Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Jamaica instead of New Caledonia, you would:

Health

live 7.3 years less

In New Caledonia, the average life expectancy is 79 years (76 years for men, 81 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 70.5% less likely to be unemployed

In New Caledonia, 11.2% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Jamaica, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.

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make 72.6% less money

New Caledonia has a GDP per capita of $29,213 as of 2024, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $8,003 as of 2025.

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Life

have 18.4% fewer children

In New Caledonia, there are approximately 14.0 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 12.0% less likely to have access to drinking water

In New Caledonia, 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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Geography

see 54.7% less coastline

New Caledonia has a total of 2,254 km of coastline. In Jamaica, that number is 1,022 km.

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Infrastructure

find 17.5% less home broadband

New Caledonia has 19.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Jamaica has 16.0 as of 2024.

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Environment

emit 83.4% less CO2

New Caledonia emits 17.1 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. How we calculate this

Compare further: New Caledonia vs. Jamaica

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Jamaica is 28.6% cheaper than New Caledonia overall
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Size Comparison · See true size
New Caledonia is about 1.7 times bigger than Jamaica.
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Moving from New Caledonia 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 New Caledonia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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