Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Jamaica instead of Barbados, you would:

Health

be 27.3% more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Barbados, 1.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2019. In Jamaica, that number is 1.4% of people as of 2020.

live 2.8 years less

In Barbados, the average life expectancy is 79 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2022. In Jamaica, that number is 76 years (74 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

be 44.4% less likely to be unemployed

In Barbados, 8.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Jamaica, that number is 4.4% as of 2023.

pay a 25.4% lower top tax rate

Barbados has a top tax rate of 33.5% as of 2016. In Jamaica, the top tax rate is 25.0% as of 2016.

make 40.8% less money

Barbados has a GDP per capita of $17,400 as of 2023, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $10,300 as of 2023.

Life

have 45.8% more children

In Barbados, there are approximately 10.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Jamaica, there are 15.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 2.5 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Barbados, approximately 39.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Jamaica, 99.0 women do as of 2020.

be 10.9% less likely to be literate

In Barbados, the literacy rate is 99.6% as of 2014. In Jamaica, it is 88.7% as of 2015.

be 16.4% more likely to die during infancy

In Barbados, approximately 9.6 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2020. In Jamaica, on the other hand, 11.2 children do as of 2022.

Geography

see 10.5 times more coastline

Barbados has a total of 97 km of coastline. In Jamaica, that number is 1,022 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Ministry of Finance, Barbados, Tax Admministration of Jamaica.

Jamaica: At a glance

Jamaica is a sovereign country in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 10,831 sq km. The island - discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1494 - was settled by the Spanish early in the 16th century. The native Taino, who had inhabited Jamaica for centuries, were gradually exterminated and replaced by African slaves. England seized the island in 1655 and established a plantation economy based on sugar, cocoa, and coffee. The abolition of slavery in 1834 freed a quarter million slaves, many of whom became small farmers. Jamaica gradually increased its independence from Britain. In 1958 it joined other British Caribbean colonies in forming the Federation of the West Indies. Jamaica gained full independence when it withdrew from the Federation in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent violence as rival gangs affiliated with the major political parties evolved into powerful organized crime networks involved in international drug smuggling and money laundering. Violent crime, drug trafficking, and poverty pose significant challenges to the government today. Nonetheless, many rural and resort areas remain relatively safe and contribute substantially to the economy.
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How big is Jamaica compared to Barbados? See an in-depth size comparison.

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