Top 30 Best Places in Kwazulu-natal, South Africa to Invest in Airbnb & Short-Term Rentals (2026)

Source: AirROI

Last updated: 2026-02-01

Unlock high-ROI opportunities in Kwazulu-natal, South Africa‘s booming short-term rental (STR) market. This 2026 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 Kwazulu-natal, South Africa. 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 Kwazulu-natal, South Africa for 2026.

Top Short-Term Rental Markets in Kwazulu-natal, South Africa

Rank:#1Market:KwaDukuza Local MunicipalityCountry:South AfricaProperties:1,500Monthly Revenue:$1246.17Daily Rate (ADR):$190.76Occupancy:29.73%Regulation:Low
Rank:#2Market:Hibiscus Coast Local MunicipalityCountry:South AfricaProperties:986Monthly Revenue:$501.83Daily Rate (ADR):$114.15Occupancy:22.94%Regulation:Low
Rank:#3Market:Umhlanga RocksCountry:South AfricaProperties:745Monthly Revenue:$1058.24Daily Rate (ADR):$143.97Occupancy:32.00%Regulation:Low
Rank:#4Market:DurbanCountry:South AfricaProperties:672Monthly Revenue:$571.29Daily Rate (ADR):$89.11Occupancy:30.91%Regulation:Low
Rank:#5Market:uMgeni Local MunicipalityCountry:South AfricaProperties:387Monthly Revenue:$948.63Daily Rate (ADR):$108.51Occupancy:32.69%Regulation:Low
Rank:#6Market:Umdloti / eMdlotiCountry:South AfricaProperties:325Monthly Revenue:$997.02Daily Rate (ADR):$128.71Occupancy:33.81%Regulation:Low
Rank:#7Market:Durban NorthCountry:South AfricaProperties:220Monthly Revenue:$541.47Daily Rate (ADR):$82.93Occupancy:32.54%Regulation:Low
Rank:#8Market:Okhahlamba Local MunicipalityCountry:South AfricaProperties:173Monthly Revenue:$944.53Daily Rate (ADR):$144.63Occupancy:30.61%Regulation:Low
Rank:#9Market:uMdoni Local MunicipalityCountry:South AfricaProperties:152Monthly Revenue:$751.61Daily Rate (ADR):$124.79Occupancy:26.47%Regulation:Low
Rank:#10Market:Mtubatuba Local MunicipalityCountry:South AfricaProperties:151Monthly Revenue:$638.44Daily Rate (ADR):$97.51Occupancy:28.75%Regulation:Low
Rank:#11Market:Kwa Sani Local MunicipalityCountry:South AfricaProperties:130Monthly Revenue:$568.53Daily Rate (ADR):$110.57Occupancy:23.12%Regulation:Low
Rank:#12Market:BallitoCountry:South AfricaProperties:122Monthly Revenue:$999.81Daily Rate (ADR):$158.21Occupancy:31.00%Regulation:Low
Rank:#13Market:Msunduzi Local MunicipalityCountry:South AfricaProperties:103Monthly Revenue:$368.12Daily Rate (ADR):$63.03Occupancy:27.80%Regulation:Low
Rank:#14Market:uMhlathuze Local MunicipalityCountry:South AfricaProperties:94Monthly Revenue:$269.95Daily Rate (ADR):$68.03Occupancy:23.74%Regulation:Low
Rank:#15Market:KingsburghCountry:South AfricaProperties:92Monthly Revenue:$401.97Daily Rate (ADR):$72.47Occupancy:27.29%Regulation:Low
Rank:#16Market:HillcrestCountry:South AfricaProperties:70Monthly Revenue:$535.08Daily Rate (ADR):$63.08Occupancy:37.67%Regulation:Low
Rank:#17Market:PinetownCountry:South AfricaProperties:69Monthly Revenue:$338.89Daily Rate (ADR):$51.78Occupancy:33.82%Regulation:Low
Rank:#18Market:KloofCountry:South AfricaProperties:68Monthly Revenue:$403.90Daily Rate (ADR):$57.95Occupancy:31.65%Regulation:Low
Rank:#19Market:Mpofana Local MunicipalityCountry:South AfricaProperties:57Monthly Revenue:$652.71Daily Rate (ADR):$102.23Occupancy:24.62%Regulation:Low
Rank:#20Market:The Big Five False Bay Local MunicipalityCountry:South AfricaProperties:55Monthly Revenue:$762.98Daily Rate (ADR):$109.36Occupancy:26.61%Regulation:Low
Rank:#21Market:uMhlangaCountry:South AfricaProperties:49Monthly Revenue:$725.79Daily Rate (ADR):$115.45Occupancy:29.61%Regulation:Low
Rank:#22Market:WestbrookCountry:South AfricaProperties:39Monthly Revenue:$1683.67Daily Rate (ADR):$197.22Occupancy:30.79%Regulation:Low
Rank:#23Market:uMlalazi Local MunicipalityCountry:South AfricaProperties:39Monthly Revenue:$367.83Daily Rate (ADR):$75.21Occupancy:22.98%Regulation:Low
Rank:#24Market:UmbogintwiniCountry:South AfricaProperties:34Monthly Revenue:$386.73Daily Rate (ADR):$82.48Occupancy:25.86%Regulation:Low
Rank:#25Market:Forest HillsCountry:South AfricaProperties:33Monthly Revenue:$462.08Daily Rate (ADR):$61.19Occupancy:33.93%Regulation:Low
Rank:#26Market:Newcastle Local MunicipalityCountry:South AfricaProperties:33Monthly Revenue:$151.78Daily Rate (ADR):$47.39Occupancy:17.74%Regulation:Low
Rank:#27Market:QueensburghCountry:South AfricaProperties:33Monthly Revenue:$469.80Daily Rate (ADR):$50.45Occupancy:45.64%Regulation:Low
Rank:#28Market:uMhlabuyalingana Local MunicipalityCountry:South AfricaProperties:33Monthly Revenue:$464.20Daily Rate (ADR):$107.69Occupancy:20.61%Regulation:Low
Rank:#29Market:KwaMakhuthaCountry:South AfricaProperties:29Monthly Revenue:$337.44Daily Rate (ADR):$71.19Occupancy:24.01%Regulation:Low
Rank:#30Market:Emnambithi/Ladysmith Local MunicipalityCountry:South AfricaProperties:26Monthly Revenue:$216.50Daily Rate (ADR):$54.51Occupancy:21.21%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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This report is powered by our industry-leading Airbnb Data API, providing direct access to live short-term rental data from global markets like Kwazulu-natal. Use this data to build powerful analytics tools, discover investment opportunities, and inform your vacation rental strategy.

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