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

Health

live 9.3 years longer

In Liberia, the average life expectancy is 62 years (61 years for men, 64 years for women) as of 2024. In Jamaica, that number is 72 years (69 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

see 3.7 times more spent on your healthcare

Liberia spends $233 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Jamaica spends $869 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

have 2.6 times more doctors per person

Liberia has 1.8 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Jamaica has 4.6 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

have 64.4% more access to essential health services

Liberia scores 45 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Jamaica scores 74 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

be 71.7% less likely to die by suicide

Liberia has a suicide rate of 6.0 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Jamaica, it is 1.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

be 22.2% more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Liberia, 0.9% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Jamaica, that number is 1.1% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 97.9% more likely to be obese

In Liberia, 17.8% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Jamaica, that number is 35.2% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Economy

make 8.7 times more money

Liberia has a GDP per capita of $915 as of 2025, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $8,003 as of 2025.

View global rankings →

be 14.2% more likely to be unemployed

In Liberia, 2.9% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Jamaica, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.

View global rankings →

Life

be 79.3% less likely to die during childbirth

In Liberia, approximately 628.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Jamaica, 130.0 women do as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 83.6% more likely to be literate

In Liberia, the literacy rate is 48.3% as of 2017. In Jamaica, it is 88.7% as of 2015.

View global rankings →

be 74.1% less likely to die during infancy

In Liberia, approximately 63.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Jamaica, on the other hand, 16.4 children do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

have 62.6% fewer children

In Liberia, there are approximately 30.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Jamaica, there are 11.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Basic Needs

be 3.0 times more likely to have access to electricity

In Liberia, approximately 32% of people have electricity access (53% in urban areas, and 9% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Jamaica, that number is 98% of people on average (99% in urban areas, and 96% in rural areas) as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 2.8 times more likely to have internet access

In Liberia, approximately 32.2% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Jamaica, about 90.1% do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 11.1% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Liberia, approximately 79% of people have access to drinking water (86% in urban areas, and 70% 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.

View global rankings →

Expenditures

spend 41.6% less on healthcare

Liberia spends 13.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Jamaica, that number is 7.6% of GDP as of 2023.

View global rankings →

spend 2.4 times more on education

Liberia spends 2.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Jamaica spends 5.5% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Geography

see 76.5% more coastline

Liberia has a total of 579 km of coastline. In Jamaica, that number is 1,022 km.

View global rankings →

Safety

be 16.3% more likely to die in a road accident

In Liberia, road accidents kill 15.3 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Jamaica, they kill 17.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Infrastructure

find 59.2 times more home broadband

Liberia has 0.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Jamaica has 16.0 as of 2024.

View global rankings →

live with 47.6 times more strain on fresh water

Liberia withdraws 0% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Jamaica withdraws 12% as of 2022.

View global rankings →

Environment

be 63.3% less likely to die from air pollution

In Liberia, air pollution causes 60.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Jamaica, it causes 22.0 as of 2019.

View global rankings →

emit 18.9 times more CO2

Liberia emits 0.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Jamaica emits 2.8 tonnes as of 2024.

View global rankings →


Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), The World Factbook (2015–2017), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

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 Liberia? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

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