Moving to New York from Jamaica
What to Expect
Considering a move from Jamaica to New York? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Jamaica to New York, you would find that New York is 2.9 times more expensive than Jamaica overall. A JMD11,822,811 salary in Jamaica would need to be roughly $108,726 in New York to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Albany averages 58°F vs 89°F in Kingston, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Jamaica and New York.
What does your salary buy?
JMD11,822,811 → $108,726
To maintain the same standard of living in New York
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.2 times more
Groceries
pay 32.6% more
Transportation
pay 9.2% more
Housing
pay 2.6 times more
Childcare
pay 9.3 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 72.6% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Jamaica to New York.
people moved from Jamaica to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
14.792,370
Jamaica
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in New York compared to Jamaica.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Jamaica performs better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
New York performs significantly better than Jamaica across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
New York performs significantly better than Jamaica across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
New York performs significantly better than Jamaica across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Kingston | Albany |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 87°/70°F (30°/21°C) | 37°/19°F (2°/-7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 68°/47°F (20°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) | 78°/58°F (26°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 88°/73°F (31°/23°C) | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kingston | Albany |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/70°F (30.3°/21.1°C) | 31°/15°F (-0.8°/-9.7°C) |
| Feb | 86°/70°F (30.2°/21.0°C) | 35°/17°F (1.4°/-8.2°C) |
| Mar | 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.6°C) | 44°/26°F (6.9°/-3.5°C) |
| Apr | 88°/73°F (31.1°/22.6°C) | 58°/37°F (14.6°/2.9°C) |
| May | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.6°C) | 69°/47°F (20.8°/8.4°C) |
| Jun | 90°/76°F (32.1°/24.2°C) | 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.6°C) |
| Jul | 91°/76°F (32.8°/24.3°C) | 82°/61°F (27.9°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 91°/76°F (32.7°/24.2°C) | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.5°C) |
| Sep | 90°/75°F (32.1°/24.0°C) | 72°/52°F (22.3°/10.9°C) |
| Oct | 89°/74°F (31.7°/23.4°C) | 60°/40°F (15.4°/4.2°C) |
| Nov | 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.8°C) | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.3°C) |
| Dec | 87°/71°F (30.6°/21.8°C) | 36°/21°F (2.1°/-6.0°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service, Jamaica,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Jamaica and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Jamaica passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States passport holder visiting Jamaica
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in New York than Jamaica?
On average New York is around 45% pricier than Jamaica, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to New York?
Budget about $27,182 for 3 months in New York (based on a JMD11,822,811 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from New York?
From major New York cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Jamaica and New York are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in New York compared to Jamaica?
Jamaica performs better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in New York compared to Jamaica?
The average high temperature in Albany is 58°F, compared to 89°F in Kingston. Albany receives around 39.4 in of rainfall per year, while Kingston gets 32.0 in.
What language do they speak in New York?
The official language in New York is English. In Jamaica, the official languages are English and Jamaican Patois.
