Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Jamaica instead of United Kingdom, you would:

Health

be 11.2% less likely to be obese

In United Kingdom, 27.8% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Jamaica, that number is 24.7% of people as of 2016.

live 6.2 years less

In United Kingdom, the average life expectancy is 82 years (80 years for men, 84 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

pay a 44.4% lower top tax rate

United Kingdom has a top tax rate of 45.0% as of 2016. In Jamaica, the top tax rate is 25.0% as of 2016.

make 78.8% less money

United Kingdom has a GDP per capita of $47,600 as of 2022, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $10,100 as of 2022.

be 47.5% more likely to be unemployed

In United Kingdom, 3.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Jamaica, that number is 5.5% as of 2022.

Life

have 44.4% more children

In United Kingdom, there are approximately 10.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Jamaica, there are 15.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 9.9 times more likely to die during childbirth

In United Kingdom, approximately 10.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Jamaica, 99.0 women do as of 2020.

be 2.9 times more likely to die during infancy

In United Kingdom, approximately 3.8 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Jamaica, on the other hand, 11.2 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 15.5% less likely to have internet access

In United Kingdom, approximately 97.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Jamaica, about 82.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 45.0% less on healthcare

United Kingdom spends 12.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Jamaica, that number is 6.6% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 91.8% less coastline

United Kingdom has a total of 12,429 km of coastline. In Jamaica, that number is 1,022 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Tax Admministration of Jamaica, HM Revenue & Customs.

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 United Kingdom? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

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