Best Airbnb Markets in The United Kingdom (2026)
Based on Airbtics data from January 2025 to December 2025, this page shows the top Airbnb locations to invest in The United Kingdom 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 The United Kingdom.
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.
Last updated: February, 2026
The United Kingdom Short-Term Rental Market Overview (Full-Year 2025 Analysis)
Top 71 The United Kingdom 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | London | Lenient | 49,166 | 74% | £152 | £41,559 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 2 | B | Cornwall | Lenient | 12,883 | 62% | £140 | £32,136 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 3 | B+ | Scottish highlands | Lenient | 6,035 | 75% | £151 | £41,744 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 4 | A | City of edinburgh | Lenient | 4,809 | 84% | £180 | £56,014 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 5 | D+ | Dorset | Lenient | 3,947 | 63% | £142 | £33,234 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 6 | B | Gwynedd | Lenient | 3,696 | 64% | £140 | £33,438 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 7 | B+ | Pembrokeshire | Lenient | 3,400 | 63% | £136 | £31,912 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 8 | C+ | South lakeland | Lenient | 3,175 | 63% | £168 | £39,420 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 9 | D+ | Brighton and hove | Lenient | 3,036 | 64% | £132 | £31,627 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 10 | B | Northumberland | Lenient | 2,834 | 69% | £140 | £35,950 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 11 | D+ | Liverpool | Lenient | 2,684 | 55% | £106 | £21,920 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 12 | C | Birmingham | Lenient | 2,605 | 59% | £105 | £23,233 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 13 | C | Manchester | Lenient | 2,453 | 61% | £115 | £26,443 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 14 | D | East suffolk | Lenient | 2,350 | 62% | £162 | £37,524 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 15 | B+ | Powys | Lenient | 2,314 | 62% | £135 | £31,021 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 16 | C+ | Scarborough | Lenient | 2,278 | 62% | £140 | £32,468 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 17 | C+ | Bournemouth | Lenient | 2,268 | 61% | £131 | £29,816 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 18 | B | North norfolk | Lenient | 2,257 | 66% | £162 | £39,676 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 19 | C+ | Wiltshire | Lenient | 2,163 | 63% | £128 | £29,889 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 20 | C+ | North devon | Lenient | 2,069 | 62% | £164 | £37,798 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 21 | B | Argyll and bute | Lenient | 1,984 | 69% | £151 | £38,480 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 22 | B+ | Cotswold | Lenient | 1,947 | 65% | £214 | £51,420 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 23 | D+ | Bristol | Lenient | 1,889 | 70% | £114 | £29,828 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 24 | C | South hams | Lenient | 1,848 | 58% | £151 | £32,462 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 25 | C+ | Isle of wight | Lenient | 1,796 | 58% | £145 | £31,276 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 26 | C | York | Lenient | 1,784 | 68% | £148 | £37,372 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 27 | C+ | Shropshire | Lenient | 1,772 | 63% | £124 | £29,076 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 28 | B+ | Causeway coast and glens | Lenient | 1,748 | 54% | £152 | £30,448 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 29 | C+ | Cardiff | Lenient | 1,747 | 59% | £120 | £26,626 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 30 | C+ | Bath and north east somerset | Lenient | 1,729 | 70% | £155 | £40,337 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 31 | C+ | Derbyshire dales | Lenient | 1,724 | 68% | £146 | £36,856 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 32 | C | Belfast | Lenient | 1,710 | 64% | £118 | £28,186 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 33 | D+ | Leeds | Lenient | 1,706 | 58% | £102 | £22,164 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 34 | C | East riding of yorkshire | Lenient | 1,662 | 59% | £124 | £27,436 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 35 | B | Conwy | Lenient | 1,658 | 65% | £131 | £31,647 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 36 | C+ | Fife | Lenient | 1,634 | 64% | £163 | £38,683 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 37 | C | Chichester | Lenient | 1,563 | 57% | £151 | £32,004 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 38 | B+ | East lindsey | Lenient | 1,560 | 62% | £109 | £25,172 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 39 | B+ | Glasgow | Lenient | 1,495 | 75% | £128 | £35,632 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 40 | D+ | South cambridgeshire | Lenient | 1,444 | 70% | £112 | £29,402 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 41 | C | Herefordshire | Lenient | 1,441 | 61% | £123 | £27,886 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 42 | B | Ceredigion | Lenient | 1,427 | 60% | £128 | £28,552 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 43 | C | East devon | Lenient | 1,415 | 64% | £133 | £31,648 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 44 | B | Isle of anglesey | Lenient | 1,368 | 58% | £152 | £32,852 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 45 | C+ | Perth and kinross | Lenient | 1,366 | 69% | £162 | £41,393 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 46 | B | Swansea | Lenient | 1,365 | 65% | £125 | £30,453 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 47 | C+ | New forest | Lenient | 1,362 | 65% | £148 | £35,849 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 48 | C+ | Torridge | Lenient | 1,247 | 60% | £140 | £31,284 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 49 | D | Oxford | Lenient | 1,240 | 73% | £120 | £32,734 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 50 | B | Kings lynn and west norfolk | Lenient | 1,236 | 65% | £152 | £36,667 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 51 | B | Dumfries and galloway | Lenient | 1,234 | 62% | £126 | £29,061 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 52 | C+ | Mendip | Lenient | 1,205 | 65% | £124 | £30,101 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 53 | B+ | Carmarthenshire | Lenient | 1,205 | 57% | £119 | £25,292 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 54 | C+ | Torbay | Lenient | 1,203 | 57% | £125 | £26,635 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 55 | B | Allerdale | Lenient | 1,192 | 71% | £142 | £37,383 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 56 | E+ | Sheffield | Lenient | 1,185 | 54% | £92 | £18,819 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 57 | D+ | Harrogate | Lenient | 1,178 | 66% | £136 | £33,255 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 58 | B | West northamptonshire | Lenient | 1,160 | 56% | £108 | £22,664 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 59 | C | County durham | Lenient | 1,158 | 60% | £113 | £25,371 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 60 | D | Nottingham | Lenient | 1,147 | 56% | £94 | £19,895 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 61 | E+ | Buckinghamshire | Lenient | 1,112 | 60% | £112 | £25,196 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 62 | D | Salford | Lenient | 1,109 | 60% | £101 | £22,956 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 63 | C+ | Eden | Lenient | 1,097 | 62% | £135 | £31,116 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 64 | C | Rother | Lenient | 1,040 | 60% | £148 | £33,105 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 65 | B | Newquay | Lenient | 1,019 | 63% | £145 | £33,960 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 66 | B | Cheshire west and chester | Lenient | 980 | 69% | £130 | £33,481 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 67 | C+ | Blackpool | Lenient | 945 | 45% | £103 | £17,605 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 68 | D+ | Cambridge | Lenient | 937 | 72% | £118 | £31,760 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 69 | D+ | Newcastle upon tyne | Lenient | 819 | 57% | £111 | £23,831 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 70 | C | Plymouth | Lenient | 611 | 61% | £106 | £24,289 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 71 | D+ | Norwich | Lenient | 597 | 67% | £109 | £27,442 | 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 The United Kingdom. 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 The United Kingdom's STR market?
Explore our comprehensive 2025 Short-Term Rental Market Report for The United Kingdom, featuring detailed market trends, supply analysis, and year-over-year insights.
View 2025 Market ReportWhy Invest in Airbnb The United Kingdom in 2026?
In recent years, The United Kingdom 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 City of edinburgh, Cotswold and Scottish highlands. With millions of international
visitors coming each year, the demand for vacation rental accommodations is growing, making Airbnb
The United Kingdom a lucrative option for both local and foreign investors.
Due to strong demand from travelers, The United Kingdom 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, The United Kingdom has a profitable location to
meet your budget and aspirations as an investor.
Market Saturation Analysis: The United Kingdom
Benchmark: Markets are categorized relative to The United Kingdom's national averages (Supply: +19.4%, Revenue: +9.6%). 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
- Newquay Supply: +22.2% | Revenue: +23.4%
- City of edinburgh Supply: +19.7% | Revenue: +22.1%
- East lindsey Supply: +32.9% | Revenue: +18.6%
- Brighton and hove Supply: +25.4% | Revenue: +18.1%
- Bournemouth Supply: +20.3% | Revenue: +16.5%
- Conwy Supply: +20.1% | Revenue: +14.3%
- Cardiff Supply: +30.4% | Revenue: +11.8%
- Kings lynn and west norfolk Supply: +21.0% | Revenue: +10.7%
- Causeway coast and glens Supply: +21.3% | Revenue: +10.4%
Early Saturation
Supply > avg, Revenue ≤ avg
Competition rising
- Leeds Supply: +40.0% | Revenue: +1.4%
- Birmingham Supply: +40.0% | Revenue: +6.2%
- West northamptonshire Supply: +36.9% | Revenue: +7.9%
- Manchester Supply: +36.0% | Revenue: +3.9%
- Salford Supply: +34.2% | Revenue: +0.1%
- London Supply: +33.8% | Revenue: +3.8%
- Newcastle upon tyne Supply: +33.5% | Revenue: -1.0%
- Liverpool Supply: +32.1% | Revenue: +4.5%
- Nottingham Supply: +27.8% | Revenue: +2.6%
- Sheffield Supply: +26.4% | Revenue: -0.8%
-
+7 more markets
Bristol, Oxford, Fife, Eden, Swansea, Allerdale, County durham ×
Under-the-Radar
Supply ≤ avg, Revenue > avg
Hidden opportunities
- South hams Supply: +16.9% | Revenue: +20.7%
- Torbay Supply: +12.7% | Revenue: +19.5%
- Cotswold Supply: +15.5% | Revenue: +18.9%
- Isle of wight Supply: +14.4% | Revenue: +18.4%
- Cornwall Supply: +15.6% | Revenue: +17.6%
- Cheshire west and chester Supply: +13.2% | Revenue: +17.0%
- Ceredigion Supply: +14.2% | Revenue: +16.7%
- Chichester Supply: +14.1% | Revenue: +16.3%
- Blackpool Supply: +19.3% | Revenue: +15.8%
- New forest Supply: +15.2% | Revenue: +15.1%
-
+12 more markets
Plymouth, Isle of anglesey, Pembrokeshire, Torridge, Wiltshire, Carmarthenshire, East devon, Glasgow, North devon, Dorset, Gwynedd, Scottish highlands ×
Declining
Supply ≤ avg, Revenue ≤ avg
Risky markets
- East suffolk Supply: +18.0% | Revenue: -2.1%
- Belfast Supply: +17.8% | Revenue: +0.3%
- York Supply: +13.6% | Revenue: +1.7%
- Perth and kinross Supply: +11.0% | Revenue: +2.7%
- East riding of yorkshire Supply: +17.9% | Revenue: +3.0%
- South cambridgeshire Supply: +15.9% | Revenue: +5.6%
- Cambridge Supply: +15.4% | Revenue: +5.6%
- Derbyshire dales Supply: +12.0% | Revenue: +6.0%
- Bath and north east somerset Supply: +13.3% | Revenue: +6.0%
- Dumfries and galloway Supply: +12.6% | Revenue: +6.2%
-
+13 more markets
Herefordshire, Northumberland, Scarborough, North norfolk, Norwich, Harrogate, Buckinghamshire, Argyll and bute, Mendip, Shropshire, Rother, Powys, South lakeland ×
Top 3 Best Places for Airbnb Arbitrage in The United Kingdom
-
City of edinburgh
- STR revenue: £56,014/year
- Rent gap: £4,401
-
Powys
- STR revenue: £31,021/year
- Rent gap: £3,688
-
Allerdale
- STR revenue: £37,383/year
- Rent gap: £3,688
- Starting an Airbnb in The United Kingdom? Check out our guide on how to start an Airbnb in The United Kingdom (Startup cost, profitability, and nationwide vacation rental statistics)
- For short-term rental market analysis, visit our Airbnb Analytics app.
Estimate Your Airbnb Income in The United Kingdom
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Use our Airbnb calculator to quickly and accurately estimate the earning and profitability potential of any city, neighborhood, and area.
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