What Are the Best Places to Invest in Airbnb in Australia?

Source: AirROI Reviewed by Jun Zhou , Founder @ AirROI

Updated: 2026-05-04

The short-term rental market in Australia spans 100 cities tracked in AirROI's 2026 dataset, ranging from mature urban markets with thousands of active listings to emerging destinations where early operators still have pricing leverage. Supply growth, regulation, and seasonal demand vary significantly across the region — making market selection one of the highest-leverage decisions an Airbnb investor can make.

This page ranks the best Airbnb markets in Australia across four dimensions: market depth (active listings), revenue, nightly rate (ADR), and occupancy rate. Melbourne, Victoria leads by market size with 15,686 active listings and $2,085/month revenue. Across all ranked markets, average occupancy is 40.2% with $2,557/month in average revenue and $274/night ADR. 50 of 100 markets carry a low regulation profile — a key consideration for investors evaluating compliance costs and time-to-market.

Rankings based on AirROI's analysis of 20,000,000+ short-term rental listings across revenue, ADR, occupancy, and regulation. See ranking methodology.

Explore Live Market Data

Top Airbnb Markets in Australia by Active Listings

Active listing count is the most direct measure of a market's depth, maturity, and investor confidence. Cities with the most Airbnb listings in Australia attract the highest volume of travelers and offer the most reliable benchmarking data for pricing and revenue projections. Melbourne, Victoria leads with 15,686 active short-term rental listings and $2,085/month in average revenue.

#	Market	Active Listings (TTM)	Revenue/mo	ADR	Occupancy	Regulation
1	Melbourne, Victoria	15,686	$2,085	$221	42.2%	Low
2	Sydney, New South Wales	11,102	$2,657	$248	47.8%	High
3	Greater Brisbane, Queensland	5,002	$2,320	$213	47.5%	Low
4	Gold Coast City, Queensland	4,938	$3,035	$274	46.0%	Low
5	Adelaide, South Australia	3,360	$2,586	$212	47.2%	Low
6	Sunshine Coast Regional, Queensland	3,074	$2,776	$260	44.5%	Low
7	Hobart, Tasmania	1,504	$2,690	$191	52.7%	High
8	Shoalhaven City Council, New South Wales	1,073	$2,989	$399	32.7%	High
9	Noosa Heads, Queensland	1,018	$4,023	$394	45.6%	Low
10	Byron Bay, New South Wales	964	$4,032	$433	41.1%	High
11	Cairns, Queensland	868	$2,504	$179	53.2%	Low
12	Newcastle-Maitland, New South Wales	861	$2,518	$233	44.2%	High
13	Central Coast Council, New South Wales	827	$2,569	$363	31.8%	High
14	Gosford, New South Wales	822	$2,460	$362	33.0%	High
15	Cowes, Victoria	691	$2,096	$266	31.0%	Low
16	Cairns Regional, Queensland	675	$3,405	$308	42.5%	Low
17	Darwin, Northern Territory	637	$2,372	$200	50.3%	Low
18	Port Douglas, Queensland	632	$3,030	$348	39.8%	Low
19	Jindabyne, New South Wales	581	$2,367	$392	31.2%	High
20	Wollongong City Council, New South Wales	549	$2,472	$246	43.6%	High
21	Launceston, Tasmania	547	$2,200	$173	47.6%	High
22	City Of Busselton, Western Australia	546	$3,554	$322	42.0%	High
23	City of Stirling, Western Australia	512	$2,839	$196	56.9%	High
24	Dunsborough, Western Australia	493	$3,509	$317	43.7%	High
25	Nelson Bay, New South Wales	492	$2,261	$363	28.1%	High
26	Cessnock, New South Wales	488	$3,584	$420	33.1%	High
27	Bright, Victoria	481	$2,818	$280	36.9%	Low
28	Geelong, Victoria	458	$1,587	$167	39.4%	Low
29	Torquay, Victoria	453	$2,301	$302	34.3%	Low
30	Daylesford, Victoria	434	$2,825	$292	35.2%	Low
31	Eurobodalla Shire Council, New South Wales	421	$1,862	$259	32.3%	High
32	Townsville, Queensland	419	$1,723	$194	44.7%	Low
33	Forster, New South Wales	418	$1,638	$269	29.5%	High
34	Vincentia, New South Wales	418	$3,048	$363	34.0%	High
35	Yamba, New South Wales	417	$2,434	$320	33.4%	High
36	Margaret River, Western Australia	414	$4,030	$237	60.1%	High
37	Apollo Bay, Victoria	406	$2,165	$259	33.7%	Low
38	Ocean Grove, Victoria	398	$2,007	$273	32.2%	Low
39	North Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	395	$1,826	$146	47.8%	Low
40	Lorne, Victoria	392	$2,342	$382	28.7%	Low
41	Airlie Beach, Queensland	389	$3,484	$291	49.0%	Low
42	Port Macquarie, New South Wales	381	$1,921	$202	41.2%	High
43	Shire of Colac Otway, Victoria	374	$2,389	$290	34.1%	Low
44	Ballarat, Victoria	372	$1,692	$154	43.6%	Low
45	Perth, Western Australia	367	$2,528	$165	58.2%	High
46	Whitsunday Regional, Queensland	357	$6,075	$528	46.6%	Low
47	City of Greater Geelong, Victoria	341	$2,142	$300	33.0%	Low
48	Kingscliff, New South Wales	335	$2,974	$367	35.5%	High
49	Port Stephens Council, New South Wales	334	$2,756	$400	30.0%	High
50	Orange, New South Wales	333	$2,362	$219	42.7%	High
51	Inverloch, Victoria	328	$1,426	$250	28.6%	Low
52	Shire of South Gippsland, Victoria	326	$1,704	$223	31.2%	Low
53	Hervey Bay, Queensland	324	$1,834	$170	47.1%	Low
54	Brisbane City, Queensland	323	$2,326	$183	49.9%	Low
55	Townsville City, Queensland	316	$1,552	$213	33.4%	Low
56	Coffs Harbour, New South Wales	314	$2,673	$246	40.3%	High
57	Port Fairy, Victoria	312	$1,952	$276	31.0%	Low
58	Mandurah, Western Australia	303	$2,663	$266	41.3%	High
59	Surfers Paradise, Queensland	301	$3,034	$257	49.9%	Low
60	Mid-Coast Council, New South Wales	294	$1,858	$243	33.2%	High
61	Fremantle, Western Australia	291	$2,872	$175	61.2%	High
62	Sunshine Beach, Queensland	282	$3,400	$410	39.8%	Low
63	Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	281	$1,754	$163	46.7%	Low
64	Bendigo, Victoria	279	$1,840	$176	43.4%	Low
65	Scenic Rim Regional, Queensland	275	$3,137	$258	45.4%	Low
66	Wagga Wagga City Council, New South Wales	270	$1,916	$240	40.7%	High
67	Thredbo, New South Wales	266	$2,850	$506	26.6%	High
68	Robe, South Australia	265	$1,899	$217	35.5%	Low
69	Anglesea, Victoria	265	$1,714	$311	28.3%	Low
70	Shire of Hepburn, Victoria	258	$2,745	$306	35.2%	Low
71	Toowoomba, Queensland	252	$2,343	$153	54.2%	Low
72	Bathurst, New South Wales	249	$1,996	$283	36.1%	High
73	Albany, Western Australia	246	$2,986	$213	52.4%	High
74	Warrnambool, Victoria	244	$2,056	$216	39.6%	Low
75	Blackheath, New South Wales	243	$2,995	$278	42.0%	High
76	Yallingup, Western Australia	241	$4,234	$383	44.6%	High
77	Shoal Bay, New South Wales	240	$2,504	$382	27.6%	High
78	Huskisson, New South Wales	237	$3,530	$338	37.8%	High
79	Lennox Head, New South Wales	230	$2,688	$339	39.7%	High
80	Busselton, Western Australia	228	$3,221	$240	48.6%	High
81	Snowy Monaro Regional Council, New South Wales	222	$3,288	$391	33.7%	High
82	Surf Coast Shire, Victoria	221	$1,864	$311	30.0%	Low
83	Mid-Western Regional Council, New South Wales	220	$2,853	$326	33.4%	High
84	Merimbula, New South Wales	218	$2,137	$251	37.7%	High
85	Mudgee, New South Wales	213	$3,283	$314	40.5%	High
86	Livingstone Shire, Queensland	210	$1,679	$191	35.9%	Low
87	Halls Gap, Victoria	202	$2,223	$191	40.6%	Low
88	Shire of East Gippsland, Victoria	202	$1,452	$209	30.6%	Low
89	Terrigal, New South Wales	198	$2,541	$363	34.4%	High
90	Kiama, New South Wales	197	$3,161	$372	36.5%	High
91	Agnes Water, Queensland	197	$2,209	$250	35.5%	Low
92	Noosa Shire, Queensland	196	$2,450	$279	39.0%	Low
93	Albury, New South Wales	193	$1,924	$162	46.3%	High
94	Crescent Head, New South Wales	193	$1,626	$218	32.2%	High
95	Joondalup, Western Australia	190	$2,170	$171	53.2%	High
96	District of Belconnen, Australian Capital Territory	187	$1,640	$137	44.9%	Low
97	Rainbow Beach, Queensland	186	$1,682	$219	35.2%	Low
98	Byron Shire Council, New South Wales	184	$3,812	$426	41.6%	High
99	South Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	183	$2,034	$149	51.2%	Low
100	Bowral, New South Wales	182	$4,064	$392	42.9%	High

Most Profitable Airbnb Markets in Australia by Revenue

The most profitable Airbnb cities in Australia are those where hosts earn the highest average monthly revenue per listing — the single most telling indicator of a market's income potential. Whitsunday Regional, Queensland leads with $6,075/month at $528 ADR and 46.6% occupancy. Whether you are evaluating your first STR investment or benchmarking an existing property, these top-earning Airbnb markets show where vacation rentals generate the greatest short-term rental income.

#	Market	Revenue/mo	Active Listings (TTM)	ADR	Occupancy	Regulation
1	Whitsunday Regional, Queensland	$6,075	357	$528	46.6%	Low
2	Yallingup, Western Australia	$4,234	241	$383	44.6%	High
3	Bowral, New South Wales	$4,064	182	$392	42.9%	High
4	Byron Bay, New South Wales	$4,032	964	$433	41.1%	High
5	Margaret River, Western Australia	$4,030	414	$237	60.1%	High
6	Noosa Heads, Queensland	$4,023	1,018	$394	45.6%	Low
7	Byron Shire Council, New South Wales	$3,812	184	$426	41.6%	High
8	Cessnock, New South Wales	$3,584	488	$420	33.1%	High
9	City Of Busselton, Western Australia	$3,554	546	$322	42.0%	High
10	Huskisson, New South Wales	$3,530	237	$338	37.8%	High
11	Dunsborough, Western Australia	$3,509	493	$317	43.7%	High
12	Airlie Beach, Queensland	$3,484	389	$291	49.0%	Low
13	Cairns Regional, Queensland	$3,405	675	$308	42.5%	Low
14	Sunshine Beach, Queensland	$3,400	282	$410	39.8%	Low
15	Snowy Monaro Regional Council, New South Wales	$3,288	222	$391	33.7%	High
16	Mudgee, New South Wales	$3,283	213	$314	40.5%	High
17	Busselton, Western Australia	$3,221	228	$240	48.6%	High
18	Kiama, New South Wales	$3,161	197	$372	36.5%	High
19	Scenic Rim Regional, Queensland	$3,137	275	$258	45.4%	Low
20	Vincentia, New South Wales	$3,048	418	$363	34.0%	High
21	Gold Coast City, Queensland	$3,035	4,938	$274	46.0%	Low
22	Surfers Paradise, Queensland	$3,034	301	$257	49.9%	Low
23	Port Douglas, Queensland	$3,030	632	$348	39.8%	Low
24	Blackheath, New South Wales	$2,995	243	$278	42.0%	High
25	Shoalhaven City Council, New South Wales	$2,989	1,073	$399	32.7%	High
26	Albany, Western Australia	$2,986	246	$213	52.4%	High
27	Kingscliff, New South Wales	$2,974	335	$367	35.5%	High
28	Fremantle, Western Australia	$2,872	291	$175	61.2%	High
29	Mid-Western Regional Council, New South Wales	$2,853	220	$326	33.4%	High
30	Thredbo, New South Wales	$2,850	266	$506	26.6%	High
31	City of Stirling, Western Australia	$2,839	512	$196	56.9%	High
32	Daylesford, Victoria	$2,825	434	$292	35.2%	Low
33	Bright, Victoria	$2,818	481	$280	36.9%	Low
34	Sunshine Coast Regional, Queensland	$2,776	3,074	$260	44.5%	Low
35	Port Stephens Council, New South Wales	$2,756	334	$400	30.0%	High
36	Shire of Hepburn, Victoria	$2,745	258	$306	35.2%	Low
37	Hobart, Tasmania	$2,690	1,504	$191	52.7%	High
38	Lennox Head, New South Wales	$2,688	230	$339	39.7%	High
39	Coffs Harbour, New South Wales	$2,673	314	$246	40.3%	High
40	Mandurah, Western Australia	$2,663	303	$266	41.3%	High
41	Sydney, New South Wales	$2,657	11,102	$248	47.8%	High
42	Adelaide, South Australia	$2,586	3,360	$212	47.2%	Low
43	Central Coast Council, New South Wales	$2,569	827	$363	31.8%	High
44	Terrigal, New South Wales	$2,541	198	$363	34.4%	High
45	Perth, Western Australia	$2,528	367	$165	58.2%	High
46	Newcastle-Maitland, New South Wales	$2,518	861	$233	44.2%	High
47	Cairns, Queensland	$2,504	868	$179	53.2%	Low
48	Shoal Bay, New South Wales	$2,504	240	$382	27.6%	High
49	Wollongong City Council, New South Wales	$2,472	549	$246	43.6%	High
50	Gosford, New South Wales	$2,460	822	$362	33.0%	High
51	Noosa Shire, Queensland	$2,450	196	$279	39.0%	Low
52	Yamba, New South Wales	$2,434	417	$320	33.4%	High
53	Shire of Colac Otway, Victoria	$2,389	374	$290	34.1%	Low
54	Darwin, Northern Territory	$2,372	637	$200	50.3%	Low
55	Jindabyne, New South Wales	$2,367	581	$392	31.2%	High
56	Orange, New South Wales	$2,362	333	$219	42.7%	High
57	Toowoomba, Queensland	$2,343	252	$153	54.2%	Low
58	Lorne, Victoria	$2,342	392	$382	28.7%	Low
59	Brisbane City, Queensland	$2,326	323	$183	49.9%	Low
60	Greater Brisbane, Queensland	$2,320	5,002	$213	47.5%	Low
61	Torquay, Victoria	$2,301	453	$302	34.3%	Low
62	Nelson Bay, New South Wales	$2,261	492	$363	28.1%	High
63	Halls Gap, Victoria	$2,223	202	$191	40.6%	Low
64	Agnes Water, Queensland	$2,209	197	$250	35.5%	Low
65	Launceston, Tasmania	$2,200	547	$173	47.6%	High
66	Joondalup, Western Australia	$2,170	190	$171	53.2%	High
67	Apollo Bay, Victoria	$2,165	406	$259	33.7%	Low
68	City of Greater Geelong, Victoria	$2,142	341	$300	33.0%	Low
69	Merimbula, New South Wales	$2,137	218	$251	37.7%	High
70	Cowes, Victoria	$2,096	691	$266	31.0%	Low
71	Melbourne, Victoria	$2,085	15,686	$221	42.2%	Low
72	Warrnambool, Victoria	$2,056	244	$216	39.6%	Low
73	South Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	$2,034	183	$149	51.2%	Low
74	Ocean Grove, Victoria	$2,007	398	$273	32.2%	Low
75	Bathurst, New South Wales	$1,996	249	$283	36.1%	High
76	Port Fairy, Victoria	$1,952	312	$276	31.0%	Low
77	Albury, New South Wales	$1,924	193	$162	46.3%	High
78	Port Macquarie, New South Wales	$1,921	381	$202	41.2%	High
79	Wagga Wagga City Council, New South Wales	$1,916	270	$240	40.7%	High
80	Robe, South Australia	$1,899	265	$217	35.5%	Low
81	Surf Coast Shire, Victoria	$1,864	221	$311	30.0%	Low
82	Eurobodalla Shire Council, New South Wales	$1,862	421	$259	32.3%	High
83	Mid-Coast Council, New South Wales	$1,858	294	$243	33.2%	High
84	Bendigo, Victoria	$1,840	279	$176	43.4%	Low
85	Hervey Bay, Queensland	$1,834	324	$170	47.1%	Low
86	North Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	$1,826	395	$146	47.8%	Low
87	Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	$1,754	281	$163	46.7%	Low
88	Townsville, Queensland	$1,723	419	$194	44.7%	Low
89	Anglesea, Victoria	$1,714	265	$311	28.3%	Low
90	Shire of South Gippsland, Victoria	$1,704	326	$223	31.2%	Low
91	Ballarat, Victoria	$1,692	372	$154	43.6%	Low
92	Rainbow Beach, Queensland	$1,682	186	$219	35.2%	Low
93	Livingstone Shire, Queensland	$1,679	210	$191	35.9%	Low
94	District of Belconnen, Australian Capital Territory	$1,640	187	$137	44.9%	Low
95	Forster, New South Wales	$1,638	418	$269	29.5%	High
96	Crescent Head, New South Wales	$1,626	193	$218	32.2%	High
97	Geelong, Victoria	$1,587	458	$167	39.4%	Low
98	Townsville City, Queensland	$1,552	316	$213	33.4%	Low
99	Shire of East Gippsland, Victoria	$1,452	202	$209	30.6%	Low
100	Inverloch, Victoria	$1,426	328	$250	28.6%	Low

Most Expensive Airbnb Markets in Australia by Nightly Rate

The average daily rate (ADR) measures how much guests pay per night in each market, making it the clearest indicator of a city's short-term rental pricing power. Whitsunday Regional, Queensland commands the highest Airbnb nightly rate in Australia at $528/night, generating $6,075/month at 46.6% occupancy. Markets with premium nightly pricing typically feature high-demand destinations where travelers pay a significant premium over hotel alternatives.

#	Market	ADR	Active Listings (TTM)	Revenue/mo	Occupancy	Regulation
1	Whitsunday Regional, Queensland	$528	357	$6,075	46.6%	Low
2	Thredbo, New South Wales	$506	266	$2,850	26.6%	High
3	Byron Bay, New South Wales	$433	964	$4,032	41.1%	High
4	Byron Shire Council, New South Wales	$426	184	$3,812	41.6%	High
5	Cessnock, New South Wales	$420	488	$3,584	33.1%	High
6	Sunshine Beach, Queensland	$410	282	$3,400	39.8%	Low
7	Port Stephens Council, New South Wales	$400	334	$2,756	30.0%	High
8	Shoalhaven City Council, New South Wales	$399	1,073	$2,989	32.7%	High
9	Noosa Heads, Queensland	$394	1,018	$4,023	45.6%	Low
10	Jindabyne, New South Wales	$392	581	$2,367	31.2%	High
11	Bowral, New South Wales	$392	182	$4,064	42.9%	High
12	Snowy Monaro Regional Council, New South Wales	$391	222	$3,288	33.7%	High
13	Yallingup, Western Australia	$383	241	$4,234	44.6%	High
14	Lorne, Victoria	$382	392	$2,342	28.7%	Low
15	Shoal Bay, New South Wales	$382	240	$2,504	27.6%	High
16	Kiama, New South Wales	$372	197	$3,161	36.5%	High
17	Kingscliff, New South Wales	$367	335	$2,974	35.5%	High
18	Vincentia, New South Wales	$363	418	$3,048	34.0%	High
19	Terrigal, New South Wales	$363	198	$2,541	34.4%	High
20	Nelson Bay, New South Wales	$363	492	$2,261	28.1%	High
21	Central Coast Council, New South Wales	$363	827	$2,569	31.8%	High
22	Gosford, New South Wales	$362	822	$2,460	33.0%	High
23	Port Douglas, Queensland	$348	632	$3,030	39.8%	Low
24	Lennox Head, New South Wales	$339	230	$2,688	39.7%	High
25	Huskisson, New South Wales	$338	237	$3,530	37.8%	High
26	Mid-Western Regional Council, New South Wales	$326	220	$2,853	33.4%	High
27	City Of Busselton, Western Australia	$322	546	$3,554	42.0%	High
28	Yamba, New South Wales	$320	417	$2,434	33.4%	High
29	Dunsborough, Western Australia	$317	493	$3,509	43.7%	High
30	Mudgee, New South Wales	$314	213	$3,283	40.5%	High
31	Surf Coast Shire, Victoria	$311	221	$1,864	30.0%	Low
32	Anglesea, Victoria	$311	265	$1,714	28.3%	Low
33	Cairns Regional, Queensland	$308	675	$3,405	42.5%	Low
34	Shire of Hepburn, Victoria	$306	258	$2,745	35.2%	Low
35	Torquay, Victoria	$302	453	$2,301	34.3%	Low
36	City of Greater Geelong, Victoria	$300	341	$2,142	33.0%	Low
37	Daylesford, Victoria	$292	434	$2,825	35.2%	Low
38	Airlie Beach, Queensland	$291	389	$3,484	49.0%	Low
39	Shire of Colac Otway, Victoria	$290	374	$2,389	34.1%	Low
40	Bathurst, New South Wales	$283	249	$1,996	36.1%	High
41	Bright, Victoria	$280	481	$2,818	36.9%	Low
42	Noosa Shire, Queensland	$279	196	$2,450	39.0%	Low
43	Blackheath, New South Wales	$278	243	$2,995	42.0%	High
44	Port Fairy, Victoria	$276	312	$1,952	31.0%	Low
45	Gold Coast City, Queensland	$274	4,938	$3,035	46.0%	Low
46	Ocean Grove, Victoria	$273	398	$2,007	32.2%	Low
47	Forster, New South Wales	$269	418	$1,638	29.5%	High
48	Cowes, Victoria	$266	691	$2,096	31.0%	Low
49	Mandurah, Western Australia	$266	303	$2,663	41.3%	High
50	Sunshine Coast Regional, Queensland	$260	3,074	$2,776	44.5%	Low
51	Eurobodalla Shire Council, New South Wales	$259	421	$1,862	32.3%	High
52	Apollo Bay, Victoria	$259	406	$2,165	33.7%	Low
53	Scenic Rim Regional, Queensland	$258	275	$3,137	45.4%	Low
54	Surfers Paradise, Queensland	$257	301	$3,034	49.9%	Low
55	Merimbula, New South Wales	$251	218	$2,137	37.7%	High
56	Agnes Water, Queensland	$250	197	$2,209	35.5%	Low
57	Inverloch, Victoria	$250	328	$1,426	28.6%	Low
58	Sydney, New South Wales	$248	11,102	$2,657	47.8%	High
59	Coffs Harbour, New South Wales	$246	314	$2,673	40.3%	High
60	Wollongong City Council, New South Wales	$246	549	$2,472	43.6%	High
61	Mid-Coast Council, New South Wales	$243	294	$1,858	33.2%	High
62	Busselton, Western Australia	$240	228	$3,221	48.6%	High
63	Wagga Wagga City Council, New South Wales	$240	270	$1,916	40.7%	High
64	Margaret River, Western Australia	$237	414	$4,030	60.1%	High
65	Newcastle-Maitland, New South Wales	$233	861	$2,518	44.2%	High
66	Shire of South Gippsland, Victoria	$223	326	$1,704	31.2%	Low
67	Melbourne, Victoria	$221	15,686	$2,085	42.2%	Low
68	Rainbow Beach, Queensland	$219	186	$1,682	35.2%	Low
69	Orange, New South Wales	$219	333	$2,362	42.7%	High
70	Crescent Head, New South Wales	$218	193	$1,626	32.2%	High
71	Robe, South Australia	$217	265	$1,899	35.5%	Low
72	Warrnambool, Victoria	$216	244	$2,056	39.6%	Low
73	Townsville City, Queensland	$213	316	$1,552	33.4%	Low
74	Greater Brisbane, Queensland	$213	5,002	$2,320	47.5%	Low
75	Albany, Western Australia	$213	246	$2,986	52.4%	High
76	Adelaide, South Australia	$212	3,360	$2,586	47.2%	Low
77	Shire of East Gippsland, Victoria	$209	202	$1,452	30.6%	Low
78	Port Macquarie, New South Wales	$202	381	$1,921	41.2%	High
79	Darwin, Northern Territory	$200	637	$2,372	50.3%	Low
80	City of Stirling, Western Australia	$196	512	$2,839	56.9%	High
81	Townsville, Queensland	$194	419	$1,723	44.7%	Low
82	Halls Gap, Victoria	$191	202	$2,223	40.6%	Low
83	Hobart, Tasmania	$191	1,504	$2,690	52.7%	High
84	Livingstone Shire, Queensland	$191	210	$1,679	35.9%	Low
85	Brisbane City, Queensland	$183	323	$2,326	49.9%	Low
86	Cairns, Queensland	$179	868	$2,504	53.2%	Low
87	Bendigo, Victoria	$176	279	$1,840	43.4%	Low
88	Fremantle, Western Australia	$175	291	$2,872	61.2%	High
89	Launceston, Tasmania	$173	547	$2,200	47.6%	High
90	Joondalup, Western Australia	$171	190	$2,170	53.2%	High
91	Hervey Bay, Queensland	$170	324	$1,834	47.1%	Low
92	Geelong, Victoria	$167	458	$1,587	39.4%	Low
93	Perth, Western Australia	$165	367	$2,528	58.2%	High
94	Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	$163	281	$1,754	46.7%	Low
95	Albury, New South Wales	$162	193	$1,924	46.3%	High
96	Ballarat, Victoria	$154	372	$1,692	43.6%	Low
97	Toowoomba, Queensland	$153	252	$2,343	54.2%	Low
98	South Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	$149	183	$2,034	51.2%	Low
99	North Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	$146	395	$1,826	47.8%	Low
100	District of Belconnen, Australian Capital Territory	$137	187	$1,640	44.9%	Low

Highest Occupancy Airbnb Markets in Australia

Airbnb occupancy rate measures the percentage of available nights actually booked — the most telling indicator of short-term rental demand in a market. Margaret River, Western Australia leads Australia with 60.1% occupancy, $4,030/month revenue, and 414 active listings. Markets with the highest STR occupancy rates reflect strong, sustained guest demand — a critical signal for investors evaluating where properties will stay consistently booked year-round. This ranking is filtered to markets with 300+ listings to ensure statistical reliability.

#	Market	Occupancy	Active Listings (TTM)	Revenue/mo	ADR	Regulation
1	Margaret River, Western Australia	60.1%	414	$4,030	$237	High
2	Perth, Western Australia	58.2%	367	$2,528	$165	High
3	City of Stirling, Western Australia	56.9%	512	$2,839	$196	High
4	Cairns, Queensland	53.2%	868	$2,504	$179	Low
5	Hobart, Tasmania	52.7%	1,504	$2,690	$191	High
6	Darwin, Northern Territory	50.3%	637	$2,372	$200	Low
7	Surfers Paradise, Queensland	49.9%	301	$3,034	$257	Low
8	Brisbane City, Queensland	49.9%	323	$2,326	$183	Low
9	Airlie Beach, Queensland	49.0%	389	$3,484	$291	Low
10	North Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	47.8%	395	$1,826	$146	Low
11	Sydney, New South Wales	47.8%	11,102	$2,657	$248	High
12	Launceston, Tasmania	47.6%	547	$2,200	$173	High
13	Greater Brisbane, Queensland	47.5%	5,002	$2,320	$213	Low
14	Adelaide, South Australia	47.2%	3,360	$2,586	$212	Low
15	Hervey Bay, Queensland	47.1%	324	$1,834	$170	Low
16	Whitsunday Regional, Queensland	46.6%	357	$6,075	$528	Low
17	Gold Coast City, Queensland	46.0%	4,938	$3,035	$274	Low
18	Noosa Heads, Queensland	45.6%	1,018	$4,023	$394	Low
19	Townsville, Queensland	44.7%	419	$1,723	$194	Low
20	Sunshine Coast Regional, Queensland	44.5%	3,074	$2,776	$260	Low
21	Newcastle-Maitland, New South Wales	44.2%	861	$2,518	$233	High
22	Dunsborough, Western Australia	43.7%	493	$3,509	$317	High
23	Wollongong City Council, New South Wales	43.6%	549	$2,472	$246	High
24	Ballarat, Victoria	43.6%	372	$1,692	$154	Low
25	Orange, New South Wales	42.7%	333	$2,362	$219	High
26	Cairns Regional, Queensland	42.5%	675	$3,405	$308	Low
27	Melbourne, Victoria	42.2%	15,686	$2,085	$221	Low
28	City Of Busselton, Western Australia	42.0%	546	$3,554	$322	High
29	Mandurah, Western Australia	41.3%	303	$2,663	$266	High
30	Port Macquarie, New South Wales	41.2%	381	$1,921	$202	High
31	Byron Bay, New South Wales	41.1%	964	$4,032	$433	High
32	Coffs Harbour, New South Wales	40.3%	314	$2,673	$246	High
33	Port Douglas, Queensland	39.8%	632	$3,030	$348	Low
34	Geelong, Victoria	39.4%	458	$1,587	$167	Low
35	Bright, Victoria	36.9%	481	$2,818	$280	Low
36	Kingscliff, New South Wales	35.5%	335	$2,974	$367	High
37	Daylesford, Victoria	35.2%	434	$2,825	$292	Low
38	Torquay, Victoria	34.3%	453	$2,301	$302	Low
39	Shire of Colac Otway, Victoria	34.1%	374	$2,389	$290	Low
40	Vincentia, New South Wales	34.0%	418	$3,048	$363	High
41	Apollo Bay, Victoria	33.7%	406	$2,165	$259	Low
42	Yamba, New South Wales	33.4%	417	$2,434	$320	High
43	Townsville City, Queensland	33.4%	316	$1,552	$213	Low
44	Cessnock, New South Wales	33.1%	488	$3,584	$420	High
45	City of Greater Geelong, Victoria	33.0%	341	$2,142	$300	Low
46	Gosford, New South Wales	33.0%	822	$2,460	$362	High
47	Shoalhaven City Council, New South Wales	32.7%	1,073	$2,989	$399	High
48	Eurobodalla Shire Council, New South Wales	32.3%	421	$1,862	$259	High
49	Ocean Grove, Victoria	32.2%	398	$2,007	$273	Low
50	Central Coast Council, New South Wales	31.8%	827	$2,569	$363	High
51	Jindabyne, New South Wales	31.2%	581	$2,367	$392	High
52	Shire of South Gippsland, Victoria	31.2%	326	$1,704	$223	Low
53	Cowes, Victoria	31.0%	691	$2,096	$266	Low
54	Port Fairy, Victoria	31.0%	312	$1,952	$276	Low
55	Port Stephens Council, New South Wales	30.0%	334	$2,756	$400	High
56	Forster, New South Wales	29.5%	418	$1,638	$269	High
57	Lorne, Victoria	28.7%	392	$2,342	$382	Low
58	Inverloch, Victoria	28.6%	328	$1,426	$250	Low
59	Nelson Bay, New South Wales	28.1%	492	$2,261	$363	High

How to Choose an Airbnb Investment Market in Australia

No single ranking tells the full story. The best Airbnb market for a given investor depends on their capital, risk tolerance, operating model, and income goals. The four ranking dimensions on this page — market depth, revenue, ADR, and occupancy — serve different investor profiles.

If you prioritize predictable cash flow, start with the occupancy rankings. Markets where occupancy exceeds 55% offer consistent bookings and lower vacancy risk. High-occupancy markets may not have the highest nightly rates, but their revenue stability makes them better suited for mortgage-backed investments where monthly debt coverage matters more than peak earnings.

If you're targeting maximum income per property, use the revenue rankings. Revenue is the product of nightly rate and occupancy — it captures the combined effect of both. The highest-revenue Airbnb markets in Australia tend to be destination cities where travelers stay longer and pay a premium for entire-home listings.

If you're evaluating luxury or premium positioning, the ADR rankings show where guests are willing to pay top dollar per night. High-ADR markets reward property upgrades, professional photography, and amenity investments. However, a high nightly rate with low occupancy may generate less income than a moderately priced listing that stays booked consistently.

If you want the deepest market data, the active listings rankings identify cities with the largest short-term rental supply. More listings mean more comparable properties for pricing, more data points for revenue projections, and typically a more liquid resale market if your investment thesis changes.

In all cases, check the regulation column before committing capital. A profitable market with high regulation may require permits, annual caps on rental days, or costly compliance steps that erode returns. Markets with low regulation offer faster time-to-market but may tighten rules as STR supply grows.

Short-Term Rental Regulation in Australia

Understanding the regulatory environment is critical for any Airbnb investment in Australia. Regulation affects licensing costs, annual operating limits, tax obligations, and the long-term viability of a short-term rental strategy.

Across the 100 markets ranked on this page: 50 have a low regulation profile (generally operator-friendly with minimal licensing requirements), 0 have medium regulation (some permit or registration requirements), and 50 have high regulation (strict licensing, annual rental day caps, or active enforcement). Markets with low regulation offer the lowest barrier to entry, while high-regulation markets may still be profitable — but require careful compliance planning and often limit the number of properties a single operator can manage.

AirROI classifies regulation as a market-level signal based on available ordinance data and platform registration patterns. This is not legal advice — always verify current local ordinances, as short-term rental rules can change rapidly, especially in high-growth markets where municipalities are actively responding to STR expansion.

How We Rank the Best Airbnb Investment Markets in Australia

This page ranks Airbnb markets in Australia across four dimensions that matter most to short-term rental investors and operators: market depth (active listings), revenue potential (monthly income per listing), pricing power (average daily rate), and booking demand (occupancy rate). Each ranking uses the same underlying dataset but sorts by a different metric, giving you multiple lenses to evaluate where to invest in Airbnb in Australia.

No single metric tells the full story. A market with high ADR but low occupancy may underperform one with moderate pricing and strong demand. Revenue captures the combined effect of rate and occupancy, while active listings signal whether a market has enough depth for reliable benchmarking and a liquid resale environment. We include regulation data alongside every ranking so you can weigh compliance risk before committing capital.

Ranking Methodology & Data Sources

Active Listings (TTM): The count of active short-term rental listings in each market over the trailing twelve months — a proxy for market maturity, data reliability, and investor confidence in Australia.
Monthly Revenue: Average gross revenue per listing per month — the bottom-line metric for evaluating Airbnb profitability in Australia and projecting cash flow.
Average Daily Rate (ADR): The mean nightly booking price across all active listings — the clearest measure of a market's short-term rental pricing power.
Occupancy Rate: Percentage of available nights booked — the demand signal that determines how much of your nightly rate converts to actual income. Occupancy rankings are filtered to markets with 300+ listings to exclude small markets with unreliable averages.
Regulation: An indicator of the local regulatory climate in Australia, from low (operator-friendly) to high (strict licensing and enforcement) — essential for assessing compliance risk.

All data is sourced from AirROI's proprietary analytics pipeline, which tracks 20,000,000+ properties across 190+ countries. Metrics are recalculated on a rolling basis using trailing twelve-month aggregates from active listings. For full methodology, see the data methodology page.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Airbnb Markets in Australia

These quick answers summarize the most common investor and operator questions using AirROI's latest market data for Australia.

What are the best places to invest in Airbnb in Australia?

Melbourne, Victoria leads this ranking for Australia with 15,686 active listings — the largest market by depth. Markets are ranked by listing count because deeper markets offer more comparable data, more pricing benchmarks, and a more predictable operating environment for investors. Each row also shows revenue, ADR, occupancy, and regulation so investors can evaluate based on what matters most to them.

Which market has the highest Airbnb revenue in Australia?

Whitsunday Regional, Queensland posts the highest average monthly revenue in this ranking at $6,075. Revenue leaders often combine healthy rates, solid occupancy, and enough listing scale to support repeatable operations rather than one-off outliers.

Which market has the strongest Airbnb occupancy in Australia?

Fremantle, Western Australia has the highest occupancy rate in this comparison at 61.2%. High occupancy can signal resilient demand, but investors still need to balance it against nightly rates, regulation, and supply depth before deciding where to buy or operate.

Which Airbnb markets in Australia have the lowest regulation?

Melbourne (Victoria), Greater Brisbane (Queensland), Gold Coast City (Queensland) currently show low regulation profiles in this ranking. Lower regulation can reduce compliance costs and time-to-market for new hosts, but investors should always verify local ordinances before purchasing — rules can change quickly as short-term rental markets grow.

Is short-term rental investing still profitable in Australia in 2026?

The markets ranked here average 40.2% occupancy, and the top performer posts $6,075 in monthly revenue. Profitability depends on property acquisition cost, local operating expenses, and regulation compliance — but the data shows active, performing markets exist across Australia for well-researched investors.

How often are AirROI's top Airbnb market rankings updated?

AirROI updates these rankings using the latest market snapshot available in the dataset, which for this page is anchored to 2026. Rankings should be treated as current market intelligence rather than permanent truths because pricing, demand, regulation, and supply can all shift over time.

What metrics should I use to evaluate Airbnb investments in Australia?

The most important metrics for comparing short-term rental markets are active listing count (market depth and data reliability), occupancy rate (demand consistency), average daily rate (pricing power), monthly revenue (income potential), and regulation level (compliance cost and risk). This ranking sorts by market depth first; use the other columns to filter for the profile that fits your investment strategy.

What makes a good Airbnb market for first-time investors in Australia?

First-time investors in Australia should prioritize markets with high occupancy (55%+) and low regulation, which reduce the risk of empty calendars and compliance surprises. Markets with 200+ active listings also provide better benchmarking data and a more predictable operating environment. Revenue is important, but consistent demand is more forgiving for operators still learning pricing and guest management.

What is a good Airbnb occupancy rate in Australia?

Across the markets ranked here, the average occupancy rate in Australia is 40.2%. Occupancy above 50% is generally considered healthy for short-term rentals, and above 65% signals strong, sustained demand. However, the best occupancy rate depends on pricing strategy — some hosts maximize revenue by targeting fewer bookings at higher nightly rates rather than maximizing booking volume.

How does regulation affect Airbnb investment returns in Australia?

Regulation is one of the most overlooked risks in short-term rental investing. In Australia, 50 of 100 ranked markets have low regulation, 0 have medium, and 50 have high. High-regulation markets often require permits, limit annual rental days, or impose occupancy taxes — all of which reduce net returns. Low-regulation markets offer faster time-to-market and lower compliance costs, but rules can tighten as STR supply grows.

What is the difference between ADR and RevPAR for Airbnb investing?

ADR (Average Daily Rate) is the average nightly price guests pay, while RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Rental night) factors in both price and occupancy. A market with $200 ADR and 50% occupancy has $100 RevPAR — the same as a market with $125 ADR and 80% occupancy. RevPAR is a better single-number benchmark for comparing markets because it captures how effectively nightly rates convert to realized income. AirROI's city-level reports include RevPAR with percentile breakdowns for deeper analysis.

How many Airbnb listings does a market need to be investable in Australia?

Markets with fewer than 100 active listings can show volatile averages that do not predict future performance. The median market in this Australia ranking has about 333 listings. Larger markets (500+) offer more reliable data, more comparable properties for pricing, and typically a more liquid exit if you decide to sell. Smaller markets can still be profitable, but investors should treat the data as directional rather than precise.

How do seasonal and year-round Airbnb markets differ in Australia?

Seasonal markets in Australia experience dramatic swings in booking demand — often earning 60-70% of annual revenue in just 3-4 peak months. Year-round markets deliver steadier cash flow with lower peak-to-trough variation. Investors who need predictable monthly income should prioritize high-occupancy markets with low seasonal variance, while those comfortable with cash-flow timing can target seasonal markets where peak rates compensate for off-season softness.

About AirROI Market Data

AirROI tracks over 20 million properties across 190+ countries and maintains 15+ years of historical performance data, making it one of the deepest Airbnb and STR intelligence platforms available. The analytics pipeline aggregates listing-level data monthly — revenue, occupancy, nightly rates, RevPAR, guest demographics, booking patterns, and competitive supply — so investors and operators can benchmark any market against its own history and against neighboring destinations.

Real estate investors, property managers, financial institutions, hospitality consultants, and academic researchers rely on AirROI data to underwrite acquisitions, optimize pricing, model macro trends, and conduct peer-reviewed research. Data is available through in-depth market reports, the data portal for bulk downloads, the Airbnb API with 22 endpoints, and an Airbnb MCP Server for AI agents.

All metrics reflect trailing twelve-month aggregates from active listings as of 2026-05-04. Revenue figures are market averages, not projections. For full methodology, see the data methodology page.

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What Other Airbnb Markets Are in Australia?

Australian Capital Territory New South Wales Norfolk Island Northern Territory Queensland South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia