Best Airbnb Markets Australia in 2025

Based on our data, this page shows the top Airbnb locations to invest in Australia with key statistics and information, like short-term rental regulations, number of listings, occupancy rate, average daily rate, and annual revenue. This allows you to discover the most profitable cities to invest in, buy, and own Airbnb rental properties in Australia.

Why Invest in Airbnb Australia in 2025?

In recent years, Australia has emerged as one of the best locations for investing in short-term rentals thanks to its popular tourist attractions, thriving business activities, growing digital nomad presence, and vibrant cities like Whitsunday islands, The whitsundays & hamilton island and Noosa heads qld. With millions of international visitors coming each year, the demand for vacation rental accommodations is growing, making Airbnb Australia a lucrative option for both local and foreign investors.

Due to strong demand from travelers, Australia offers competitive average daily rates (ADR), healthy occupancy rates, and attractive revenue potential in the best Airbnb markets. Whether you’re looking to start your first Airbnb business with a modest budget or to add a luxury short-term rental property to your portfolio, Australia has a profitable location to meet your budget and aspirations as an investor.

Note on Methodology: The Airbtics Market Score indicates how attractive a location is for investing in an Airbnb rental property. We determine this score based on the following criteria:

Short-term rental yield: The ratio between annual revenue and property price, as a percentage. Locations with higher Airbnb rental yield score better.
Short-term rental regulations: How STR-friendly the local Airbnb rules and laws are. Markets with more lenient regulations get a higher score.
Market size: The number of Airbnb listings. Larger vacation rental markets get a higher score as it is easier for investors to buy and sell properties.
Growth: How fast the market is becoming saturated. Priority is given to markets that are already developed but are not approaching saturation yet.
Seasonality: To what degree Airbnb performance is affected by seasonality. Less seasonal impact is preferred as investors can enjoy a more stable short-term rental performance throughout the year.

Based on this methodology, the best places to buy Airbnb in Australia are:

Learn more about how we collect the data and accuracy

Top 20 Australia Cities for Airbnb in 2025

Position	Market Name	Regulation	No of Listings	Avg. Occupancy Rate	Avg. Daily Rate	Revenue	Short-term Rental Yield	Rent Gap
1	Melbourne	Lenient	24,036	67%	$214	$53,884	12.3%	34.5%
2	Sydney	Strict	14,139	77%	$244	$70,268	12.3%	34.5%
3	Gold coast	Lenient	7,370	78%	$308	$89,485	12.3%	34.5%
4	Perth	Strict	6,257	85%	$197	$62,490	12.3%	34.5%
5	Brisbane	Lenient	6,126	79%	$194	$57,642	12.3%	34.5%
6	Sunshine coast	Lenient	5,513	72%	$348	$93,101	12.3%	34.5%
7	Adelaide	Lenient	4,504	70%	$226	$59,252	12.3%	34.5%
8	Mornington peninsula	Lenient	4,306	49%	$440	$81,602	12.3%	34.5%
9	Shoalhaven	Strict	4,251	49%	$431	$78,843	12.3%	34.5%
10	Surf coast - bellarine peninsula	Lenient	3,200	48%	$384	$69,030	12.3%	34.5%
11	Surfers paradise	Lenient	3,021	82%	$320	$97,629	12.3%	34.5%
12	Gippsland - south west	Lenient	2,937	48%	$329	$59,319	12.3%	34.5%
13	Richmond valley - coastal	Strict	2,852	64%	$398	$94,518	12.3%	34.5%
14	Central coast	Strict	2,755	50%	$396	$74,969	12.3%	34.5%
15	Augusta - margaret river - busselton	Strict	2,717	72%	$348	$93,548	12.3%	34.5%
16	Bass coast	Lenient	2,323	46%	$332	$57,313	12.3%	34.5%
17	Australian capital territory	Lenient	2,204	71%	$185	$49,460	12.3%	34.5%
18	Cairns	Lenient	2,183	76%	$252	$71,421	12.3%	34.5%
19	Noosa	Lenient	2,157	73%	$424	$114,597	12.3%	34.5%
20	Canberra	Lenient	2,142	72%	$185	$50,138	12.3%	34.5%

Find the Best Airbnb Markets with Our Interactive Tool

Use our interactive Market Explorer to find the best places to start an Airbnb in COUNTRY. Compare multiple markets side by side, apply filters like regulations, budget (property or rent prices), and market size, and even export the results to Excel.

Explore Interactive Tool

Best Cities for Airbnb in Australia by Budget

Affordable Airbnb Markets: Under $150,000

Position	Market Name	Regulation	No of Listings	Avg. Occupancy Rate	Avg. Daily Rate	Revenue	Short-term Rental Yield	Rent Gap
1	Broken hill and far west	Strict	126	68%	$179	$45,486	12.3%	34.5%

Mid-Range Airbnb Markets: $150,000-$300,000

Position	Market Name	Regulation	No of Listings	Avg. Occupancy Rate	Avg. Daily Rate	Revenue	Short-term Rental Yield	Rent Gap
1	West coast	Strict	337	63%	$218	$51,448	12.3%	34.5%
2	Inverell - tenterfield	Strict	176	55%	$215	$44,745	12.3%	34.5%
3	Wheat belt - south	Strict	113	68%	$173	$44,055	12.3%	34.5%
4	Outback - north and east	Lenient	98	57%	$193	$41,050	12.3%	34.5%
5	Limestone coast	Lenient	759	58%	$243	$52,868	12.3%	34.5%
6	Kempsey	Strict	644	62%	$249	$57,697	12.3%	34.5%
7	Wheat belt - north	Strict	493	58%	$264	$57,887	12.3%	34.5%
8	Manjimup	Strict	459	66%	$220	$54,279	12.3%	34.5%
9	Murray and mallee	Lenient	370	58%	$276	$59,947	12.3%	34.5%
10	Mid north	Lenient	107	55%	$191	$39,427	12.3%	34.5%
11	Burnie	Strict	70	76%	$179	$50,346	12.3%	34.5%
12	Charters towers - ayr - ingham	Lenient	68	58%	$161	$34,998	12.3%	34.5%
13	Maryborough	Lenient	248	70%	$297	$77,541	12.3%	34.5%
14	Mildura	Lenient	234	63%	$224	$53,212	12.3%	34.5%
15	Lower north	Lenient	216	65%	$252	$61,128	12.3%	34.5%
16	Campaspe	Lenient	199	56%	$256	$53,868	12.3%	34.5%
17	Murray river - swan hill	Lenient	123	54%	$191	$38,752	12.3%	34.5%
18	Gladstone	Lenient	465	62%	$266	$61,678	12.3%	34.5%
19	Gympie	Lenient	445	68%	$235	$60,359	12.3%	34.5%
20	Mid west	Strict	428	76%	$217	$61,274	12.3%	34.5%
21	Dubbo	Strict	298	62%	$253	$59,459	12.3%	34.5%
22	Burnie - ulverstone	Strict	199	72%	$183	$49,006	12.3%	34.5%
23	Gascoyne	Strict	193	74%	$357	$98,061	12.3%	34.5%
24	Maryborough - pyrenees	Lenient	114	47%	$209	$36,873	12.3%	34.5%
25	Bundaberg	Lenient	452	70%	$182	$48,284	12.3%	34.5%
26	Devonport	Strict	334	72%	$197	$52,581	12.3%	34.5%
27	Moira	Lenient	300	44%	$401	$66,132	12.3%	34.5%
28	Armidale	Strict	187	66%	$196	$48,243	12.3%	34.5%
29	Shepparton	Lenient	153	58%	$243	$53,190	12.3%	34.5%
30	Latrobe valley	Lenient	137	60%	$191	$43,070	12.3%	34.5%
31	Darling downs (west) - maranoa	Lenient	70	48%	$158	$29,155	12.3%	34.5%
32	Geraldton	Strict	66	84%	$196	$61,224	12.3%	34.5%
33	Gippsland - south west	Lenient	2,937	48%	$329	$59,319	12.3%	34.5%
34	Wodonga - alpine	Lenient	1,638	54%	$361	$72,397	12.3%	34.5%
35	Colac - corangamite	Lenient	1,261	52%	$316	$61,587	12.3%	34.5%
36	Kempsey - nambucca	Strict	948	61%	$246	$56,246	12.3%	34.5%
37	Gippsland - east	Lenient	910	50%	$264	$49,772	12.3%	34.5%
38	East gippsland	Lenient	909	50%	$264	$49,772	12.3%	34.5%
39	Albany	Strict	786	74%	$249	$68,497	12.3%	34.5%
40	Yorke peninsula	Lenient	631	54%	$259	$52,677	12.3%	34.5%
41	Rockhampton	Lenient	560	65%	$221	$54,382	12.3%	34.5%
42	Taree - gloucester	Strict	427	49%	$276	$51,058	12.3%	34.5%
43	Wagga wagga	Strict	423	59%	$226	$50,061	12.3%	34.5%
44	Kangaroo island	Lenient	420	69%	$276	$70,903	12.3%	34.5%
45	Eyre peninsula and south west	Lenient	393	61%	$209	$47,987	12.3%	34.5%
46	Wangaratta - benalla	Lenient	369	51%	$231	$44,127	12.3%	34.5%
47	Greater taree	Strict	351	47%	$278	$49,476	12.3%	34.5%
48	Albury	Strict	287	72%	$220	$59,112	12.3%	34.5%
49	Esperance	Strict	205	70%	$278	$72,424	12.3%	34.5%
50	Young - yass	Strict	173	50%	$249	$46,914	12.3%	34.5%

Upper-Mid Airbnb Markets: $300,000-$500,000

Position	Market Name	Regulation	No of Listings	Avg. Occupancy Rate	Avg. Daily Rate	Revenue	Short-term Rental Yield	Rent Gap
1	Warrnambool	Lenient	816	57%	$293	$62,061	12.3%	34.5%
2	South east coast	Strict	549	68%	$269	$68,029	12.3%	34.5%
3	Bathurst	Strict	447	54%	$284	$57,308	12.3%	34.5%
4	Granite belt	Lenient	340	57%	$264	$56,211	12.3%	34.5%
5	Bass coast	Lenient	2,323	46%	$332	$57,313	12.3%	34.5%
6	Cairns	Lenient	2,183	76%	$252	$71,421	12.3%	34.5%
7	Gosford	Strict	1,831	49%	$428	$79,237	12.3%	34.5%
8	Phillip island	Lenient	1,518	46%	$334	$57,500	12.3%	34.5%
9	Upper goulburn valley	Lenient	1,197	45%	$387	$65,472	12.3%	34.5%
10	Great lakes	Strict	1,105	52%	$390	$75,724	12.3%	34.5%
11	Townsville	Lenient	957	68%	$238	$60,889	12.3%	34.5%
12	Clarence valley	Strict	870	61%	$317	$72,190	12.3%	34.5%
13	Onkaparinga	Lenient	800	61%	$288	$66,089	12.3%	34.5%
14	Wyong	Strict	794	51%	$349	$67,448	12.3%	34.5%
15	Launceston	Strict	773	72%	$217	$58,696	12.3%	34.5%
16	Geelong	Lenient	773	61%	$206	$47,530	12.3%	34.5%
17	Mansfield	Lenient	727	44%	$480	$79,076	12.3%	34.5%
18	South gippsland	Lenient	671	53%	$310	$61,778	12.3%	34.5%
19	Ballarat	Lenient	628	59%	$200	$44,472	12.3%	34.5%
20	Grampians	Lenient	573	55%	$217	$44,899	12.3%	34.5%
21	Wellington	Lenient	456	45%	$211	$35,894	12.3%	34.5%
22	Kingborough	Strict	371	64%	$237	$56,656	12.3%	34.5%
23	Barossa	Lenient	345	58%	$316	$68,007	12.3%	34.5%
24	Barossa valley	Lenient	327	59%	$314	$68,851	12.3%	34.5%
25	Nambour	Lenient	308	64%	$217	$51,984	12.3%	34.5%
26	Glenelg - southern grampians	Lenient	296	58%	$200	$43,593	12.3%	34.5%
27	Tamworth - gunnedah	Strict	267	63%	$211	$49,477	12.3%	34.5%
28	Upper murray exc. albury	Strict	252	53%	$307	$60,751	12.3%	34.5%
29	Mackay	Lenient	250	74%	$161	$44,645	12.3%	34.5%
30	Meander valley - west tamar	Strict	239	66%	$193	$47,332	12.3%	34.5%
31	Baw baw	Lenient	231	52%	$232	$44,791	12.3%	34.5%
32	Ipswich hinterland	Lenient	211	65%	$258	$62,648	12.3%	34.5%
33	Sorell - dodges ferry	Strict	171	66%	$203	$50,088	12.3%	34.5%
34	Queanbeyan	Strict	170	55%	$224	$46,109	12.3%	34.5%
35	Lachlan valley	Strict	170	61%	$218	$49,974	12.3%	34.5%
36	Goulburn - mulwaree	Strict	170	51%	$237	$45,379	12.3%	34.5%
37	Moorabool	Lenient	131	50%	$244	$45,852	12.3%	34.5%
38	Barwon - west	Lenient	114	51%	$218	$41,575	12.3%	34.5%
39	Burnett	Lenient	103	65%	$159	$39,263	12.3%	34.5%
40	Darling downs - east	Lenient	89	63%	$234	$54,715	12.3%	34.5%
41	Batemans bay	Strict	87	56%	$282	$61,000	12.3%	34.5%
42	Caboolture hinterland	Lenient	75	60%	$300	$66,867	12.3%	34.5%
43	Upper hunter	Strict	73	66%	$249	$61,243	12.3%	34.5%
44	Litchfield	Lenient	71	61%	$153	$34,595	12.3%	34.5%
45	Griffith - murrumbidgee (west)	Strict	68	60%	$205	$46,203	12.3%	34.5%
46	Far north	Lenient	54	62%	$179	$41,675	12.3%	34.5%
47	Perth	Strict	6,257	85%	$197	$62,490	12.3%	34.5%
48	Adelaide	Lenient	4,504	70%	$226	$59,252	12.3%	34.5%
49	Shoalhaven	Strict	4,251	49%	$431	$78,843	12.3%	34.5%
50	Augusta - margaret river - busselton	Strict	2,717	72%	$348	$93,548	12.3%	34.5%

Premium Airbnb Markets: $500,000-$1,000,000

Position	Market Name	Regulation	No of Listings	Avg. Occupancy Rate	Avg. Daily Rate	Revenue	Short-term Rental Yield	Rent Gap
1	St kilda	Lenient	723	74%	$174	$48,402	12.3%	34.5%
2	Broadbeach - burleigh	Lenient	2,004	78%	$329	$95,440	12.3%	34.5%
3	Kiama - shellharbour	Strict	989	54%	$477	$95,931	12.3%	34.5%
4	Noosa	Lenient	2,157	73%	$424	$114,597	12.3%	34.5%
5	Brunswick heads	Strict	112	65%	$358	$86,322	12.3%	34.5%
6	The whitsundays & hamilton island	Lenient	314	85%	$709	$221,413	12.3%	34.5%
7	Sydney	Strict	14,139	77%	$244	$70,268	12.3%	34.5%
8	Noosa heads qld	Lenient	1,097	77%	$463	$131,812	12.3%	34.5%
9	Byron bay	Strict	1,126	66%	$501	$122,217	12.3%	34.5%

Emerging vs Established Airbnb Markets in Australia

Top 20 Emerging Short-Term Rental Markets in Australia

Position	Market Name	Regulation	No of Listings	Avg. Occupancy Rate	Avg. Daily Rate	Revenue	Short-term Rental Yield	Rent Gap
1	Murray river - swan hill	Lenient	123	54%	$191	$38,752	12.3%	34.5%
2	Darling downs (west) - maranoa	Lenient	70	48%	$158	$29,155	12.3%	34.5%
3	Upper hunter	Strict	73	66%	$249	$61,243	12.3%	34.5%
4	Litchfield	Lenient	71	61%	$153	$34,595	12.3%	34.5%
5	Dubbo	Strict	298	62%	$253	$59,459	12.3%	34.5%
6	Baw baw	Lenient	231	52%	$232	$44,791	12.3%	34.5%
7	Snowy river	Strict	1,426	47%	$501	$87,241	12.3%	34.5%
8	Snowy mountains	Strict	1,491	48%	$490	$87,357	12.3%	34.5%
9	Rockhampton	Lenient	560	65%	$221	$54,382	12.3%	34.5%
10	Magnetic island	Lenient	338	64%	$326	$78,036	12.3%	34.5%
11	Kangaroo island	Lenient	420	69%	$276	$70,903	12.3%	34.5%
12	Goulburn - mulwaree	Strict	170	51%	$237	$45,379	12.3%	34.5%
13	Tumut - tumbarumba	Strict	144	49%	$249	$45,987	12.3%	34.5%
14	Fraser island	Lenient	93	72%	$351	$93,466	12.3%	34.5%
15	Devonport	Strict	82	72%	$170	$45,633	12.3%	34.5%
16	Maryborough	Lenient	248	70%	$297	$77,541	12.3%	34.5%
17	Fraser coast	Lenient	658	71%	$223	$59,090	12.3%	34.5%
18	Sydney	Strict	14,139	77%	$244	$70,268	12.3%	34.5%
19	Burnett	Lenient	103	65%	$159	$39,263	12.3%	34.5%
20	Palerang	Strict	102	58%	$256	$55,256	12.3%	34.5%

Top 11 Established Short-Term Rental Markets in Australia

Position	Market Name	Regulation	No of Listings	Avg. Occupancy Rate	Avg. Daily Rate	Revenue	Short-term Rental Yield	Rent Gap
1	Sydney	Strict	14,139	77%	$244	$70,268	12.3%	34.5%
2	Brisbane	Lenient	6,126	79%	$194	$57,642	12.3%	34.5%
3	Surfers paradise	Lenient	3,021	82%	$320	$97,629	12.3%	34.5%
4	Perth	Strict	6,257	85%	$197	$62,490	12.3%	34.5%
5	Adelaide	Lenient	4,504	70%	$226	$59,252	12.3%	34.5%
6	Gold coast	Lenient	7,370	78%	$308	$89,485	12.3%	34.5%
7	Melbourne	Lenient	24,036	67%	$214	$53,884	12.3%	34.5%
8	Sunshine coast	Lenient	5,513	72%	$348	$93,101	12.3%	34.5%
9	Surf coast - bellarine peninsula	Lenient	3,200	48%	$384	$69,030	12.3%	34.5%
10	Shoalhaven	Strict	4,251	49%	$431	$78,843	12.3%	34.5%
11	Mornington peninsula	Lenient	4,306	49%	$440	$81,602	12.3%	34.5%

50 Best Places for Airbnb Arbitrage in Australia

Position	Market Name	Regulation	No of Listings	Avg. Occupancy Rate	Avg. Daily Rate	Revenue	Short-term Rental Yield	Rent Gap
1	Whitsunday islands	Lenient	323	85%	$718	$224,242	12.3%	34.5%
2	The whitsundays & hamilton island	Lenient	314	85%	$709	$221,413	12.3%	34.5%
3	Gascoyne	Strict	193	74%	$357	$98,061	12.3%	34.5%
4	Darling downs - east	Lenient	89	63%	$234	$54,715	12.3%	34.5%
5	Whitsunday	Lenient	894	76%	$404	$113,297	12.3%	34.5%
6	Margaret river	Strict	470	81%	$285	$86,144	12.3%	34.5%
7	Outback - north and east	Lenient	98	57%	$193	$41,050	12.3%	34.5%
8	Redcliffe	Lenient	245	77%	$314	$91,154	12.3%	34.5%
9	West coast	Strict	337	63%	$218	$51,448	12.3%	34.5%
10	Richmond valley - coastal	Strict	2,852	64%	$398	$94,518	12.3%	34.5%
11	Geraldton	Strict	66	84%	$196	$61,224	12.3%	34.5%
12	Tweed valley	Strict	1,347	66%	$387	$95,161	12.3%	34.5%
13	Maryborough	Lenient	248	70%	$297	$77,541	12.3%	34.5%
14	Barossa valley	Lenient	327	59%	$314	$68,851	12.3%	34.5%
15	Snowy mountains	Strict	1,491	48%	$490	$87,357	12.3%	34.5%
16	Snowy river	Strict	1,426	47%	$501	$87,241	12.3%	34.5%
17	Murray and mallee	Lenient	370	58%	$276	$59,947	12.3%	34.5%
18	Albany	Strict	786	74%	$249	$68,497	12.3%	34.5%
19	South east coast	Strict	549	68%	$269	$68,029	12.3%	34.5%
20	Augusta - margaret river - busselton	Strict	2,717	72%	$348	$93,548	12.3%	34.5%
21	Manjimup	Strict	459	66%	$220	$54,279	12.3%	34.5%
22	Dubbo	Strict	298	62%	$253	$59,459	12.3%	34.5%
23	Barossa	Lenient	345	58%	$316	$68,007	12.3%	34.5%
24	Burnie	Strict	70	76%	$179	$50,346	12.3%	34.5%
25	Ipswich hinterland	Lenient	211	65%	$258	$62,648	12.3%	34.5%
26	Palm cove	Lenient	532	71%	$352	$92,741	12.3%	34.5%
27	Mid west	Strict	428	76%	$217	$61,274	12.3%	34.5%
28	Coles bay	Strict	153	67%	$335	$83,137	12.3%	34.5%
29	Esperance	Strict	205	70%	$278	$72,424	12.3%	34.5%
30	Cairns	Lenient	2,183	76%	$252	$71,421	12.3%	34.5%
31	Kimberley	Strict	218	60%	$337	$75,144	12.3%	34.5%
32	Broken hill and far west	Strict	126	68%	$179	$45,486	12.3%	34.5%
33	Onkaparinga	Lenient	800	61%	$288	$66,089	12.3%	34.5%
34	Kangaroo island	Lenient	420	69%	$276	$70,903	12.3%	34.5%
35	Colac - corangamite	Lenient	1,261	52%	$316	$61,587	12.3%	34.5%
36	Magnetic island	Lenient	338	64%	$326	$78,036	12.3%	34.5%
37	Wheat belt - south	Strict	113	68%	$173	$44,055	12.3%	34.5%
38	Wodonga - alpine	Lenient	1,638	54%	$361	$72,397	12.3%	34.5%
39	Limestone coast	Lenient	759	58%	$243	$52,868	12.3%	34.5%
40	Tweed heads nsw	Strict	1,389	70%	$384	$99,894	12.3%	34.5%
41	Wagga wagga	Strict	423	59%	$226	$50,061	12.3%	34.5%
42	Upper hunter	Strict	73	66%	$249	$61,243	12.3%	34.5%
43	Darwin	Lenient	1,059	71%	$240	$63,660	12.3%	34.5%
44	Albury	Strict	287	72%	$220	$59,112	12.3%	34.5%
45	Burnie - ulverstone	Strict	199	72%	$183	$49,006	12.3%	34.5%
46	Lower north	Lenient	216	65%	$252	$61,128	12.3%	34.5%
47	Bunbury	Strict	110	80%	$203	$60,956	12.3%	34.5%
48	Hunter valley	Strict	2,005	55%	$338	$69,599	12.3%	34.5%
49	Fleurieu - kangaroo island	Lenient	1,773	59%	$288	$64,128	12.3%	34.5%
50	Adelaide hills	Lenient	415	65%	$276	$66,916	12.3%	34.5%

Starting an Airbnb in Australia? Check out our guide on how to start an Airbnb in Australia (Startup cost, profitability, and nationwide vacation rental statistics)
For short-term rental market analysis, visit our Airbnb Analytics app.

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