Bad Bunny Closes His Residency: How Much Money Has It Brought to Puerto Rico?
The Boricua artist’s record-breaking concert run in San Juan generated nearly $380 million
The night of September 20, 2025, will be etched into Puerto Rico’s history. Bad Bunny, the island’s most influential artist of the past decade, closed his “No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí” residency with an extra show titled “Una Más” at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum, after dropping his history-making ‘Debí Tirar Más Fotos’ album.
The farewell was streamed live worldwide, but its meaning was deeply local: a tribute to the island’s collective memory on the eighth anniversary of Hurricane María.
What began in July as nine exclusive shows turned into an unprecedented cultural and economic phenomenon: 31 consecutive performances that transformed San Juan into the global epicenter of Latin music for three months.
An Unexpected Economic Engine
Beyond the musical and social impact, the residency provided Puerto Rico with an extraordinary economic boost. According to official estimates, the concert cycle generated nearly $380 million in total economic impact. Of that figure, about $248.5 million came from visitor spending —on hotels, restaurants, transportation, and leisure— while roughly $97 million came directly from ticket sales.
The effect was tangible in San Juan’s daily life: public transportation saw a 14% increase in ridership, local businesses experienced an unusual flow of customers even during the off-season, and the city cemented itself as an international cultural destination.
“Bad Bunny could have done this residency in Las Vegas or any major city, but he chose his homeland,” noted Jorge Pérez, director of the Coliseum.
A Concert of Roots and Memory
The September 20 finale was rich with symbolism. The show opened with the drums of bomba and plena, with the stage transformed into “La Casita”, a traditional Puerto Rican home symbolizing resilience and belonging.
Bad Bunny didn’t just sing: he turned the concert into a political and cultural act, denouncing poverty, gentrification, and the ongoing power outages that still affect the island. Guests including Rainao, Ñengo Flow, De La Ghetto, Jowell & Randy, and Arcángel joined the celebration, which moved between festive community spirit and collective remembrance.
@badbunnyprgloballl Preciosa – Bad Bunny x Marc Anthony. 🐰🇵🇷🔥 #BadBunny #badbunnypr #dtmftour #nomequieroirdeaqui #puertorico ♬ original sound – Bad Bunny Globalll
One of the most emotional moments came with the performance of Preciosa alongside Marc Anthony, a love anthem to Puerto Rico that drew tears and ovations. The closing song, Debí Tirar Más Fotos, underscored the residency’s essence: celebrating life, identity, and Puerto Rican resilience.
More Than a Show
Bad Bunny’s residency was also a statement of principles. Instead of taking his music to the US, the artist chose to stay on the island amid a climate marked by immigration tensions and ICE raids. It was a gesture that reinforced his commitment to Puerto Rico and fueled the debate on whether artists bear social responsibility toward their communities.
Through this experience, Bad Bunny not only redefined the residency format in Latin America but also proved how a series of concerts can become a driver of memory, identity, and national economy.
Puerto Rico didn’t just gain historic nights of music; it gained visibility, revenue, and a powerful message: the island’s talent doesn’t need to leave home to shine on the world stage.