The Destinations with the Most Affordable Airbnb Fees Worldwide
Additional fees for paid services never feel good. No matter how many times you incur postage and packing, banking charges and data overage fees, they usually come as a surprise on top of what you expect to pay.
Fees charged by Airbnb or hosts include those for service, cleaning, extra guests and pets. Airbnb bases these service fees on “a variety of factors,” while the cleaning fee is decided in advance by the host based on their expected costs. The average cleaning fee is less than 10%, according to Airbnb, and fewer than 45% of hosts charge one.
Airbnb has recently introduced a toggle button to improve transparency at the time of booking, allowing users to view potential listings with or without fees. But local costs, customs and market forces lead to a different balance of rental costs versus additional fees depending on where you travel.
To help you foresee the kind of deal you’re likely to get when you travel, NetCredit has analyzed 64,437 Airbnb listings across 275 popular tourist destinations around the world to uncover how much Airbnb fees cost as a percentage of the overall rental price for a five-night stay (two adults, one bedroom, entire house/flat).
Key Findings
- Detroit, MI (U.S.), is the destination with the least affordable Airbnb fees worldwide, with fees that make up 33.99% of the average bill.
- Lahore (Pakistan) is the most affordable destination, with an average Airbnb fee of 4.17%. The Maldives and Bali (Indonesia) follow closely, with 10.08% and 10.56% average Airbnb fees respectively.
- Europe’s least affordable Airbnb fees are in Cannes (France, 25.33%), and the most affordable is in Santorini (Greece, 9.99%).
- Brasilia (Brazil) has South America’s least affordable fees (21.24%), and Mendoza (Argentina) has the most affordable fees (15.32%).
- Darwin, Cairns, Perth and Melbourne are the Australian destinations with the least affordable Airbnb fees — all cities come to an average above 20%.
The 20 Global Tourist Destinations with the Most Affordable Airbnb Fees
In Lahore, the second largest city in Pakistan, guests can expect just 4.17% of their overall Airbnb charge to be fees. This is the lowest in the world.
While Airbnb has become a close competitor to conventional hotels in much of the West, it is still seen as a cheap and convenient alternative to fee-laden hotel stays in Pakistan — particularly in remote areas. As a collectivist society, Pakistani hosts and their local guests may consider cleaning an Airbnb site a collective responsibility.
In fact, Lahore leads a raft of 14 Asian destinations among the 20 with the lowest relative Airbnb fees in the world. Four of the most affordable countries are in Africa, and only one is in Europe — with none in North America.
The 20 Global Tourist Destinations with the Least Affordable Airbnb Fees
Over one-third of the cost of staying in an Airbnb in Detroit, Michigan, is attributable to added fees. This makes Detroit the least affordable destination for Airbnb fees in the world. Detroit leads among 16 U.S. destinations among the top 20 with the least affordable fees. Hosts in Detroit earned 50% less than the average U.S. Airbnb host last year, according to Axios.
Outside of the U.S., Whistler in Canada has the highest proportional fees. Vancouver is not far behind. Whistler is the site of a major ski resort, and high cleaning fees may be connected to the additional mess associated with drainage and storage of ski gear.
In Vancouver, the cost of a license to run an Airbnb rose from $109 to $1,000 in September. Hosts may be keen to recoup their costs wherever possible. However, the “short-term rental market in Vancouver is still very profitable,” according to Councilor Lenny Zhou, who claims “they can make up this money in two or three days.
“The concern, of course, is that they’re units that are essentially full-time on the Airbnb market, and then you have the higher rents and the lack of unit availability, so it’s a real double whammy,” says UBC Professor in Real Estate Finance, Tsur Somerville.
The Tourist Destinations in North America With the Most and Least Affordable Airbnb Fees
U.S. destinations dominate among those in North America with the highest proportion of Airbnb fees, and there are no U.S. destinations among those with the lowest fees. Cleaning fees rose partly to accommodate new expectations following COVID. But hosts are also keen to protect every last cent of profit. “We need to be able to increase the cleaning fee just a little bit in order to make sure to restock those things [cleaning supplies] without pulling out of our own profits,” says Kyle Stanley, a Fresno Airbnb host and hospitality manager who will charge a guest $175 if the cleaner charges him $150.
We found North America’s most affordable Airbnb fees in Havana, Cuba, and Guatemala City. Cuban Airbnbs can be very stylish while offering the kind of personal touch associated with the earlier days of Airbnb — before it became professionalized. While Airbnb has revolutionized tourism on the island, Cubans have been careful to maintain the levels of hospitality associated with the Casa particular system of accommodation that Airbnb has usurped.
The Tourist Destinations in South America With the Most and Least Affordable Airbnb Fees
Three Brazilian cities are among the five South American destinations with the highest Airbnb fees. The company has recently reduced fees for longer-term stays in Brazil to encourage bookings. This is part of an overall drive to boost business in the country. Around one-fifth of the cost of an Airbnb in these cities is fees, with the capital, Brasilia, the worst offender.
Buenos Aires is also among the destinations with the highest fees in South America. The number of Airbnbs in the city rose from 10,000 to 26,000 between 2019 and 2023, with the boom in short-term rentals contributing to an overall rent crisis. However, the South American destination with the most affordable fees is also in Argentina. Fees in Mendoza, in the Cuyo region, are just 15.32%.
The Tourist Destinations in Europe With the Most and Least Affordable Airbnb Fees
More than a quarter of the cost of an Airbnb in Cannes, the French city associated with the elite art film and advertising festivals, is attributed to fees. The Spanish island of Ibiza is the second least affordable, with fees averaging 22.82% of the total cost. With rising rents contributing to the housing crisis, former President of the Balearics Francina Armengol has proposed “zero growth in tourist, hotel and vacation rental places” and even “buying obsolete one-and two-star hotels to eliminate them or convert them into officially protected housing.”
Santorini in Greece has a significantly lower proportion of fees than any other major Airbnb destination in Europe: just 9.99%. Greece is among Europe’s most expensive Airbnb markets, but Santorini islanders are keeping cleaning fees low even as locals and long-term residents struggle to find affordable housing.
The Tourist Destinations in Asia With the Most and Least Affordable Airbnb Fees
Asia has the lowest fees of any continent among its five most affordable destinations for fees. However, its top-end fees are neither the lowest nor highest in the world.
The worst spot for Airbnb fees in Asia is Hiroshima in Japan. The Japanese government has regulated Airbnb-type lettings since 2018, limiting the time a home can be available for rent each year. There are three Japanese destinations among Asia’s least affordable for fees.
Lahore in Pakistan has the most affordable Airbnb fees in Asia and the world (see The 20 Global Tourist Destinations with the Most Affordable Airbnb Fees above). Jaipur in India is also among the five most affordable.
Airbnb is booming in India right now, and Jaipur is among India’s most visited Airbnb destinations. The company is focusing on encouraging new hosts to sign up. “The idea is to create more awareness within these groups in terms of the benefits of hosting on how to use the platform and create micro-entrepreneurial opportunities at a grassroots level,” says Airbnb’s Amanpreet Singh Bajaj.
The Tourist Destinations in Africa With the Most and Least Affordable Airbnb Fees
Africa’s five least affordable destinations for Airbnb fees have lower fees than their equivalents on other continents. Cape Verde has the highest fees, at just under 20%. There is just a 1.60% difference between the fees of the fifth least affordable destination and those of the fifth most affordable.
Mombasa in Kenya has the most affordable Airbnb fees in Africa. However, this could change as the trade becomes more regulated. Currently, only 400 of Kenya’s 40,000 Airbnb hosts are registered with the Tourism Fund, which commits them to paying a 2% levy. There are efforts to bring the rest into line.
“Business has to be fair across the board,” says Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir. “If everyone else from the guest houses to the lodges is paying licences, it will only be right for Airbnbs to also pay levies to the county government of Mombasa.”
The Tourist Destinations in Oceania With the Most and Least Affordable Airbnb Fees
Except for Guam, all of the least affordable Oceania destinations for Airbnb fees are on mainland Australia. However, a shortage of long-term properties has pushed regular rental prices to unprecedented levels, with just “16.2% of all rentals listed for $400 or less in April 2023, down from 30.2% in 2022,” reports the Guardian.
Conversely, the destinations with the best Airbnb fees are all South Pacific islands. The archipelago of Vanuatu has the lowest fees by a significant extent. “Destination well-being” trips are a key facet of Vanuatu’s tourism strategy, which may be why hosts don’t push too hard on extra fees. However, there are concerns that tourism in the South Pacific islands could tip the balance of local social structures and ecological welfare.
How to Stay Safe (and Save Money) on Airbnb
Airbnb vacations offer unique experiences, often at a bargain price. But without the regulation levels that are applied to regular hotels and bed and breakfasts, it is vital to be extra vigilant towards your money and belongings. Here are three key issues to watch out for.
1. Beware of bait-and-switch scams
A host may offer a great deal in an attractive home (bait) but then cancel at the last moment and offer you something more expensive or less desirable (switch). With your travel already booked, you may have little choice but to accept it. To avoid this risk, always check that hosts have good ratings and keep all communication going via the Airbnb platform.
2. Beware of fake fee charges
With Airbnb, disputes are often a case of your word versus theirs. To avoid being charged for damage or extra cleaning, document and photograph any issues with the property on arrival and take photos after you’ve cleaned up on the way out.
3. Beware of theft on-site
Staying in a private home rather than a secure hotel makes you more vulnerable to personal attack or theft. Check reviews for any safety issues before booking an Airbnb, and lock all windows and doors at night and when going out — even if the host assures you it’s okay to leave them open.
Final Thoughts
Airbnb puts the human element back into travel, for better and worse. In the case of Airbnb fees — as opposed to airline charges, for example — there is an identifiable human to “blame,” and perhaps this is what fosters resentment. Guests may feel the host is profiting from cleaning fees, while hosts report that guests use the cleaning fee as an excuse to leave a mess. With cautious booking and open, on-the-record communication, you reduce the chance of hidden surprises when traveling.
Methodology
We built a list of 257 destinations, including the most visited in each continent, based on Booking.com’s breakdown of the most popular travel spots for each continent and country.
We used the defined settings below when searching for properties inside Airbnb in each of the 275 destinations before recording the price and fee breakdown for each Airbnb:
- Time = Any Time
- Guests = 2 Adults
- Bedrooms, Beds and Bathrooms = 1
- Home Types = Entire House or Flat
In total, we analyzed data for 64,437 Airbnbs across all 275 destinations. We calculated the median percentage of the overall Airbnb price that is comprised of fees (service charges and/or cleaning fees) in each destination.
Additional Sources
Barzey, U. P. (2021). What is Cuba Known For ? | 12 Famous Things in Cuba. caribbeanandco.com
Britannica. (2023). Cannes. britannica.com
Federal Trade Commission. (2015). The economics of drip pricing. ftc.gov
Halfie, T. (2023). 24 reasons to visit Japan in 2024. cntraveller.com
National Geographic. (n.d.) Australia and Oceania: Human Geography. nationalgeographic.org
Williams, B. (2023). 42+ fascinating Airbnb statistics. dreambigtravelfarblog.com
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