Moving to Austria from Jamaica

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Jamaica to Austria — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Jamaica to Austria, you would find that Austria is 33.6% more expensive than Jamaica overall. A JMD12,000,000 salary in Jamaica would need to be roughly €89,600 in Austria to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in German. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Vienna averages 58°F vs 89°F in Kingston, making it significantly cooler.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Austria cheaper than Jamaica?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 74.4% more

Groceries

pay 13.5% less

Transportation

pay 9.3% more

Housing

pay 61.7% more

Childcare

pay 87.9% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 12.3% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 JMD = 0.0056 EUR (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

What salary do you need in Austria?

What does your salary buy?

JMD12,000,000 → €89,600

To maintain the same standard of living in Austria

Calculate with your salary →

Get free moving quotes to Austria

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Jamaica to Austria, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
8 ↓ 27% vs 2022

people moved from Jamaica to Austria · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Austria?

Top countries of origin for Austria's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Jamaica to Austria.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

JM
49.4
AT
0.9
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

JM
17.8
AT
4.6

Austria performs significantly better than Jamaica across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

JM
$869
AT
$8,250
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

JM
4.6
AT
55.1

Austria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Jamaica leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

JM
22.0
AT
17.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

JM
2.8t
AT
6.3t

Jamaica generally does better on environment, though Austria leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

JM
16.0
AT
30.1
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

JM
12.4%
AT
8.7%

Austria performs significantly better than Jamaica across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

JM
3.3%
AT
5.6%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

JM
$8,003
AT
$62,930

Jamaica generally does better on employment & economy, though Austria leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

JM
71.6 yrs
AT
82.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

JM
16.4
AT
2.8

Austria generally does better on family life, though Jamaica leads in education spending.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Tax Admministration of Jamaica (2016), Federal Ministry of Finance (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Austria vs Jamaica

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kingston Rain: 32.0 in/yr (813 mm)
89° / 73°F

Avg. annual high / low

Vienna Rain: 24.4 in/yr (620 mm)
58° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kingston Vienna
Jan–Mar 87°/70°F (30°/21°C) 43°/31°F (6°/0°C)
Apr–Jun 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) 67°/50°F (20°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) 75°/58°F (24°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 88°/73°F (31°/23°C) 48°/37°F (9°/3°C)
View all months
Month Kingston Vienna
Jan 87°/70°F (30.3°/21.1°C) 37°/28°F (2.9°/-2.0°C)
Feb 86°/70°F (30.2°/21.0°C) 41°/30°F (5.1°/-0.9°C)
Mar 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.6°C) 51°/36°F (10.3°/2.4°C)
Apr 88°/73°F (31.1°/22.6°C) 59°/42°F (15.2°/5.8°C)
May 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.6°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C)
Jun 90°/76°F (32.1°/24.2°C) 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.5°C)
Jul 91°/76°F (32.8°/24.3°C) 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.4°C)
Aug 91°/76°F (32.7°/24.2°C) 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.3°C)
Sep 90°/75°F (32.1°/24.0°C) 69°/53°F (20.3°/11.7°C)
Oct 89°/74°F (31.7°/23.4°C) 58°/45°F (14.2°/7.0°C)
Nov 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.8°C) 46°/36°F (7.5°/2.4°C)
Dec 87°/71°F (30.6°/21.8°C) 39°/31°F (4.0°/-0.5°C)

Data: Meteorological Service, Jamaica Meteorological Service, Jamaica, GeoSphere Austria GeoSphere Austria

Can you move from Jamaica to Austria?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Jamaica and Austria. To live, work, or study long-term in Austria, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Austria's immigration authority.

Jamaica passport

Jamaica passport holder visiting Austria

Visa Required
Jamaica passport holders need a visa to enter Austria.
Austria passport

Austria passport holder visiting Jamaica

Visa Free
Austria passport holders can enter Jamaica without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Austria than Jamaica?

No — Austria is on average about 34% more expensive than Jamaica. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Austria?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €22,400 in Austria on a JMD12,000,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Austria?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Austria has 30.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Austria safe for expats?

Austria performs significantly better than Jamaica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Austria is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 49.4 in Jamaica.

How is healthcare in Austria compared to Jamaica?

Austria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Jamaica leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 55.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Austria, compared to 4.6 in Jamaica. Austria scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Jamaica: 74).

What's the weather like in Austria compared to Jamaica?

The average high temperature in Vienna is 58°F, compared to 89°F in Kingston. Vienna receives around 24.4 in of rainfall per year, while Kingston gets 32.0 in.

What language do they speak in Austria?

The official language in Austria is German. In Jamaica, the official languages are English and Jamaican Patois.

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At a Glance

JM AT
Population 2,837,077 9,208,163
Currency Jamaican Dollar (JMD) Euro (€)
Languages English, Jamaican Patois German
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +1 +43
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 119 112