Moving to Cuba from Jamaica

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Jamaica to Cuba — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Jamaica to Cuba, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Jamaica to Cuba, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
38 ↓ 46% vs 2015

people born in Jamaica live in Cuba · UN DESA

Who's moving to Cuba?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Jamaica and Cuba stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

JM
53.3
CU
4.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

JM
17.8
CU
5.4

Cuba performs significantly better than Jamaica across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

JM
$869
CU
$2,575
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

JM
5.5
CU
94.3

Cuba 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
CU
31.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

JM
2.8t
CU
1.9t

Jamaica generally does better on environment, though Cuba leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

JM
15.0
CU
2.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

JM
12.4%
CU
23.9%

Jamaica performs better than Cuba across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

JM
4.4%
CU
1.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

JM
$10,300
CU
$12,300

Cuba performs significantly better than Jamaica across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

JM
75.8 yrs
CU
79.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

JM
11.2
CU
4.1

Cuba performs significantly better than Jamaica across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Havana Rain: 46.8 in/yr (1189 mm)
84° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kingston Havana
Jan–Mar 87°/70°F (30°/21°C) 80°/66°F (26°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) 85°/72°F (30°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) 88°/75°F (31°/24°C)
Oct–Dec 88°/73°F (31°/23°C) 82°/70°F (28°/21°C)
View all months
Month Kingston Havana
Jan 87°/70°F (30.3°/21.1°C) 78°/65°F (25.8°/18.6°C)
Feb 86°/70°F (30.2°/21.0°C) 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.6°C)
Mar 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.6°C) 82°/67°F (27.6°/19.7°C)
Apr 88°/73°F (31.1°/22.6°C) 83°/70°F (28.6°/20.9°C)
May 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.6°C) 86°/72°F (29.8°/22.4°C)
Jun 90°/76°F (32.1°/24.2°C) 87°/74°F (30.5°/23.4°C)
Jul 91°/76°F (32.8°/24.3°C) 88°/75°F (31.3°/23.8°C)
Aug 91°/76°F (32.7°/24.2°C) 89°/75°F (31.6°/24.1°C)
Sep 90°/75°F (32.1°/24.0°C) 88°/75°F (31.0°/23.8°C)
Oct 89°/74°F (31.7°/23.4°C) 85°/73°F (29.2°/23.0°C)
Nov 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.8°C) 82°/70°F (27.7°/21.3°C)
Dec 87°/71°F (30.6°/21.8°C) 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.5°C)

Data: Meteorological Service, Jamaica Meteorological Service, Jamaica, Instituto de Meteorología Instituto de Meteorología

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Jamaica passport

Jamaica passport holder visiting Cuba

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Jamaica passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Cuba.
Cuba passport

Cuba passport holder visiting Jamaica

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Cuba?

With 2.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Cuba can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Jamaica and Cuba.

Is Cuba safe for expats?

Cuba performs significantly better than Jamaica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Cuba is 4.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 53.3 in Jamaica.

How is healthcare in Cuba compared to Jamaica?

Cuba generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Jamaica leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 94.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Cuba, compared to 5.5 in Jamaica. Cuba scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Jamaica: 74).

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

The average high temperature in Havana is 84°F, compared to 89°F in Kingston. Havana receives around 46.8 in of rainfall per year, while Kingston gets 32.0 in.

What language do they speak in Cuba?

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

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At a Glance

JM CU
Population 2,818,596 11,008,112
Currency Jamaican Dollar (JMD) Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC)
Languages English, Jamaican Patois Spanish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +1 +53
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 119 106