Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 0.9 years longer

In Colombia, the average life expectancy is 75 years (71 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2022. In Jamaica, that number is 76 years (74 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2022.

be 3.5 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Colombia, 0.4% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Jamaica, that number is 1.4% of people as of 2020.

be 10.8% more likely to be obese

In Colombia, 22.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Jamaica, that number is 24.7% of people as of 2016.

Economy

be 53.8% less likely to be unemployed

In Colombia, 9.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Jamaica, that number is 4.4% as of 2023.

be 53.3% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Colombia, 36.6% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Jamaica, however, that number is 17.1% as of 2016.

pay a 24.2% lower top tax rate

Colombia has a top tax rate of 33.0% as of 2016. In Jamaica, the top tax rate is 25.0% as of 2016.

make 45.2% less money

Colombia has a GDP per capita of $18,800 as of 2023, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $10,300 as of 2023.

Life

be 32.0% more likely to die during childbirth

In Colombia, approximately 75.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Jamaica, 99.0 women do as of 2020.

Basic Needs

be 12.3% more likely to have internet access

In Colombia, approximately 73.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Jamaica, about 82.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 26.7% less on healthcare

Colombia spends 9.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Jamaica, that number is 6.6% of GDP as of 2020.

spend 22.4% more on education

Colombia spends 4.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Jamaica spends 6.0% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

Geography

see 68.1% less coastline

Colombia has a total of 3,208 km of coastline. In Jamaica, that number is 1,022 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Directorate of National Taxes and Customs (DIAN), 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.
Read more

How big is Jamaica compared to Colombia? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Jamaica.or Colombia It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.