How to visit Puerto Rico on a budget: 10 top tips

02.12.2023 - 15:38 / lonelyplanet.com

With its lush beaches, historic cities and party vibe, Puerto Rico is emerging as one of the top island escapes in the Caribbean.

However, compared to neighboring islands such as the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Cuba, traveling here can be expensive. With the lack of reliable public transport, rising living costs, an 11.5% tax rate on all goods and services and a general lack of hotels offering all-inclusive packages, a visit to Puerto Rico can be a high-priced affair. 

But don’t despair. There are plenty of wallet-friendly ways to experience the best of what the island has to offer. From feasting on great flavors to relaxing on sandy beaches with crystal clear waters and strolling through historic city streets, here’s how to visit Puerto Rico on a budget.

Traveling during the off-season is a must for a budget trip to any Caribbean destination, and this is especially true in Puerto Rico. This is the land of eternal summer, with daytime temperatures ranging from 70ºF to 80ºF year-round on the coast, so there's no such thing as a bad time to visit.

The peak tourist season is between December and April, coinciding with the cold winter months in the northern hemisphere. To avoid crowds, overbooked tours and spikes in hotel prices, come between May and July or from September to early December.

Keep in mind that visiting Puerto Rico in the off-season means coming in hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30 – there's a reason crowds are scant and prices are lower. Direct strikes are infrequent but it pays to take out good travel insurance and keep an eye on the weather forecast.

Accommodations are likely to be your biggest expense in Puerto Rico. Room rates at three- and four-star hotels can soar up to the high hundreds of dollars per night during the peak holiday months, but the same room can go for as little as US$120–280 per night during the off-season.

Hotels outside the San Juan municipality go for around US$180, so staying away from the capital is a good way to save. Another way to shrink accommodation costs is to look out for paradores – smaller, independently owned hotels and guesthouses, which are mostly found outside the San Juan metropolitan area.

Seek out family-run paradores in the mountains of Adjuntas or on the beautiful beaches of the Southwest Coast, between Rincón and Ponce.

If you're looking to save money by cooking your own meals, sites such as Airbnb, Join a Join and Vrbo are great places to find reasonably priced apartments. Hostels are still quite new in Puerto Rico and largely found in the Santurce and Old San Juan areas, but they're a comparatively cheap option.

A bed in a six-person dorm-style room at Conturce Boutique Hostel on Calle Loíza – a major entertainment hub – can