Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 1.3 years longer

In Greenland, the average life expectancy is 70 years (68 years for men, 72 years for women) as of 2024. In Jamaica, that number is 72 years (69 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 25.5% more likely to be obese

In Greenland, 28.1% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Jamaica, that number is 35.2% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

make 86.3% less money

Greenland has a GDP per capita of $58,499 as of 2023, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $8,003 as of 2025.

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Life

be 11.3% less likely to be literate

In Greenland, the literacy rate is 100.0% as of 2015. In Jamaica, it is 88.7% as of 2015.

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be 87.4% more likely to die during infancy

In Greenland, approximately 8.8 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Jamaica, on the other hand, 16.4 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 29.7% more likely to have internet access

In Greenland, approximately 69.5% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Jamaica, about 90.1% do as of 2024.

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be 12.4% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Greenland, approximately 100% of people have access to drinking water (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Jamaica, that number is 88% of people on average (90% in urban areas, and 84% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Geography

see 97.7% less coastline

Greenland has a total of 44,087 km of coastline. In Jamaica, that number is 1,022 km.

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Infrastructure

find 50.0% less home broadband

Greenland has 32.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Jamaica has 16.0 as of 2024.

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Environment

emit 72.8% less CO2

Greenland emits 10.4 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Jamaica emits 2.8 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), The World Factbook (2015–2022), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Compare further: Greenland vs. Jamaica

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Jamaica is 39.0% cheaper than Greenland overall
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Size Comparison · See true size
Greenland is about 197 times bigger than Jamaica.
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Moving from Greenland 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 Greenland? See an in-depth size comparison.

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