Top 56 Best Places in Sri Lanka to Invest in Airbnb & Short-Term Rentals (2025)

Source: AirROI

Last updated: 2025-09-01

Unlock high-ROI opportunities in Sri Lanka‘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 Sri Lanka. 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 Sri Lanka for 2025.

Top Short-Term Rental Markets in Sri Lanka

Rank:#1Market:ColomboCountry:Sri LankaProperties:523Monthly Revenue:$538.85Daily Rate (ADR):$68.56Occupancy:37.19%Regulation:Low
Rank:#2Market:HikkaduwaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:327Monthly Revenue:$453.67Daily Rate (ADR):$82.11Occupancy:32.88%Regulation:Low
Rank:#3Market:GalleCountry:Sri LankaProperties:267Monthly Revenue:$597.36Daily Rate (ADR):$104.99Occupancy:28.84%Regulation:Low
Rank:#4Market:MirissaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:244Monthly Revenue:$700.65Daily Rate (ADR):$91.65Occupancy:35.76%Regulation:Low
Rank:#5Market:KandyCountry:Sri LankaProperties:212Monthly Revenue:$421.66Daily Rate (ADR):$68.01Occupancy:27.34%Regulation:Low
Rank:#6Market:EllaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:210Monthly Revenue:$535.33Daily Rate (ADR):$61.02Occupancy:33.55%Regulation:Low
Rank:#7Market:AhangamaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:178Monthly Revenue:$1009.66Daily Rate (ADR):$130.84Occupancy:39.10%Regulation:Low
Rank:#8Market:WeligamaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:172Monthly Revenue:$688.66Daily Rate (ADR):$84.01Occupancy:35.10%Regulation:Low
Rank:#9Market:DikwellaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:127Monthly Revenue:$1351.12Daily Rate (ADR):$129.90Occupancy:38.54%Regulation:Low
Rank:#10Market:TalpeCountry:Sri LankaProperties:119Monthly Revenue:$1682.23Daily Rate (ADR):$258.27Occupancy:32.30%Regulation:Low
Rank:#11Market:DehiwalaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:118Monthly Revenue:$421.47Daily Rate (ADR):$50.98Occupancy:36.57%Regulation:Low
Rank:#12Market:RumassalaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:116Monthly Revenue:$702.33Daily Rate (ADR):$92.47Occupancy:31.04%Regulation:Low
Rank:#13Market:Sri Jayawardenepura KotteCountry:Sri LankaProperties:113Monthly Revenue:$365.37Daily Rate (ADR):$65.17Occupancy:33.80%Regulation:Low
Rank:#14Market:Nuwara EliyaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:103Monthly Revenue:$566.40Daily Rate (ADR):$101.31Occupancy:24.86%Regulation:Low
Rank:#15Market:ThalarambaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:91Monthly Revenue:$678.89Daily Rate (ADR):$118.13Occupancy:33.05%Regulation:Low
Rank:#16Market:Heenatigala JunctionCountry:Sri LankaProperties:86Monthly Revenue:$1349.48Daily Rate (ADR):$209.17Occupancy:32.67%Regulation:Low
Rank:#17Market:TangalleCountry:Sri LankaProperties:78Monthly Revenue:$492.93Daily Rate (ADR):$91.68Occupancy:29.18%Regulation:Low
Rank:#18Market:ThiranagamaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:78Monthly Revenue:$488.49Daily Rate (ADR):$78.24Occupancy:31.37%Regulation:Low
Rank:#19Market:EttukalaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:75Monthly Revenue:$302.88Daily Rate (ADR):$42.98Occupancy:27.62%Regulation:Low
Rank:#20Market:NegomboCountry:Sri LankaProperties:75Monthly Revenue:$287.17Daily Rate (ADR):$48.33Occupancy:28.76%Regulation:Low
Rank:#21Market:SigiriyaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:73Monthly Revenue:$302.07Daily Rate (ADR):$42.24Occupancy:29.65%Regulation:Low
Rank:#22Market:WalgamaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:69Monthly Revenue:$1906.28Daily Rate (ADR):$144.21Occupancy:48.51%Regulation:Low
Rank:#23Market:MidigamaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:68Monthly Revenue:$408.88Daily Rate (ADR):$72.67Occupancy:34.44%Regulation:Low
Rank:#24Market:AnuradhapuraCountry:Sri LankaProperties:61Monthly Revenue:$229.60Daily Rate (ADR):$39.92Occupancy:24.71%Regulation:Low
Rank:#25Market:KabalanaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:60Monthly Revenue:$1194.96Daily Rate (ADR):$133.41Occupancy:38.81%Regulation:Low
Rank:#26Market:NilwellaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:60Monthly Revenue:$1000.81Daily Rate (ADR):$122.14Occupancy:36.63%Regulation:Low
Rank:#27Market:Arugam BayCountry:Sri LankaProperties:58Monthly Revenue:$277.60Daily Rate (ADR):$77.83Occupancy:26.64%Regulation:Low
Rank:#28Market:KathaluwaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:58Monthly Revenue:$1848.06Daily Rate (ADR):$306.03Occupancy:35.12%Regulation:Low
Rank:#29Market:UnawatunaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:52Monthly Revenue:$901.71Daily Rate (ADR):$129.48Occupancy:31.73%Regulation:Low
Rank:#30Market:PolhenaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:49Monthly Revenue:$1067.85Daily Rate (ADR):$113.60Occupancy:37.46%Regulation:Low
Rank:#31Market:BentotaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:48Monthly Revenue:$427.08Daily Rate (ADR):$116.85Occupancy:23.37%Regulation:Low
Rank:#32Market:PeleanaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:48Monthly Revenue:$1293.92Daily Rate (ADR):$170.65Occupancy:31.60%Regulation:Low
Rank:#33Market:GoviyapanaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:43Monthly Revenue:$2000.01Daily Rate (ADR):$184.19Occupancy:46.48%Regulation:Low
Rank:#34Market:NilaveliCountry:Sri LankaProperties:42Monthly Revenue:$562.12Daily Rate (ADR):$104.04Occupancy:25.09%Regulation:Low
Rank:#35Market:UllaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:41Monthly Revenue:$522.16Daily Rate (ADR):$80.46Occupancy:36.33%Regulation:Low
Rank:#36Market:KadewattaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:39Monthly Revenue:$371.04Daily Rate (ADR):$52.13Occupancy:36.63%Regulation:Low
Rank:#37Market:MagasthotaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:38Monthly Revenue:$871.29Daily Rate (ADR):$122.20Occupancy:30.68%Regulation:Low
Rank:#38Market:UnakuruwaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:38Monthly Revenue:$727.62Daily Rate (ADR):$129.51Occupancy:31.15%Regulation:Low
Rank:#39Market:TrincomaleeCountry:Sri LankaProperties:37Monthly Revenue:$1005.41Daily Rate (ADR):$105.81Occupancy:31.03%Regulation:Low
Rank:#40Market:MataraCountry:Sri LankaProperties:34Monthly Revenue:$653.43Daily Rate (ADR):$104.45Occupancy:31.96%Regulation:Low
Rank:#41Market:HabaraduwaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:33Monthly Revenue:$1033.30Daily Rate (ADR):$145.00Occupancy:33.84%Regulation:Low
Rank:#42Market:RajgamaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:31Monthly Revenue:$1704.48Daily Rate (ADR):$170.80Occupancy:36.50%Regulation:Low
Rank:#43Market:Kithal EllaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:31Monthly Revenue:$383.47Daily Rate (ADR):$46.53Occupancy:33.60%Regulation:Low
Rank:#44Market:EhalagalaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:30Monthly Revenue:$176.14Daily Rate (ADR):$38.65Occupancy:22.88%Regulation:Low
Rank:#45Market:SinimodaraCountry:Sri LankaProperties:29Monthly Revenue:$1215.15Daily Rate (ADR):$130.97Occupancy:36.84%Regulation:Low
Rank:#46Market:HabaranaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:25Monthly Revenue:$366.11Daily Rate (ADR):$72.17Occupancy:28.92%Regulation:Low
Rank:#47Market:MoratuwaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:25Monthly Revenue:$229.14Daily Rate (ADR):$49.67Occupancy:27.34%Regulation:Low
Rank:#48Market:NugegodaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:25Monthly Revenue:$247.60Daily Rate (ADR):$43.09Occupancy:31.53%Regulation:Low
Rank:#49Market:AmbalangodaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:24Monthly Revenue:$451.68Daily Rate (ADR):$107.45Occupancy:28.25%Regulation:Low
Rank:#50Market:MadampagamaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:24Monthly Revenue:$2362.16Daily Rate (ADR):$237.76Occupancy:44.62%Regulation:Low
Rank:#51Market:Alles GardenCountry:Sri LankaProperties:23Monthly Revenue:$261.04Daily Rate (ADR):$37.80Occupancy:27.90%Regulation:Low
Rank:#52Market:KadurupokunaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:23Monthly Revenue:$928.08Daily Rate (ADR):$110.09Occupancy:32.63%Regulation:Low
Rank:#53Market:UdawalaweCountry:Sri LankaProperties:21Monthly Revenue:$223.38Daily Rate (ADR):$29.78Occupancy:26.07%Regulation:Low
Rank:#54Market:BatawalaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:19Monthly Revenue:$430.15Daily Rate (ADR):$40.52Occupancy:36.19%Regulation:Low
Rank:#55Market:HaliwalaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:19Monthly Revenue:$532.96Daily Rate (ADR):$72.65Occupancy:39.28%Regulation:Low
Rank:#56Market:JaffnaCountry:Sri LankaProperties:18Monthly Revenue:$185.70Daily Rate (ADR):$75.10Occupancy:17.78%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 Sri Lanka. Use this data to build powerful analytics tools, discover investment opportunities, and inform your vacation rental strategy.

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