of the republic.
2. Nauru International AirportThe single runway in Yaren that links the island to the wider Pacific.
3. Japanese wartime relicsCoastal bunkers and gun emplacements left from the Japanese occupation, scattered near Yaren.
4. Command RidgeNauru's highest point, with old guns and a wide view over the whole island.
5. Buada LagoonA quiet inland lagoon a short drive from Yaren, good for a slow walk.
6. Anibare BayTurquoise water and the island's finest stretch of sand on the eastern shore.
7. Moqua Well and CavesAn underground freshwater pool in Meneng, long a lifeline in dry spells.
8. Phosphate pinnaclesThe eerie mined-out topside, a coral moonscape from a century of digging.
9. Coastal ring roadThe palm-lined loop that circles the island and passes every district.

Where to go

Weekend escapes

1. Anibare BayThe island's best beach, a curve of pale sand and a small boat harbour on the east coast.
2. Buada LagoonA palm-fringed freshwater lagoon sunk into the middle of the island, ringed by fishing families.
3. Command RidgeThe 65 metre high point, topped with rusting Japanese anti-aircraft guns from the war.
4. Island ring roadThe whole coast loops in under 20 kilometres, an easy afternoon drive around the entire country.
5. BrisbaneThe only real getaway, a Nauru Airlines hop to Australia for shopping and city life.

Restaurants

Where to eat

1. Menen HotelThe island's main hotel, with a seafront restaurant serving fish and Chinese-influenced dishes in Meneng.
2. Od'n Aiwo HotelA long-running hotel with a dining room, near the airport in Aiwo.
3. Capelle & PartnerThe big Aiwo shopping complex with a food counter and takeaway, the busiest spot to eat on the island.

Morning

Best breakfast

1. Menen HotelThe reliable morning option, hotel breakfast service open to guests and visitors.
2. Capelle & Partner bakeryFresh bread and pastries at the island's main store, the closest thing to a morning bakery run.