Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 4.5 years longer

In Marshall Islands, the average life expectancy is 67 years (65 years for men, 69 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 16.2% less likely to be obese

In Marshall Islands, 42.0% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Jamaica, that number is 35.2% of people as of 2024.

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have 25.4% more access to essential health services

Marshall Islands scores 59 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Jamaica scores 74 as of 2021.

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Life

be 16.1% less likely to die during childbirth

In Marshall Islands, approximately 155.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Jamaica, 130.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 27.8% less likely to die during infancy

In Marshall Islands, approximately 22.7 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.

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have 43.0% fewer children

In Marshall Islands, there are approximately 20.1 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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Basic Needs

be 36.7% more likely to have internet access

In Marshall Islands, approximately 65.9% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Jamaica, about 90.1% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 28.4% less on education

Marshall Islands spends 7.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. Jamaica spends 5.5% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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spend 43.3% less on healthcare

Marshall Islands spends 13.4% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Jamaica, that number is 7.6% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 2.8 times more coastline

Marshall Islands has a total of 370 km of coastline. In Jamaica, that number is 1,022 km.

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Safety

be 49.6% more likely to die in a road accident

In Marshall Islands, road accidents kill 11.9 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Jamaica, they kill 17.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 6.8 times more home broadband

Marshall Islands has 2.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Jamaica has 16.0 as of 2024.

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

Compare further: Marshall Islands vs. Jamaica

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Jamaica is 16.6% cheaper than Marshall Islands overall
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Size Comparison · See true size
Marshall Islands is about 61 times smaller than Jamaica.
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Moving from Marshall 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 Marshall Islands? See an in-depth size comparison.

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