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Best Airbnb Markets in Sub-Saharan Africa (2026)

Based on Airbtics data from January 2025 to December 2025, this page shows the top Airbnb locations to invest in Sub-Saharan Africa 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 Sub-Saharan Africa.

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:

  1. Short-term rental yield: The ratio between annual revenue and property price, as a percentage. Locations with higher Airbnb rental yield score better.
  2. Short-term rental regulations: How STR-friendly the local Airbnb rules and laws are. Markets with more lenient regulations get a higher score.
  3. 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.
  4. Growth: How fast the market is becoming saturated. Priority is given to markets that are already developed but are not approaching saturation yet.
  5. 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.
Learn more about how we collect the data and accuracy

Last updated: February, 2026

Sub-Saharan Africa Short-Term Rental Market Overview (Full-Year 2025 Analysis)

National averages across all Sub-Saharan Africa markets
Average Occupancy Rate i
51.94%
Average Annual Revenue i
$15,119
Average Daily Rate (ADR) i
$75
YoY Supply Growth i
29.36%
YoY Revenue Change i
2.24%

Top 33 Sub-Saharan Africa Cities for Airbnb in 2026

Position Market Grade Market Name Regulation No of Listings Avg. Occupancy Rate Avg. Daily Rate Revenue Short-term Rental Yield Rent Gap
1CCape town
Lenient
17,88971%$92$24,12812.3%34.5%
2C+Reunion island
Lenient
7,20772%$102$27,34612.3%34.5%
3E+Nairobi
Lenient
5,32744%$42$6,83512.3%34.5%
4D+City bowl
Lenient
4,89074%$88$24,06612.3%34.5%
5CMauritius
Lenient
4,69166%$96$23,35012.3%34.5%
6CAccra
Lenient
2,69345%$80$13,37012.3%34.5%
7BMpumalanga
Lenient
2,37145%$77$12,86812.3%34.5%
8D+Sandton
Lenient
2,18253%$58$11,46012.3%34.5%
9E+Abidjan
Lenient
1,99141%$60$9,19912.3%34.5%
10E+Dakar
Lenient
1,85249%$55$10,01712.3%34.5%
11CZanzibar city
Lenient
1,79448%$76$13,44312.3%34.5%
12C+Blouberg
Lenient
1,67767%$86$21,29512.3%34.5%
13E+Dolphin coast
Lenient
1,67155%$130$26,50212.3%34.5%
14D+Pretoria
Lenient
1,66248%$52$9,35712.3%34.5%
15CDurban
Lenient
1,49148%$59$10,59312.3%34.5%
16DKampala
Lenient
1,42744%$39$6,34312.3%34.5%
17B+Johannesburg
Lenient
1,37052%$48$9,31812.3%34.5%
18CLagos
Lenient
1,36143%$68$10,87312.3%34.5%
19CMombasa
Lenient
1,26938%$48$6,78812.3%34.5%
20B+Port elizabeth
Lenient
1,25951%$55$10,45912.3%34.5%
21CDar es salaam
Lenient
1,22844%$49$8,00412.3%34.5%
22CHarare
Lenient
1,13545%$63$10,52812.3%34.5%
23BMossel bay
Lenient
1,02650%$90$16,78512.3%34.5%
24CMidrand
Lenient
1,00046%$54$9,27712.3%34.5%
25BSeychelles
Lenient
99967%$155$38,24912.3%34.5%
26B+Knysna
Lenient
98053%$108$21,20512.3%34.5%
27BPlettenberg bay
Lenient
96956%$129$26,69212.3%34.5%
28C+Madagascar
Lenient
96247%$54$9,40812.3%34.5%
29DMbour
Lenient
82147%$93$16,13012.3%34.5%
30BJeffreys bay
Lenient
62751%$81$15,36312.3%34.5%
31CBloemfontein
Lenient
60550%$40$7,46812.3%34.5%
32C+Windhoek
Lenient
49453%$53$10,44512.3%34.5%
33BWatamu
Lenient
41951%$116$21,79112.3%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 Sub-Saharan Africa. 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

📊 Want a deeper dive into Sub-Saharan Africa's STR market?

Explore our comprehensive 2025 Short-Term Rental Market Report for Sub-Saharan Africa, featuring detailed market trends, supply analysis, and year-over-year insights.

View 2025 Market Report

Why Invest in Airbnb Sub-Saharan Africa in 2026?

In recent years, Sub-Saharan Africa 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 Seychelles, Reunion island and Plettenberg bay. With millions of international visitors coming each year, the demand for vacation rental accommodations is growing, making Airbnb Sub-Saharan Africa a lucrative option for both local and foreign investors.

Due to strong demand from travelers, Sub-Saharan Africa 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, Sub-Saharan Africa has a profitable location to meet your budget and aspirations as an investor.

Market Saturation Analysis: Sub-Saharan Africa

Benchmark: Markets are categorized relative to Sub-Saharan Africa's national averages (Supply: +29.4%, Revenue: +2.2%). Markets above the national average are marked with ↑, while those below are marked with ↓.

🟢

Healthy Growth

Supply > avg, Revenue > avg
Expansion with demand keeping up

  • Mbour Supply: +35.0% | Revenue: +5.9%
  • Midrand Supply: +35.4% | Revenue: +5.9%
  • Windhoek Supply: +31.6% | Revenue: +4.3%
  • Sandton Supply: +32.7% | Revenue: +3.6%
  • Johannesburg Supply: +34.8% | Revenue: +2.8%
🟡

Early Saturation

Supply > avg, Revenue ≤ avg
Competition rising

  • Dar es salaam Supply: +60.5% | Revenue: -8.2%
  • Kampala Supply: +53.4% | Revenue: +0.3%
  • Mombasa Supply: +52.9% | Revenue: -4.6%
  • Nairobi Supply: +51.9% | Revenue: -10.3%
  • Lagos Supply: +49.7% | Revenue: -3.4%
  • Accra Supply: +42.1% | Revenue: -1.8%
  • Dakar Supply: +42.1% | Revenue: -5.7%
  • Abidjan Supply: +35.0% | Revenue: -17.7%
  • Madagascar Supply: +34.6% | Revenue: +1.6%
  • Zanzibar city Supply: +33.9% | Revenue: +0.7%
🔵

Under-the-Radar

Supply ≤ avg, Revenue > avg
Hidden opportunities

  • Plettenberg bay Supply: +15.2% | Revenue: +15.0%
  • Reunion island Supply: +17.1% | Revenue: +13.0%
  • Port elizabeth Supply: +20.3% | Revenue: +12.1%
  • Seychelles Supply: +9.5% | Revenue: +10.6%
  • Durban Supply: +17.7% | Revenue: +9.7%
  • Watamu Supply: +15.4% | Revenue: +7.3%
  • Mossel bay Supply: +21.7% | Revenue: +7.2%
  • Knysna Supply: +15.0% | Revenue: +6.8%
  • Mpumalanga Supply: +15.6% | Revenue: +6.5%
  • Mauritius Supply: +23.2% | Revenue: +4.0%
  • +5 more markets
🔴

Declining

Supply ≤ avg, Revenue ≤ avg
Risky markets

  • Dolphin coast Supply: +22.3% | Revenue: -7.9%
  • Harare Supply: +27.2% | Revenue: +0.6%
  • City bowl Supply: +21.9% | Revenue: +0.9%

Best Cities for Airbnb in Sub-Saharan Africa by Budget

Top 3 Affordable & Mid-Range Airbnb Markets: $500,000 & Below

These markets offer accessible investment opportunities with lower to moderate property prices, suitable for investors seeking entry-level or mid-range options.

  1. Bloemfontein
    • Property price: $60,000
    • STR revenue: $7,468/year
    • Yield: 18.3%
  2. Mpumalanga
    • Property price: $70,000
    • STR revenue: $12,868/year
    • Yield: 22.9%
  3. Pretoria
    • Property price: $70,000
    • STR revenue: $9,357/year
    • Yield: 19.3%

Top 3 Best Places for Airbnb Arbitrage in Sub-Saharan Africa

  1. Watamu
    • STR revenue: $21,791/year
    • Rent gap: $5,175
  2. Reunion island
    • STR revenue: $27,346/year
    • Rent gap: $3,964
  3. Seychelles
    • STR revenue: $38,249/year
    • Rent gap: $3,800



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