Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Jamaica instead of Hong Kong, you would:

Health

live 13.8 years less

In Hong Kong, the average life expectancy is 85 years (83 years for men, 88 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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Economy

be 17.5% more likely to be unemployed

In Hong Kong, 2.8% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Jamaica, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.

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make 86.0% less money

Hong Kong has a GDP per capita of $56,983 as of 2025, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $8,003 as of 2025.

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Life

have 2.3 times more children

In Hong Kong, there are approximately 4.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Jamaica, there are 11.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 6.4 times more likely to die during infancy

In Hong Kong, approximately 2.5 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 12.4% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Hong Kong, approximately 100% of people have access to drinking water as of 2024. In Jamaica, 88% of people do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 44.6% more on education

Hong Kong spends 3.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Jamaica spends 5.5% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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Geography

see 39.4% more coastline

Hong Kong has a total of 733 km of coastline. In Jamaica, that number is 1,022 km.

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Safety

be 130.1 times more likely to be murdered

Hong Kong has a homicide rate of 0.4 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Jamaica, that number is 49.4 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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Infrastructure

find 60.3% less home broadband

Hong Kong has 40.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Jamaica has 16.0 as of 2024.

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use 81.1% less electricity

Hong Kong uses 6,359 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Jamaica uses 1,205 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 38.3% less CO2

Hong Kong emits 4.6 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 (2023–2025), The World Factbook (2022). How we calculate this

Compare further: Hong Kong vs. Jamaica

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Jamaica is 42.3% cheaper than Hong Kong overall
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Size Comparison · See true size
Hong Kong is about 10 times smaller than Jamaica.
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Moving from Hong Kong 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 Hong Kong? See an in-depth size comparison.

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