Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 9.2 years less

In Virgin Islands, the average life expectancy is 81 years (78 years for men, 84 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 71.2% less likely to be unemployed

In Virgin Islands, 11.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Jamaica, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.

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make 81.9% less money

Virgin Islands has a GDP per capita of $44,321 as of 2022, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $8,003 as of 2025.

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Life

be 2.1 times more likely to die during infancy

In Virgin Islands, approximately 7.7 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 39.1% more likely to have internet access

In Virgin Islands, approximately 64.8% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In Jamaica, about 90.1% do as of 2024.

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be 12.0% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Virgin Islands, approximately 99% 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 5.4 times more coastline

Virgin Islands has a total of 188 km of coastline. In Jamaica, that number is 1,022 km.

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Infrastructure

find 58.7% more home broadband

Virgin Islands has 10.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Jamaica has 16.0 as of 2024.

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

Compare further: Virgin Islands vs. Jamaica

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Jamaica is 48.9% cheaper than Virgin Islands overall
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Size Comparison · See true size
Virgin Islands is about 6 times smaller than Jamaica.
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Moving from Virgin 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 Virgin Islands? See an in-depth size comparison.

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