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

Source: AirROI Reviewed by Jun Zhou , Founder @ AirROI

Updated: 2026-08-08

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 15,355 active listings and $2,048/month revenue. Across all ranked markets, average occupancy is 39.1% with $2,448/month in average revenue and $284/night ADR. 48 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 15,355 active short-term rental listings and $2,048/month in average revenue.

#	Market	Active Listings (TTM)	Revenue/mo	ADR	Occupancy	Regulation
1	Melbourne, Victoria	15,355	$2,048	$230	41.7%	Low
2	Sydney, New South Wales	10,531	$2,651	$260	47.2%	High
3	Greater Brisbane, Queensland	4,632	$2,250	$225	44.9%	Low
4	Gold Coast City, Queensland	4,533	$3,039	$283	45.0%	Low
5	Adelaide, South Australia	3,274	$2,552	$219	46.8%	Low
6	Sunshine Coast Regional, Queensland	2,933	$2,704	$269	43.2%	Low
7	Hobart, Tasmania	1,471	$2,706	$199	52.0%	High
8	Noosa Heads, Queensland	1,046	$4,065	$411	45.2%	Low
9	Shoalhaven City Council, New South Wales	1,044	$2,982	$406	33.0%	High
10	Byron Bay, New South Wales	1,015	$3,928	$443	40.7%	High
11	Cairns, Queensland	870	$2,243	$185	48.9%	Low
12	Newcastle-Maitland, New South Wales	817	$2,463	$242	42.5%	High
13	Gosford, New South Wales	795	$2,455	$373	32.8%	High
14	Central Coast Council, New South Wales	785	$2,556	$375	31.7%	High
15	Cowes, Victoria	745	$2,053	$283	31.5%	Low
16	Surfers Paradise, Queensland	705	$2,347	$259	47.9%	Low
17	Port Douglas, Queensland	674	$2,616	$353	35.6%	Low
18	Cairns Regional, Queensland	640	$2,959	$307	38.4%	Low
19	Darwin, Northern Territory	609	$2,110	$210	46.2%	Low
20	Jindabyne, New South Wales	608	$1,882	$390	27.1%	High
21	Brisbane City, Queensland	570	$2,004	$199	47.5%	Low
22	Launceston, Tasmania	544	$2,203	$180	47.9%	High
23	Nelson Bay, New South Wales	537	$2,266	$372	28.9%	High
24	City Of Busselton, Western Australia	533	$3,532	$328	42.1%	High
25	Dunsborough, Western Australia	531	$3,482	$325	44.5%	High
26	Wollongong City Council, New South Wales	521	$2,502	$259	43.8%	High
27	Bright, Victoria	508	$2,719	$283	36.1%	Low
28	Torquay, Victoria	498	$2,276	$310	35.6%	Low
29	City of Stirling, Western Australia	494	$2,711	$204	54.3%	High
30	Cessnock, New South Wales	470	$3,516	$428	32.4%	High
31	Forster, New South Wales	462	$1,624	$275	30.6%	High
32	Margaret River, Western Australia	462	$3,835	$248	57.2%	High
33	Daylesford, Victoria	460	$2,686	$298	34.7%	Low
34	Yamba, New South Wales	459	$2,351	$329	33.8%	High
35	Vincentia, New South Wales	457	$2,877	$365	34.2%	High
36	Geelong, Victoria	453	$1,620	$179	38.3%	Low
37	Apollo Bay, Victoria	432	$2,160	$271	33.6%	Low
38	Perth, Western Australia	430	$2,391	$177	55.0%	High
39	Ocean Grove, Victoria	425	$1,970	$286	33.5%	Low
40	Southbank, Victoria	418	$1,840	$207	46.2%	Low
41	Lorne, Victoria	415	$2,299	$384	29.5%	Low
42	Eurobodalla Shire Council, New South Wales	414	$1,819	$267	33.2%	High
43	Port Macquarie, New South Wales	409	$1,922	$215	42.1%	High
44	Airlie Beach, Queensland	406	$3,350	$294	47.1%	Low
45	Whitsunday Regional, Queensland	396	$5,637	$549	44.6%	Low
46	Townsville, Queensland	381	$1,685	$200	41.7%	Low
47	Kingscliff, New South Wales	372	$2,880	$378	35.9%	High
48	North Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	370	$1,727	$152	46.2%	Low
49	Coffs Harbour, New South Wales	366	$2,391	$253	39.0%	High
50	Shire of Colac Otway, Victoria	362	$2,360	$297	33.5%	Low
51	Ballarat, Victoria	361	$1,680	$166	41.3%	Low
52	Inverloch, Victoria	345	$1,445	$261	29.6%	Low
53	Townsville City, Queensland	342	$1,412	$215	30.9%	Low
54	Orange, New South Wales	332	$2,342	$220	43.1%	High
55	Fremantle, Western Australia	331	$2,696	$190	58.8%	High
56	Port Fairy, Victoria	327	$1,958	$279	31.3%	Low
57	City of Greater Geelong, Victoria	322	$2,143	$319	33.5%	Low
58	Port Stephens Council, New South Wales	317	$2,825	$410	30.8%	High
59	Mandurah, Western Australia	317	$2,514	$276	40.8%	High
60	Shire of South Gippsland, Victoria	316	$1,730	$229	31.3%	Low
61	Hervey Bay, Queensland	301	$1,762	$177	44.3%	Low
62	Robe, South Australia	293	$1,889	$229	36.8%	Low
63	Sunshine Beach, Queensland	290	$3,365	$426	40.7%	Low
64	Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	289	$1,595	$169	43.4%	Low
65	Anglesea, Victoria	282	$1,681	$321	28.5%	Low
66	Mid-Coast Council, New South Wales	280	$1,822	$255	32.8%	High
67	Thredbo, New South Wales	278	$2,251	$511	23.3%	High
68	Bendigo, Victoria	277	$1,745	$191	39.4%	Low
69	Warrnambool, Victoria	272	$2,052	$226	39.4%	Low
70	Bathurst, New South Wales	265	$1,982	$294	35.8%	High
71	Huskisson, New South Wales	259	$3,364	$337	37.7%	High
72	Lennox Head, New South Wales	259	$2,488	$335	39.0%	High
73	Scenic Rim Regional, Queensland	259	$3,231	$274	44.3%	Low
74	Wagga Wagga City Council, New South Wales	254	$1,920	$298	39.7%	High
75	Shire of Hepburn, Victoria	254	$2,695	$311	34.6%	Low
76	Shoal Bay, New South Wales	253	$2,501	$392	28.4%	High
77	Yallingup, Western Australia	250	$4,189	$390	44.8%	High
78	Toowoomba, Queensland	247	$2,300	$163	51.7%	Low
79	Blackheath, New South Wales	246	$3,003	$285	40.5%	High
80	Merimbula, New South Wales	234	$2,146	$263	39.8%	High
81	Albany, Western Australia	234	$3,088	$221	51.9%	High
82	Busselton, Western Australia	232	$3,191	$249	48.9%	High
83	Mudgee, New South Wales	229	$3,199	$327	39.5%	High
84	Snowy Monaro Regional Council, New South Wales	226	$2,727	$415	29.6%	High
85	Kiama, New South Wales	225	$3,075	$384	37.6%	High
86	Terrigal, New South Wales	221	$2,405	$379	34.0%	High
87	Agnes Water, Queensland	221	$2,046	$249	35.5%	Low
88	Mid-Western Regional Council, New South Wales	217	$2,739	$344	32.0%	High
89	Surf Coast Shire, Victoria	212	$1,877	$320	30.2%	Low
90	Crescent Head, New South Wales	211	$1,651	$231	33.1%	High
91	Halls Gap, Victoria	210	$2,282	$195	41.4%	Low
92	Rainbow Beach, Queensland	209	$1,551	$229	34.4%	Low
93	Dubbo, New South Wales	207	$2,175	$229	43.7%	High
94	South West Rocks, New South Wales	199	$1,280	$196	32.8%	High
95	Livingstone Shire, Queensland	198	$1,660	$198	34.3%	Low
96	Albury, New South Wales	195	$1,859	$171	44.7%	High
97	Suffolk Park, New South Wales	194	$2,932	$413	41.8%	High
98	Shire of East Gippsland, Victoria	194	$1,462	$220	30.0%	Low
99	Kalbarri, Western Australia	192	$1,519	$194	33.8%	High
100	Bowral, New South Wales	191	$4,077	$400	41.8%	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 $5,637/month at $549 ADR and 44.6% 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	$5,637	396	$549	44.6%	Low
2	Yallingup, Western Australia	$4,189	250	$390	44.8%	High
3	Bowral, New South Wales	$4,077	191	$400	41.8%	High
4	Noosa Heads, Queensland	$4,065	1,046	$411	45.2%	Low
5	Byron Bay, New South Wales	$3,928	1,015	$443	40.7%	High
6	Margaret River, Western Australia	$3,835	462	$248	57.2%	High
7	City Of Busselton, Western Australia	$3,532	533	$328	42.1%	High
8	Cessnock, New South Wales	$3,516	470	$428	32.4%	High
9	Dunsborough, Western Australia	$3,482	531	$325	44.5%	High
10	Sunshine Beach, Queensland	$3,365	290	$426	40.7%	Low
11	Huskisson, New South Wales	$3,364	259	$337	37.7%	High
12	Airlie Beach, Queensland	$3,350	406	$294	47.1%	Low
13	Scenic Rim Regional, Queensland	$3,231	259	$274	44.3%	Low
14	Mudgee, New South Wales	$3,199	229	$327	39.5%	High
15	Busselton, Western Australia	$3,191	232	$249	48.9%	High
16	Albany, Western Australia	$3,088	234	$221	51.9%	High
17	Kiama, New South Wales	$3,075	225	$384	37.6%	High
18	Gold Coast City, Queensland	$3,039	4,533	$283	45.0%	Low
19	Blackheath, New South Wales	$3,003	246	$285	40.5%	High
20	Shoalhaven City Council, New South Wales	$2,982	1,044	$406	33.0%	High
21	Cairns Regional, Queensland	$2,959	640	$307	38.4%	Low
22	Suffolk Park, New South Wales	$2,932	194	$413	41.8%	High
23	Kingscliff, New South Wales	$2,880	372	$378	35.9%	High
24	Vincentia, New South Wales	$2,877	457	$365	34.2%	High
25	Port Stephens Council, New South Wales	$2,825	317	$410	30.8%	High
26	Mid-Western Regional Council, New South Wales	$2,739	217	$344	32.0%	High
27	Snowy Monaro Regional Council, New South Wales	$2,727	226	$415	29.6%	High
28	Bright, Victoria	$2,719	508	$283	36.1%	Low
29	City of Stirling, Western Australia	$2,711	494	$204	54.3%	High
30	Hobart, Tasmania	$2,706	1,471	$199	52.0%	High
31	Sunshine Coast Regional, Queensland	$2,704	2,933	$269	43.2%	Low
32	Fremantle, Western Australia	$2,696	331	$190	58.8%	High
33	Shire of Hepburn, Victoria	$2,695	254	$311	34.6%	Low
34	Daylesford, Victoria	$2,686	460	$298	34.7%	Low
35	Sydney, New South Wales	$2,651	10,531	$260	47.2%	High
36	Port Douglas, Queensland	$2,616	674	$353	35.6%	Low
37	Central Coast Council, New South Wales	$2,556	785	$375	31.7%	High
38	Adelaide, South Australia	$2,552	3,274	$219	46.8%	Low
39	Mandurah, Western Australia	$2,514	317	$276	40.8%	High
40	Wollongong City Council, New South Wales	$2,502	521	$259	43.8%	High
41	Shoal Bay, New South Wales	$2,501	253	$392	28.4%	High
42	Lennox Head, New South Wales	$2,488	259	$335	39.0%	High
43	Newcastle-Maitland, New South Wales	$2,463	817	$242	42.5%	High
44	Gosford, New South Wales	$2,455	795	$373	32.8%	High
45	Terrigal, New South Wales	$2,405	221	$379	34.0%	High
46	Perth, Western Australia	$2,391	430	$177	55.0%	High
47	Coffs Harbour, New South Wales	$2,391	366	$253	39.0%	High
48	Shire of Colac Otway, Victoria	$2,360	362	$297	33.5%	Low
49	Yamba, New South Wales	$2,351	459	$329	33.8%	High
50	Surfers Paradise, Queensland	$2,347	705	$259	47.9%	Low
51	Orange, New South Wales	$2,342	332	$220	43.1%	High
52	Toowoomba, Queensland	$2,300	247	$163	51.7%	Low
53	Lorne, Victoria	$2,299	415	$384	29.5%	Low
54	Halls Gap, Victoria	$2,282	210	$195	41.4%	Low
55	Torquay, Victoria	$2,276	498	$310	35.6%	Low
56	Nelson Bay, New South Wales	$2,266	537	$372	28.9%	High
57	Thredbo, New South Wales	$2,251	278	$511	23.3%	High
58	Greater Brisbane, Queensland	$2,250	4,632	$225	44.9%	Low
59	Cairns, Queensland	$2,243	870	$185	48.9%	Low
60	Launceston, Tasmania	$2,203	544	$180	47.9%	High
61	Dubbo, New South Wales	$2,175	207	$229	43.7%	High
62	Apollo Bay, Victoria	$2,160	432	$271	33.6%	Low
63	Merimbula, New South Wales	$2,146	234	$263	39.8%	High
64	City of Greater Geelong, Victoria	$2,143	322	$319	33.5%	Low
65	Darwin, Northern Territory	$2,110	609	$210	46.2%	Low
66	Cowes, Victoria	$2,053	745	$283	31.5%	Low
67	Warrnambool, Victoria	$2,052	272	$226	39.4%	Low
68	Melbourne, Victoria	$2,048	15,355	$230	41.7%	Low
69	Agnes Water, Queensland	$2,046	221	$249	35.5%	Low
70	Brisbane City, Queensland	$2,004	570	$199	47.5%	Low
71	Bathurst, New South Wales	$1,982	265	$294	35.8%	High
72	Ocean Grove, Victoria	$1,970	425	$286	33.5%	Low
73	Port Fairy, Victoria	$1,958	327	$279	31.3%	Low
74	Port Macquarie, New South Wales	$1,922	409	$215	42.1%	High
75	Wagga Wagga City Council, New South Wales	$1,920	254	$298	39.7%	High
76	Robe, South Australia	$1,889	293	$229	36.8%	Low
77	Jindabyne, New South Wales	$1,882	608	$390	27.1%	High
78	Surf Coast Shire, Victoria	$1,877	212	$320	30.2%	Low
79	Albury, New South Wales	$1,859	195	$171	44.7%	High
80	Southbank, Victoria	$1,840	418	$207	46.2%	Low
81	Mid-Coast Council, New South Wales	$1,822	280	$255	32.8%	High
82	Eurobodalla Shire Council, New South Wales	$1,819	414	$267	33.2%	High
83	Hervey Bay, Queensland	$1,762	301	$177	44.3%	Low
84	Bendigo, Victoria	$1,745	277	$191	39.4%	Low
85	Shire of South Gippsland, Victoria	$1,730	316	$229	31.3%	Low
86	North Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	$1,727	370	$152	46.2%	Low
87	Townsville, Queensland	$1,685	381	$200	41.7%	Low
88	Anglesea, Victoria	$1,681	282	$321	28.5%	Low
89	Ballarat, Victoria	$1,680	361	$166	41.3%	Low
90	Livingstone Shire, Queensland	$1,660	198	$198	34.3%	Low
91	Crescent Head, New South Wales	$1,651	211	$231	33.1%	High
92	Forster, New South Wales	$1,624	462	$275	30.6%	High
93	Geelong, Victoria	$1,620	453	$179	38.3%	Low
94	Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	$1,595	289	$169	43.4%	Low
95	Rainbow Beach, Queensland	$1,551	209	$229	34.4%	Low
96	Kalbarri, Western Australia	$1,519	192	$194	33.8%	High
97	Shire of East Gippsland, Victoria	$1,462	194	$220	30.0%	Low
98	Inverloch, Victoria	$1,445	345	$261	29.6%	Low
99	Townsville City, Queensland	$1,412	342	$215	30.9%	Low
100	South West Rocks, New South Wales	$1,280	199	$196	32.8%	High

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 $549/night, generating $5,637/month at 44.6% 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	$549	396	$5,637	44.6%	Low
2	Thredbo, New South Wales	$511	278	$2,251	23.3%	High
3	Byron Bay, New South Wales	$443	1,015	$3,928	40.7%	High
4	Cessnock, New South Wales	$428	470	$3,516	32.4%	High
5	Sunshine Beach, Queensland	$426	290	$3,365	40.7%	Low
6	Snowy Monaro Regional Council, New South Wales	$415	226	$2,727	29.6%	High
7	Suffolk Park, New South Wales	$413	194	$2,932	41.8%	High
8	Noosa Heads, Queensland	$411	1,046	$4,065	45.2%	Low
9	Port Stephens Council, New South Wales	$410	317	$2,825	30.8%	High
10	Shoalhaven City Council, New South Wales	$406	1,044	$2,982	33.0%	High
11	Bowral, New South Wales	$400	191	$4,077	41.8%	High
12	Shoal Bay, New South Wales	$392	253	$2,501	28.4%	High
13	Jindabyne, New South Wales	$390	608	$1,882	27.1%	High
14	Yallingup, Western Australia	$390	250	$4,189	44.8%	High
15	Lorne, Victoria	$384	415	$2,299	29.5%	Low
16	Kiama, New South Wales	$384	225	$3,075	37.6%	High
17	Terrigal, New South Wales	$379	221	$2,405	34.0%	High
18	Kingscliff, New South Wales	$378	372	$2,880	35.9%	High
19	Central Coast Council, New South Wales	$375	785	$2,556	31.7%	High
20	Gosford, New South Wales	$373	795	$2,455	32.8%	High
21	Nelson Bay, New South Wales	$372	537	$2,266	28.9%	High
22	Vincentia, New South Wales	$365	457	$2,877	34.2%	High
23	Port Douglas, Queensland	$353	674	$2,616	35.6%	Low
24	Mid-Western Regional Council, New South Wales	$344	217	$2,739	32.0%	High
25	Huskisson, New South Wales	$337	259	$3,364	37.7%	High
26	Lennox Head, New South Wales	$335	259	$2,488	39.0%	High
27	Yamba, New South Wales	$329	459	$2,351	33.8%	High
28	City Of Busselton, Western Australia	$328	533	$3,532	42.1%	High
29	Mudgee, New South Wales	$327	229	$3,199	39.5%	High
30	Dunsborough, Western Australia	$325	531	$3,482	44.5%	High
31	Anglesea, Victoria	$321	282	$1,681	28.5%	Low
32	Surf Coast Shire, Victoria	$320	212	$1,877	30.2%	Low
33	City of Greater Geelong, Victoria	$319	322	$2,143	33.5%	Low
34	Shire of Hepburn, Victoria	$311	254	$2,695	34.6%	Low
35	Torquay, Victoria	$310	498	$2,276	35.6%	Low
36	Cairns Regional, Queensland	$307	640	$2,959	38.4%	Low
37	Wagga Wagga City Council, New South Wales	$298	254	$1,920	39.7%	High
38	Daylesford, Victoria	$298	460	$2,686	34.7%	Low
39	Shire of Colac Otway, Victoria	$297	362	$2,360	33.5%	Low
40	Airlie Beach, Queensland	$294	406	$3,350	47.1%	Low
41	Bathurst, New South Wales	$294	265	$1,982	35.8%	High
42	Ocean Grove, Victoria	$286	425	$1,970	33.5%	Low
43	Blackheath, New South Wales	$285	246	$3,003	40.5%	High
44	Cowes, Victoria	$283	745	$2,053	31.5%	Low
45	Gold Coast City, Queensland	$283	4,533	$3,039	45.0%	Low
46	Bright, Victoria	$283	508	$2,719	36.1%	Low
47	Port Fairy, Victoria	$279	327	$1,958	31.3%	Low
48	Mandurah, Western Australia	$276	317	$2,514	40.8%	High
49	Forster, New South Wales	$275	462	$1,624	30.6%	High
50	Scenic Rim Regional, Queensland	$274	259	$3,231	44.3%	Low
51	Apollo Bay, Victoria	$271	432	$2,160	33.6%	Low
52	Sunshine Coast Regional, Queensland	$269	2,933	$2,704	43.2%	Low
53	Eurobodalla Shire Council, New South Wales	$267	414	$1,819	33.2%	High
54	Merimbula, New South Wales	$263	234	$2,146	39.8%	High
55	Inverloch, Victoria	$261	345	$1,445	29.6%	Low
56	Sydney, New South Wales	$260	10,531	$2,651	47.2%	High
57	Surfers Paradise, Queensland	$259	705	$2,347	47.9%	Low
58	Wollongong City Council, New South Wales	$259	521	$2,502	43.8%	High
59	Mid-Coast Council, New South Wales	$255	280	$1,822	32.8%	High
60	Coffs Harbour, New South Wales	$253	366	$2,391	39.0%	High
61	Agnes Water, Queensland	$249	221	$2,046	35.5%	Low
62	Busselton, Western Australia	$249	232	$3,191	48.9%	High
63	Margaret River, Western Australia	$248	462	$3,835	57.2%	High
64	Newcastle-Maitland, New South Wales	$242	817	$2,463	42.5%	High
65	Crescent Head, New South Wales	$231	211	$1,651	33.1%	High
66	Melbourne, Victoria	$230	15,355	$2,048	41.7%	Low
67	Dubbo, New South Wales	$229	207	$2,175	43.7%	High
68	Shire of South Gippsland, Victoria	$229	316	$1,730	31.3%	Low
69	Robe, South Australia	$229	293	$1,889	36.8%	Low
70	Rainbow Beach, Queensland	$229	209	$1,551	34.4%	Low
71	Warrnambool, Victoria	$226	272	$2,052	39.4%	Low
72	Greater Brisbane, Queensland	$225	4,632	$2,250	44.9%	Low
73	Albany, Western Australia	$221	234	$3,088	51.9%	High
74	Shire of East Gippsland, Victoria	$220	194	$1,462	30.0%	Low
75	Orange, New South Wales	$220	332	$2,342	43.1%	High
76	Adelaide, South Australia	$219	3,274	$2,552	46.8%	Low
77	Port Macquarie, New South Wales	$215	409	$1,922	42.1%	High
78	Townsville City, Queensland	$215	342	$1,412	30.9%	Low
79	Darwin, Northern Territory	$210	609	$2,110	46.2%	Low
80	Southbank, Victoria	$207	418	$1,840	46.2%	Low
81	City of Stirling, Western Australia	$204	494	$2,711	54.3%	High
82	Townsville, Queensland	$200	381	$1,685	41.7%	Low
83	Hobart, Tasmania	$199	1,471	$2,706	52.0%	High
84	Brisbane City, Queensland	$199	570	$2,004	47.5%	Low
85	Livingstone Shire, Queensland	$198	198	$1,660	34.3%	Low
86	South West Rocks, New South Wales	$196	199	$1,280	32.8%	High
87	Halls Gap, Victoria	$195	210	$2,282	41.4%	Low
88	Kalbarri, Western Australia	$194	192	$1,519	33.8%	High
89	Bendigo, Victoria	$191	277	$1,745	39.4%	Low
90	Fremantle, Western Australia	$190	331	$2,696	58.8%	High
91	Cairns, Queensland	$185	870	$2,243	48.9%	Low
92	Launceston, Tasmania	$180	544	$2,203	47.9%	High
93	Geelong, Victoria	$179	453	$1,620	38.3%	Low
94	Perth, Western Australia	$177	430	$2,391	55.0%	High
95	Hervey Bay, Queensland	$177	301	$1,762	44.3%	Low
96	Albury, New South Wales	$171	195	$1,859	44.7%	High
97	Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	$169	289	$1,595	43.4%	Low
98	Ballarat, Victoria	$166	361	$1,680	41.3%	Low
99	Toowoomba, Queensland	$163	247	$2,300	51.7%	Low
100	North Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	$152	370	$1,727	46.2%	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. Fremantle, Western Australia leads Australia with 58.8% occupancy, $2,696/month revenue, and 331 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	Fremantle, Western Australia	58.8%	331	$2,696	$190	High
2	Margaret River, Western Australia	57.2%	462	$3,835	$248	High
3	Perth, Western Australia	55.0%	430	$2,391	$177	High
4	City of Stirling, Western Australia	54.3%	494	$2,711	$204	High
5	Hobart, Tasmania	52.0%	1,471	$2,706	$199	High
6	Cairns, Queensland	48.9%	870	$2,243	$185	Low
7	Launceston, Tasmania	47.9%	544	$2,203	$180	High
8	Surfers Paradise, Queensland	47.9%	705	$2,347	$259	Low
9	Brisbane City, Queensland	47.5%	570	$2,004	$199	Low
10	Sydney, New South Wales	47.2%	10,531	$2,651	$260	High
11	Airlie Beach, Queensland	47.1%	406	$3,350	$294	Low
12	Adelaide, South Australia	46.8%	3,274	$2,552	$219	Low
13	Darwin, Northern Territory	46.2%	609	$2,110	$210	Low
14	Southbank, Victoria	46.2%	418	$1,840	$207	Low
15	North Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	46.2%	370	$1,727	$152	Low
16	Noosa Heads, Queensland	45.2%	1,046	$4,065	$411	Low
17	Gold Coast City, Queensland	45.0%	4,533	$3,039	$283	Low
18	Greater Brisbane, Queensland	44.9%	4,632	$2,250	$225	Low
19	Whitsunday Regional, Queensland	44.6%	396	$5,637	$549	Low
20	Dunsborough, Western Australia	44.5%	531	$3,482	$325	High
21	Hervey Bay, Queensland	44.3%	301	$1,762	$177	Low
22	Wollongong City Council, New South Wales	43.8%	521	$2,502	$259	High
23	Sunshine Coast Regional, Queensland	43.2%	2,933	$2,704	$269	Low
24	Orange, New South Wales	43.1%	332	$2,342	$220	High
25	Newcastle-Maitland, New South Wales	42.5%	817	$2,463	$242	High
26	Port Macquarie, New South Wales	42.1%	409	$1,922	$215	High
27	City Of Busselton, Western Australia	42.1%	533	$3,532	$328	High
28	Melbourne, Victoria	41.7%	15,355	$2,048	$230	Low
29	Townsville, Queensland	41.7%	381	$1,685	$200	Low
30	Ballarat, Victoria	41.3%	361	$1,680	$166	Low
31	Mandurah, Western Australia	40.8%	317	$2,514	$276	High
32	Byron Bay, New South Wales	40.7%	1,015	$3,928	$443	High
33	Coffs Harbour, New South Wales	39.0%	366	$2,391	$253	High
34	Cairns Regional, Queensland	38.4%	640	$2,959	$307	Low
35	Geelong, Victoria	38.3%	453	$1,620	$179	Low
36	Bright, Victoria	36.1%	508	$2,719	$283	Low
37	Kingscliff, New South Wales	35.9%	372	$2,880	$378	High
38	Torquay, Victoria	35.6%	498	$2,276	$310	Low
39	Port Douglas, Queensland	35.6%	674	$2,616	$353	Low
40	Daylesford, Victoria	34.7%	460	$2,686	$298	Low
41	Vincentia, New South Wales	34.2%	457	$2,877	$365	High
42	Yamba, New South Wales	33.8%	459	$2,351	$329	High
43	Apollo Bay, Victoria	33.6%	432	$2,160	$271	Low
44	Shire of Colac Otway, Victoria	33.5%	362	$2,360	$297	Low
45	City of Greater Geelong, Victoria	33.5%	322	$2,143	$319	Low
46	Ocean Grove, Victoria	33.5%	425	$1,970	$286	Low
47	Eurobodalla Shire Council, New South Wales	33.2%	414	$1,819	$267	High
48	Shoalhaven City Council, New South Wales	33.0%	1,044	$2,982	$406	High
49	Gosford, New South Wales	32.8%	795	$2,455	$373	High
50	Cessnock, New South Wales	32.4%	470	$3,516	$428	High
51	Central Coast Council, New South Wales	31.7%	785	$2,556	$375	High
52	Cowes, Victoria	31.5%	745	$2,053	$283	Low
53	Port Fairy, Victoria	31.3%	327	$1,958	$279	Low
54	Shire of South Gippsland, Victoria	31.3%	316	$1,730	$229	Low
55	Townsville City, Queensland	30.9%	342	$1,412	$215	Low
56	Port Stephens Council, New South Wales	30.8%	317	$2,825	$410	High
57	Forster, New South Wales	30.6%	462	$1,624	$275	High
58	Inverloch, Victoria	29.6%	345	$1,445	$261	Low
59	Lorne, Victoria	29.5%	415	$2,299	$384	Low
60	Nelson Bay, New South Wales	28.9%	537	$2,266	$372	High
61	Jindabyne, New South Wales	27.1%	608	$1,882	$390	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: 48 have a low regulation profile (generally operator-friendly with minimal licensing requirements), 0 have medium regulation (some permit or registration requirements), and 52 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 15,355 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 $5,637. 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 58.8%. 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 39.1% occupancy, and the top performer posts $5,637 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 39.1%. 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, 48 of 100 ranked markets have low regulation, 0 have medium, and 52 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 362 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 2026-08-08. 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