As of November 12, 2026, the cheaper of the two for travelers is Puerto Rico: a mid-range day costs about $186 there, against $216 in the other (Barbados), a gap of 15.7%. Over the past year the one that moved more in the US-dollar traveler's favor is Barbados (+1.1% after inflation, against +0.6%). Both sit at US advisory Level 1.
| Measure | Barbados | Puerto Rico |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-range day | $216 | $186 |
| Lean day | $92 | $83 |
| Comfortable day | $534 | $414 |
| Real change, 12 months | +1.1% | +0.6% |
| Exchange rate alone, 12 months | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Versus 5-year average | +5.4% | +3.2% |
| US advisory | Level 1 · Normal precautions | Level 1 · Normal precautions |
| Ease of travel | 4.3 · Well set up | 4.4 · Well set up |
| Index score | 52 | 54 |
| Best months | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr |
| Shoulder months | May, Jun, Nov | May, Jun, Nov |
The better figure in each row is in bold. Costs are modeled estimates per person, excluding international flights.
The most developed island in the eastern Caribbean, with beaches on two very different coasts.
The catchWest-coast hotels are among the Caribbean's most expensive. The south coast is where the value is.
The Caribbean without a passport for Americans: a walled colonial city, rainforest and surf.
The catchIt is priced like the mainland US, a rental car is needed outside San Juan, and hurricane season runs June to November.
Source: Trip Arbitrage (triparbitrage.com), reading of November 12, 2026. How this is calculated.