Top 30 Best Places in Waikato, New Zealand to Invest in Airbnb & Short-Term Rentals (2025)

Source: AirROI

Last updated: 2025-07-01

Unlock high-ROI opportunities in Waikato, New Zealand‘s booming short-term rental (STR) market. This 2025 Airbnb investment guide from AirROI leverages cutting-edge Airbnb data analytics to pinpoint the most profitable cities for Airbnb and vacation rental entrepreneurs. Whether you’re scaling your portfolio or making your first STR investment, discover markets with strong rental demand, high revenue potential, and favorable regulations. We are committed to providing trustworthy insights based on comprehensive market analysis, and you can learn more about our rigorous approach to data accuracy.

Our STR market analysis dives deep into key performance indicators like monthly revenue, average daily rates (ADR), occupancy trends, property counts, and regulatory landscapes across Waikato, New Zealand. We go beyond simple rankings to provide the context you need for informed investment decisions using reliable Airbnb data.

Explore the data-driven insights below to identify the premier short-term rental investment hotspots and high ROI Airbnb markets in Waikato, New Zealand for 2025.

Top Short-Term Rental Markets in Waikato, New Zealand

Rank:#1Market:TaupōCountry:New ZealandProperties:1,012Monthly Revenue:$2210.42Daily Rate (ADR):$219.33Occupancy:43.94%Regulation:Low
Rank:#2Market:HamiltonCountry:New ZealandProperties:564Monthly Revenue:$1313.90Daily Rate (ADR):$119.04Occupancy:44.05%Regulation:Low
Rank:#3Market:RaglanCountry:New ZealandProperties:402Monthly Revenue:$1691.17Daily Rate (ADR):$180.69Occupancy:42.24%Regulation:Low
Rank:#4Market:WhitiangaCountry:New ZealandProperties:217Monthly Revenue:$1465.42Daily Rate (ADR):$208.86Occupancy:36.21%Regulation:Low
Rank:#5Market:WhangamatāCountry:New ZealandProperties:205Monthly Revenue:$1307.43Daily Rate (ADR):$218.65Occupancy:33.54%Regulation:Low
Rank:#6Market:CambridgeCountry:New ZealandProperties:171Monthly Revenue:$1515.81Daily Rate (ADR):$157.34Occupancy:42.60%Regulation:Low
Rank:#7Market:TairuaCountry:New ZealandProperties:118Monthly Revenue:$1120.53Daily Rate (ADR):$209.24Occupancy:34.08%Regulation:Low
Rank:#8Market:HaheiCountry:New ZealandProperties:106Monthly Revenue:$2354.88Daily Rate (ADR):$272.08Occupancy:40.64%Regulation:Low
Rank:#9Market:TūrangiCountry:New ZealandProperties:102Monthly Revenue:$1210.78Daily Rate (ADR):$153.62Occupancy:37.40%Regulation:Low
Rank:#10Market:Cooks BeachCountry:New ZealandProperties:100Monthly Revenue:$1416.95Daily Rate (ADR):$207.39Occupancy:37.50%Regulation:Low
Rank:#11Market:CoromandelCountry:New ZealandProperties:96Monthly Revenue:$1251.88Daily Rate (ADR):$150.48Occupancy:37.35%Regulation:Low
Rank:#12Market:PauanuiCountry:New ZealandProperties:94Monthly Revenue:$1089.43Daily Rate (ADR):$293.81Occupancy:25.86%Regulation:Low
Rank:#13Market:KinlochCountry:New ZealandProperties:93Monthly Revenue:$1940.50Daily Rate (ADR):$259.12Occupancy:39.47%Regulation:Low
Rank:#14Market:TamahereCountry:New ZealandProperties:83Monthly Revenue:$1627.49Daily Rate (ADR):$183.28Occupancy:40.00%Regulation:Low
Rank:#15Market:MatarangiCountry:New ZealandProperties:70Monthly Revenue:$1524.40Daily Rate (ADR):$260.72Occupancy:31.38%Regulation:Low
Rank:#16Market:MatamataCountry:New ZealandProperties:60Monthly Revenue:$1522.16Daily Rate (ADR):$119.83Occupancy:49.18%Regulation:Low
Rank:#17Market:WharekahoCountry:New ZealandProperties:57Monthly Revenue:$1272.48Daily Rate (ADR):$199.01Occupancy:35.39%Regulation:Low
Rank:#18Market:MangakinoCountry:New ZealandProperties:48Monthly Revenue:$1026.24Daily Rate (ADR):$175.36Occupancy:29.23%Regulation:Low
Rank:#19Market:KuratauCountry:New ZealandProperties:45Monthly Revenue:$1058.04Daily Rate (ADR):$218.86Occupancy:27.95%Regulation:Low
Rank:#20Market:ThamesCountry:New ZealandProperties:44Monthly Revenue:$1192.03Daily Rate (ADR):$116.13Occupancy:44.67%Regulation:Low
Rank:#21Market:WaihiCountry:New ZealandProperties:38Monthly Revenue:$947.03Daily Rate (ADR):$116.21Occupancy:39.41%Regulation:Low
Rank:#22Market:KarapiroCountry:New ZealandProperties:36Monthly Revenue:$2151.69Daily Rate (ADR):$197.65Occupancy:40.87%Regulation:Low
Rank:#23Market:MotuoapaCountry:New ZealandProperties:35Monthly Revenue:$1139.68Daily Rate (ADR):$130.53Occupancy:37.43%Regulation:Low
Rank:#24Market:WhiritoaCountry:New ZealandProperties:33Monthly Revenue:$1397.35Daily Rate (ADR):$176.92Occupancy:36.09%Regulation:Low
Rank:#25Market:KūaotunuCountry:New ZealandProperties:31Monthly Revenue:$1271.95Daily Rate (ADR):$190.01Occupancy:36.04%Regulation:Low
Rank:#26Market:WhangapouaCountry:New ZealandProperties:29Monthly Revenue:$1120.92Daily Rate (ADR):$292.52Occupancy:30.04%Regulation:Low
Rank:#27Market:Hot Water BeachCountry:New ZealandProperties:26Monthly Revenue:$3288.42Daily Rate (ADR):$269.19Occupancy:52.69%Regulation:Low
Rank:#28Market:ŌhaupōCountry:New ZealandProperties:26Monthly Revenue:$1013.22Daily Rate (ADR):$154.57Occupancy:32.34%Regulation:Low
Rank:#29Market:Pukawa BayCountry:New ZealandProperties:25Monthly Revenue:$1558.44Daily Rate (ADR):$288.87Occupancy:25.85%Regulation:Low
Rank:#30Market:WaitomoCountry:New ZealandProperties:25Monthly Revenue:$1560.95Daily Rate (ADR):$122.54Occupancy:39.87%Regulation:Low

Our Data-Driven Methodology for STR Market Analysis

At AirROI, our market rankings and insights are powered by a robust methodology combining comprehensive Airbnb data collection with sophisticated STR analytics techniques. We strive to provide the most accurate and actionable intelligence for short-term rental investors.

Data Collection & Scope

  • Global Coverage: We aggregate STR data from tens of millions of active short-term rental listings across platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo worldwide.
  • Real-Time Metrics: Our systems track key performance indicators (KPIs) daily, including booking rates, nightly pricing (ADR), occupancy rates, and revenue.
  • Regulatory Monitoring: We actively monitor and incorporate local short-term rental regulations, licensing requirements, and tax obligations into our market analysis.

Analysis & Ranking

  • Proprietary Algorithms: AI and machine learning models analyze booking patterns, predict seasonal demand shifts, and identify emerging market trends in the STR space.
  • Key Metric Evaluation: We evaluate markets based on a weighted combination of critical investment factors using our extensive Airbnb analytics:
    • Revenue Potential: Average Monthly Revenue and Average Daily Rate (ADR).
    • Market Demand: Occupancy Rate and booking lead times.
    • Investment Scale: Number of active properties and market growth trends.
    • Regulatory Environment: Assessed impact of local STR regulations on operational feasibility and profitability.
  • Benchmarking: Performance is benchmarked against regional and global averages to provide context for vacation rental investment potential.

Key Metrics Explained

  • Properties: The count of active short-term rental listings in the market.
  • Monthly Revenue: Average revenue generated per property per month, a key indicator for Airbnb profitability.
  • Daily Rate (ADR): Average nightly booking price.
  • Occupancy: Percentage of nights booked out of total available nights, crucial for understanding STR demand.
  • Regulation: An indicator of the local regulatory climate impacting Airbnb investment.

This rigorous approach ensures our recommendations are based on real-world performance Airbnb data and forward-looking market analysis, empowering you to invest smarter in the vacation rental market.

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