Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Jamaica instead of Cook Islands, you would:

Health

be 51.4% less likely to be obese

In Cook Islands, 72.4% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Jamaica, that number is 35.2% of people as of 2024.

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have 60.9% more access to essential health services

Cook Islands scores 46 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Jamaica scores 74 as of 2021.

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live 5.5 years less

In Cook Islands, the average life expectancy is 77 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2022. In Jamaica, that number is 72 years (69 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 39.1% more likely to have internet access

In Cook Islands, approximately 64.8% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Jamaica, about 90.1% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 19.8% more on education

Cook Islands spends 4.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Jamaica spends 5.5% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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spend 2.4 times more on healthcare

Cook Islands spends 3.2% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Jamaica, that number is 7.6% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 8.5 times more coastline

Cook Islands has a total of 120 km of coastline. In Jamaica, that number is 1,022 km.

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Infrastructure

find 12.3% less home broadband

Cook Islands has 18.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Jamaica has 16.0 as of 2024.

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Sources: The World Factbook (2020–2022), World Bank (2023–2024), United Nations SDG Indicators (2021–2022), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Compare further: Cook Islands vs. Jamaica

Cost of Living Comparison · 5 categories - 2026 data
Jamaica is 16.5% more expensive than Cook Islands overall
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Size Comparison · See true size
Cook Islands is about 47 times smaller than Jamaica.
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Moving from Cook Islands to Jamaica · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
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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 Cook Islands? See an in-depth size comparison.

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