Moving to Barbados from Jamaica
What to Expect
Considering a move from Jamaica to Barbados? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Jamaica to Barbados.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Jamaica to Barbados.
Who's moving to Barbados?
Top countries of origin for Barbados's foreign-born residents.
- 6,667
- 3,148
- 2,537
- 2,200
- 1,506
- 1,044
- · · ·
-
7.1,004
Jamaica
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Barbados compared to Jamaica.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Barbados performs significantly better than Jamaica across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Jamaica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Barbados leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Barbados performs significantly better than Jamaica across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
share of households with internet
Jamaica generally does better on infrastructure, though Barbados leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Jamaica generally does better on employment & economy, though Barbados leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Barbados generally does better on family life, though Jamaica leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2016–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2014–2015), Tax Admministration of Jamaica (2016), Ministry of Finance, Barbados (2016). How we calculate this
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Jamaica and Barbados. To live, work, or study long-term in Barbados, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Barbados's immigration authority.
Jamaica passport holder visiting Barbados
Visa Free
Barbados passport holder visiting Jamaica
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Barbados?
Connectivity is usually fine (Barbados: 37.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Barbados offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Barbados safe for expats?
Barbados performs significantly better than Jamaica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Barbados is 7.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 49.4 in Jamaica.
How is healthcare in Barbados compared to Jamaica?
Jamaica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Barbados leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 29.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Barbados, compared to 4.6 in Jamaica. Barbados scores 77 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Jamaica: 74).
What language do they speak in Barbados?
The official language in Barbados is English. In Jamaica, the official languages are English and Jamaican Patois.
