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Best Airbnb Markets in South Asia (2026)

Based on Airbtics data from September 2025 to August 2026, this page ranks the best Airbnb markets in South Asia by Market Grade. The grade compares short-term rental yield, year-over-year revenue growth, and occupancy (demand), then adjusts for local regulation. The table also shows listing count, average daily rate, and annual revenue for every market.

Markets on this page are ranked by the Airbtics Market Grade, not by the number of listings. The grade compares each market with the other markets in this ranking on three measures, then adjusts for local short-term rental regulation.

  1. Yield: Annual short-term rental revenue divided by property price. A higher yield ranks higher.
  2. Growth: Year-over-year change in revenue. Faster revenue growth ranks higher.
  3. Demand: Average occupancy rate over the last 12 months. Higher occupancy ranks higher.

Stricter short-term rental regulation lowers the letter grade. Occupancy, average daily rate, and annual revenue are shown for every market. Exact yield and revenue growth are published for the three highest-graded markets. For every other market those two figures are in Market Explorer. The rankboard plots the same markets by occupancy and average daily rate, and the table under the chart lists those values in text.

Learn more about how we collect the data and accuracy

Last updated: 16th October, 2026

South Asia Short-Term Rental Market Overview (September 2025 to August 2026)

National averages across all South Asia markets
Average Occupancy Rate i
37.84%
Average Annual Revenue i
$5,158
Average Daily Rate (ADR) i
$37
YoY Supply Growth i
101.92%
YoY Revenue Change i
-7.13%

Top 25 South Asia Cities for Airbnb in 2026

Tick the markets you like to track their revenue, occupancy, and ADR in your Airbtics watchlist. Free to start, up to 10 markets.

Position Market Grade Market Name Regulation No of Listings Avg. Occupancy Rate Avg. Daily Rate Revenue Short-term Rental Yield Revenue Growth
1BChennai
Lenient
1,85249% 🚀$34$6,20710.5%-13.7%
2BIslamabad
Lenient
1,43829%$34$3,6496.8%+4.6%
3BLonavala
Lenient
86130%$118$13,1109.2%-14.5%
4BDhaka
Lenient
81542%$36$5,669Unlock in Market ExplorerUnlock in Market Explorer
5B+Goa
Lenient
11,25948%$44$7,829Unlock in Market ExplorerUnlock in Market Explorer
6B+Kolkata
Lenient
1,72544%$27$4,456Unlock in Market ExplorerUnlock in Market Explorer
7B+Kochi
Lenient
1,31043%$31$4,979Unlock in Market ExplorerUnlock in Market Explorer
8B+Weligama
Lenient
1,09249%$40$7,274Unlock in Market ExplorerUnlock in Market Explorer
9B+Bhowali–Nainital
Lenient
1,09129%$62$6,653Unlock in Market ExplorerUnlock in Market Explorer
10B+Manali
Lenient
1,05535%$34$4,399Unlock in Market ExplorerUnlock in Market Explorer
11CBengaluru
Lenient
6,80445%$25$4,214Unlock in Market ExplorerUnlock in Market Explorer
12CMumbai
Lenient
3,60753% 🚀$52$10,191Unlock in Market ExplorerUnlock in Market Explorer
13CVaranasi
Lenient
1,61734%$31$3,915Unlock in Market ExplorerUnlock in Market Explorer
14CGuwahati
Lenient
1,50630%$20$2,266Unlock in Market ExplorerUnlock in Market Explorer
15CNoida
Lenient
1,41931%$31$3,580Unlock in Market ExplorerUnlock in Market Explorer
16C+New Delhi
Lenient
2,82544%$37$6,044Unlock in Market ExplorerUnlock in Market Explorer
17C+Jaipur
Lenient
2,67332%$31$3,723Unlock in Market ExplorerUnlock in Market Explorer
18C+Lahore
Lenient
1,56928%$37$3,871Unlock in Market ExplorerUnlock in Market Explorer
19C+Dehradun
Lenient
1,48731%$30$3,451Unlock in Market ExplorerUnlock in Market Explorer
20C+Rishikesh
Lenient
72833%$32$3,938Unlock in Market ExplorerUnlock in Market Explorer
21C+Kathmandu
Lenient
72547%$26$4,560Unlock in Market ExplorerUnlock in Market Explorer
22DHyderabad
Lenient
2,91639%$30$4,360Unlock in Market ExplorerUnlock in Market Explorer
23DChandigarh
Lenient
1,40931%$27$3,111Unlock in Market ExplorerUnlock in Market Explorer
24D+Gurgaon
Lenient
2,87630%$31$3,464Unlock in Market ExplorerUnlock in Market Explorer
25D+Pune
Lenient
1,79940%$27$4,056Unlock in Market ExplorerUnlock in Market Explorer

Data Seen By

BiggerPockets
Trustpilot

Market Explorer

Filter markets by occupancy, price, and yield

Filter South Asia by occupancy, ADR, yield, rent gap, and property price, then compare markets side by side.

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Find the Best Airbnb Markets with Our Interactive Tool

Use our interactive Market Explorer to find the best places to start an Airbnb in South Asia. 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

Why Invest in Airbnb South Asia in 2026?

The highest-graded short-term rental markets in South Asia are Chennai, Islamabad and Lonavala. The table ranks every tracked market by Airbtics Market Grade. Occupancy, average daily rate, annual revenue, yield, and revenue growth are the figures behind that grade.

Top 3 Airbnb markets in South Asia by Market Grade

These are the three highest-graded Airbnb markets in South Asia. Market Grade compares yield, revenue growth, and occupancy (demand) with the other markets on this page, then adjusts for short-term rental regulation. The chart repeats those three percentiles in text so the ranking is readable without the graphic.

Rank 1 — Chennai (Grade B)

Chennai is rank 1 of 25 markets in this South Asia ranking by Airbtics Market Grade B, with 10.5% short-term rental yield, 49.0% occupancy, and -13.7% year-over-year revenue growth.

Compared with the other markets on this page, Chennai ranks top 2% for yield, lowest 26% for growth, and top 8% for demand. The market shows an average daily rate of $34, annual revenue of $6,207, a rent gap of 1684.4%, 1,852 active listings, lenient short-term rental regulation, and a typical 2-bedroom property price of $85,000.

  • Market gradeB
  • Yield10.5%
  • Revenue growth-13.7%
  • Occupancy49.0%
  • Average daily rate$34
  • Annual revenue$6,207
  • Rent gap1684.4%
  • Active listings1,852
  • 2-bedroom price$85,000
  • RegulationLenient
top 2%Yieldlowest 26%Growthtop 8%Demand

Percentile versus other South Asia markets on this page. Farther from the center is stronger.

  • Yield: top 2%
  • Growth: lowest 26%
  • Demand: top 8%

Rank 2 — Islamabad (Grade B)

Islamabad is rank 2 of 25 markets in this South Asia ranking by Airbtics Market Grade B, with 6.8% short-term rental yield, 29.0% occupancy, and +4.6% year-over-year revenue growth.

Compared with the other markets on this page, Islamabad ranks lowest 38% for yield, top 6% for growth, and lowest 8% for demand. The market shows an average daily rate of $34, annual revenue of $3,649, a rent gap of 1707.7%, 1,438 active listings, lenient short-term rental regulation, and a typical 2-bedroom property price of $80,000.

  • Market gradeB
  • Yield6.8%
  • Revenue growth+4.6%
  • Occupancy29.0%
  • Average daily rate$34
  • Annual revenue$3,649
  • Rent gap1707.7%
  • Active listings1,438
  • 2-bedroom price$80,000
  • RegulationLenient
lowest 38%Yieldtop 6%Growthlowest 8%Demand

Percentile versus other South Asia markets on this page. Farther from the center is stronger.

  • Yield: lowest 38%
  • Growth: top 6%
  • Demand: lowest 8%

Rank 3 — Lonavala (Grade B)

Lonavala is rank 3 of 25 markets in this South Asia ranking by Airbtics Market Grade B, with 9.2% short-term rental yield, 30.0% occupancy, and -14.5% year-over-year revenue growth.

Compared with the other markets on this page, Lonavala ranks top 10% for yield, lowest 14% for growth, and lowest 18% for demand. The market shows an average daily rate of $118, annual revenue of $13,110, a rent gap of 1285.8%, 861 active listings, lenient short-term rental regulation, and a typical 2-bedroom property price of $75,000.

  • Market gradeB
  • Yield9.2%
  • Revenue growth-14.5%
  • Occupancy30.0%
  • Average daily rate$118
  • Annual revenue$13,110
  • Rent gap1285.8%
  • Active listings861
  • 2-bedroom price$75,000
  • RegulationLenient
top 10%Yieldlowest 14%Growthlowest 18%Demand

Percentile versus other South Asia markets on this page. Farther from the center is stronger.

  • Yield: top 10%
  • Growth: lowest 14%
  • Demand: lowest 18%

Market Rankboard: South Asia

Each dot is a vacation rental market in South Asia, plotted by occupancy rate (x-axis) and average daily rate (ADR) (y-axis). Dashed lines mark the national median.

South Asia Airbnb markets rankboard scatter chart showing occupancy rate versus average daily rate (ADR)
Occupancy rate and average daily rate for each South Asia market plotted in the chart above, in Market Grade order.
MarketOccupancy rateAverage daily rate
Chennai49.0%$34
Islamabad29.0%$34
Lonavala30.0%$118
Dhaka42.0%$36
Goa48.0%$44
Kolkata44.0%$27
Kochi43.0%$31
Weligama49.0%$40
Bhowali–Nainital29.0%$62
Manali35.0%$34
Bengaluru45.0%$25
Mumbai53.0%$52
Varanasi34.0%$31
Guwahati30.0%$20
Noida31.0%$31
New Delhi44.0%$37
Jaipur32.0%$31
Lahore28.0%$37
Dehradun31.0%$30
Rishikesh33.0%$32
Kathmandu47.0%$26
Hyderabad39.0%$30
Chandigarh31.0%$27
Gurgaon30.0%$31
Pune40.0%$27

Compare property prices, short-term rental yield, rent gap, annual revenue, and supply growth in the Airbtics Market Explorer watchlist.

See all Airbnb markets in South Asia

Browse all 25 markets we track in South Asia. Each link opens the market's Airbnb revenue and performance data page.

South Asia Airbnb market FAQs

  • What are the best Airbnb markets in South Asia?

    Airbtics ranks short-term rental markets in South Asia by Market Grade. The grade compares yield (annual revenue divided by property price), year-over-year revenue growth, and occupancy, then adjusts for regulation. The highest-graded market in this dataset is Chennai. The main table lists markets in that order; use the Market Explorer to filter by budget, regulations, and more.

  • How many Airbnb markets does Airbtics track in South Asia?

    We currently analyze 25 active short-term rental markets in South Asia with listing supply, median occupancy, ADR, and revenue estimates.

  • What is the average Airbnb occupancy rate in South Asia?

    The national average occupancy rate across tracked markets is 37.84% (LTM). Rates differ by city. Use the rankboard on this page, or open a market page for that city's numbers.

  • How do I compare Airbnb markets in South Asia?

    Use the occupancy vs ADR rankboard on this page for a quick view, or open the Market Explorer to compare markets side by side, change chart axes, export to Excel, and save markets to a watchlist.

  • How can I estimate Airbnb income in South Asia?

    Use our Airbnb income calculator to estimate revenue for a specific address, or open any market link below for median revenue and occupancy benchmarks.




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For trends, supply, and year-over-year changes, see the 2025 short-term rental report for South Asia.