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

Source: AirROI Reviewed by Jun Zhou , Founder @ AirROI

Updated: 2026-07-06

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 15,729 active listings and $2,112/month revenue. Across all ranked markets, average occupancy is 40.1% with $2,548/month in average revenue and $285/night ADR. 49 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 15,729 active short-term rental listings and $2,112/month in average revenue.

#	Market	Active Listings (TTM)	Revenue/mo	ADR	Occupancy	Regulation
1	Melbourne, Victoria	15,729	$2,112	$230	42.5%	Low
2	Sydney, New South Wales	10,809	$2,722	$258	48.0%	High
3	Greater Brisbane, Queensland	4,785	$2,366	$225	46.8%	Low
4	Gold Coast City, Queensland	4,651	$3,159	$282	46.7%	Low
5	Adelaide, South Australia	3,333	$2,641	$219	47.5%	Low
6	Sunshine Coast Regional, Queensland	2,994	$2,809	$268	44.8%	Low
7	Hobart, Tasmania	1,502	$2,750	$199	52.4%	High
8	Noosa Heads, Queensland	1,054	$4,192	$410	46.4%	Low
9	Shoalhaven City Council, New South Wales	1,053	$3,068	$410	33.1%	High
10	Byron Bay, New South Wales	1,007	$4,057	$444	41.5%	High
11	Cairns, Queensland	896	$2,366	$183	51.2%	Low
12	Newcastle-Maitland, New South Wales	833	$2,570	$242	43.9%	High
13	Gosford, New South Wales	807	$2,511	$374	33.1%	High
14	Central Coast Council, New South Wales	798	$2,611	$376	31.7%	High
15	Cowes, Victoria	747	$2,077	$283	31.3%	Low
16	Port Douglas, Queensland	675	$2,918	$352	39.2%	Low
17	Surfers Paradise, Queensland	670	$2,415	$267	49.3%	Low
18	Cairns Regional, Queensland	648	$3,309	$310	41.8%	Low
19	Darwin, Northern Territory	618	$2,317	$207	49.1%	Low
20	Jindabyne, New South Wales	609	$2,350	$393	32.3%	High
21	Brisbane City, Queensland	556	$2,087	$197	49.5%	Low
22	Launceston, Tasmania	547	$2,281	$181	48.3%	High
23	City Of Busselton, Western Australia	540	$3,627	$332	42.3%	High
24	Nelson Bay, New South Wales	537	$2,292	$374	28.9%	High
25	Dunsborough, Western Australia	533	$3,576	$330	45.1%	High
26	Wollongong City Council, New South Wales	529	$2,554	$256	44.2%	High
27	Bright, Victoria	509	$2,843	$284	37.8%	Low
28	Torquay, Victoria	501	$2,331	$314	35.6%	Low
29	City of Stirling, Western Australia	495	$2,861	$205	55.3%	High
30	Cessnock, New South Wales	482	$3,587	$425	32.9%	High
31	Forster, New South Wales	462	$1,680	$278	30.9%	High
32	Daylesford, Victoria	461	$2,791	$298	35.6%	Low
33	Margaret River, Western Australia	461	$3,948	$247	58.9%	High
34	Vincentia, New South Wales	459	$2,950	$370	34.3%	High
35	Yamba, New South Wales	456	$2,426	$331	34.2%	High
36	Geelong, Victoria	454	$1,671	$180	39.0%	Low
37	Perth, Western Australia	432	$2,469	$177	56.5%	High
38	Apollo Bay, Victoria	430	$2,219	$271	34.2%	Low
39	Ocean Grove, Victoria	423	$2,018	$288	33.7%	Low
40	Eurobodalla Shire Council, New South Wales	416	$1,869	$267	33.0%	High
41	Lorne, Victoria	416	$2,360	$386	29.8%	Low
42	Airlie Beach, Queensland	415	$3,461	$300	49.0%	Low
43	Port Macquarie, New South Wales	410	$1,929	$212	42.6%	High
44	Southbank, Victoria	401	$1,901	$207	48.1%	Low
45	Whitsunday Regional, Queensland	391	$5,959	$552	46.5%	Low
46	Townsville, Queensland	388	$1,802	$200	44.4%	Low
47	Kingscliff, New South Wales	377	$2,905	$380	36.0%	High
48	North Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	374	$1,884	$153	48.0%	Low
49	Ballarat, Victoria	370	$1,751	$165	42.9%	Low
50	Coffs Harbour, New South Wales	367	$2,458	$252	39.9%	High
51	Shire of Colac Otway, Victoria	366	$2,422	$297	34.2%	Low
52	Inverloch, Victoria	347	$1,473	$263	29.4%	Low
53	Townsville City, Queensland	343	$1,507	$216	33.1%	Low
54	Orange, New South Wales	338	$2,405	$225	43.3%	High
55	Port Fairy, Victoria	329	$1,984	$279	31.6%	Low
56	Fremantle, Western Australia	329	$2,777	$188	59.7%	High
57	City of Greater Geelong, Victoria	324	$2,196	$315	33.7%	Low
58	Mandurah, Western Australia	319	$2,591	$274	41.8%	High
59	Port Stephens Council, New South Wales	318	$2,879	$412	30.6%	High
60	Shire of South Gippsland, Victoria	318	$1,785	$230	31.8%	Low
61	Hervey Bay, Queensland	307	$1,869	$178	46.8%	Low
62	Sunshine Beach, Queensland	296	$3,410	$424	41.3%	Low
63	Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	292	$1,709	$170	45.3%	Low
64	Robe, South Australia	291	$1,918	$232	37.2%	Low
65	Mid-Coast Council, New South Wales	283	$1,877	$253	33.1%	High
66	Bendigo, Victoria	283	$1,818	$192	41.5%	Low
67	Anglesea, Victoria	279	$1,740	$322	28.6%	Low
68	Thredbo, New South Wales	275	$2,892	$515	26.8%	High
69	Warrnambool, Victoria	273	$2,107	$227	39.8%	Low
70	Bathurst, New South Wales	269	$2,014	$294	36.1%	High
71	Scenic Rim Regional, Queensland	268	$3,268	$271	45.4%	Low
72	Lennox Head, New South Wales	263	$2,545	$335	40.1%	High
73	Huskisson, New South Wales	259	$3,450	$339	38.4%	High
74	Shoal Bay, New South Wales	257	$2,532	$396	28.4%	High
75	Wagga Wagga City Council, New South Wales	256	$2,017	$279	40.4%	High
76	Shire of Hepburn, Victoria	255	$2,776	$315	35.4%	Low
77	Yallingup, Western Australia	250	$4,333	$394	45.5%	High
78	Blackheath, New South Wales	249	$3,085	$289	41.8%	High
79	Toowoomba, Queensland	249	$2,406	$163	53.2%	Low
80	Albany, Western Australia	239	$3,147	$221	52.5%	High
81	Busselton, Western Australia	232	$3,336	$252	49.7%	High
82	Merimbula, New South Wales	231	$2,223	$264	39.6%	High
83	Kiama, New South Wales	230	$3,127	$383	38.2%	High
84	Mudgee, New South Wales	226	$3,305	$327	40.5%	High
85	Snowy Monaro Regional Council, New South Wales	224	$3,336	$408	34.2%	High
86	Agnes Water, Queensland	224	$2,100	$254	36.4%	Low
87	Terrigal, New South Wales	221	$2,499	$380	34.6%	High
88	Mid-Western Regional Council, New South Wales	217	$2,882	$343	33.1%	High
89	Halls Gap, Victoria	213	$2,333	$198	42.3%	Low
90	Crescent Head, New South Wales	210	$1,668	$230	32.9%	High
91	Dubbo, New South Wales	209	$2,226	$228	45.0%	High
92	Surf Coast Shire, Victoria	209	$1,929	$315	30.6%	Low
93	Rainbow Beach, Queensland	207	$1,634	$229	35.4%	Low
94	Livingstone Shire, Queensland	206	$1,686	$199	35.6%	Low
95	Albury, New South Wales	197	$1,936	$172	45.8%	High
96	Shire of East Gippsland, Victoria	196	$1,524	$220	30.8%	Low
97	Suffolk Park, New South Wales	194	$2,955	$412	42.1%	High
98	South West Rocks, New South Wales	193	$1,346	$198	33.3%	High
99	Bowral, New South Wales	192	$4,193	$406	42.9%	High
100	Lakes Entrance, Victoria	192	$1,793	$233	32.6%	Low

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 $5,959/month at $552 ADR and 46.5% 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	$5,959	391	$552	46.5%	Low
2	Yallingup, Western Australia	$4,333	250	$394	45.5%	High
3	Bowral, New South Wales	$4,193	192	$406	42.9%	High
4	Noosa Heads, Queensland	$4,192	1,054	$410	46.4%	Low
5	Byron Bay, New South Wales	$4,057	1,007	$444	41.5%	High
6	Margaret River, Western Australia	$3,948	461	$247	58.9%	High
7	City Of Busselton, Western Australia	$3,627	540	$332	42.3%	High
8	Cessnock, New South Wales	$3,587	482	$425	32.9%	High
9	Dunsborough, Western Australia	$3,576	533	$330	45.1%	High
10	Airlie Beach, Queensland	$3,461	415	$300	49.0%	Low
11	Huskisson, New South Wales	$3,450	259	$339	38.4%	High
12	Sunshine Beach, Queensland	$3,410	296	$424	41.3%	Low
13	Snowy Monaro Regional Council, New South Wales	$3,336	224	$408	34.2%	High
14	Busselton, Western Australia	$3,336	232	$252	49.7%	High
15	Cairns Regional, Queensland	$3,309	648	$310	41.8%	Low
16	Mudgee, New South Wales	$3,305	226	$327	40.5%	High
17	Scenic Rim Regional, Queensland	$3,268	268	$271	45.4%	Low
18	Gold Coast City, Queensland	$3,159	4,651	$282	46.7%	Low
19	Albany, Western Australia	$3,147	239	$221	52.5%	High
20	Kiama, New South Wales	$3,127	230	$383	38.2%	High
21	Blackheath, New South Wales	$3,085	249	$289	41.8%	High
22	Shoalhaven City Council, New South Wales	$3,068	1,053	$410	33.1%	High
23	Suffolk Park, New South Wales	$2,955	194	$412	42.1%	High
24	Vincentia, New South Wales	$2,950	459	$370	34.3%	High
25	Port Douglas, Queensland	$2,918	675	$352	39.2%	Low
26	Kingscliff, New South Wales	$2,905	377	$380	36.0%	High
27	Thredbo, New South Wales	$2,892	275	$515	26.8%	High
28	Mid-Western Regional Council, New South Wales	$2,882	217	$343	33.1%	High
29	Port Stephens Council, New South Wales	$2,879	318	$412	30.6%	High
30	City of Stirling, Western Australia	$2,861	495	$205	55.3%	High
31	Bright, Victoria	$2,843	509	$284	37.8%	Low
32	Sunshine Coast Regional, Queensland	$2,809	2,994	$268	44.8%	Low
33	Daylesford, Victoria	$2,791	461	$298	35.6%	Low
34	Fremantle, Western Australia	$2,777	329	$188	59.7%	High
35	Shire of Hepburn, Victoria	$2,776	255	$315	35.4%	Low
36	Hobart, Tasmania	$2,750	1,502	$199	52.4%	High
37	Sydney, New South Wales	$2,722	10,809	$258	48.0%	High
38	Adelaide, South Australia	$2,641	3,333	$219	47.5%	Low
39	Central Coast Council, New South Wales	$2,611	798	$376	31.7%	High
40	Mandurah, Western Australia	$2,591	319	$274	41.8%	High
41	Newcastle-Maitland, New South Wales	$2,570	833	$242	43.9%	High
42	Wollongong City Council, New South Wales	$2,554	529	$256	44.2%	High
43	Lennox Head, New South Wales	$2,545	263	$335	40.1%	High
44	Shoal Bay, New South Wales	$2,532	257	$396	28.4%	High
45	Gosford, New South Wales	$2,511	807	$374	33.1%	High
46	Terrigal, New South Wales	$2,499	221	$380	34.6%	High
47	Perth, Western Australia	$2,469	432	$177	56.5%	High
48	Coffs Harbour, New South Wales	$2,458	367	$252	39.9%	High
49	Yamba, New South Wales	$2,426	456	$331	34.2%	High
50	Shire of Colac Otway, Victoria	$2,422	366	$297	34.2%	Low
51	Surfers Paradise, Queensland	$2,415	670	$267	49.3%	Low
52	Toowoomba, Queensland	$2,406	249	$163	53.2%	Low
53	Orange, New South Wales	$2,405	338	$225	43.3%	High
54	Greater Brisbane, Queensland	$2,366	4,785	$225	46.8%	Low
55	Cairns, Queensland	$2,366	896	$183	51.2%	Low
56	Lorne, Victoria	$2,360	416	$386	29.8%	Low
57	Jindabyne, New South Wales	$2,350	609	$393	32.3%	High
58	Halls Gap, Victoria	$2,333	213	$198	42.3%	Low
59	Torquay, Victoria	$2,331	501	$314	35.6%	Low
60	Darwin, Northern Territory	$2,317	618	$207	49.1%	Low
61	Nelson Bay, New South Wales	$2,292	537	$374	28.9%	High
62	Launceston, Tasmania	$2,281	547	$181	48.3%	High
63	Dubbo, New South Wales	$2,226	209	$228	45.0%	High
64	Merimbula, New South Wales	$2,223	231	$264	39.6%	High
65	Apollo Bay, Victoria	$2,219	430	$271	34.2%	Low
66	City of Greater Geelong, Victoria	$2,196	324	$315	33.7%	Low
67	Melbourne, Victoria	$2,112	15,729	$230	42.5%	Low
68	Warrnambool, Victoria	$2,107	273	$227	39.8%	Low
69	Agnes Water, Queensland	$2,100	224	$254	36.4%	Low
70	Brisbane City, Queensland	$2,087	556	$197	49.5%	Low
71	Cowes, Victoria	$2,077	747	$283	31.3%	Low
72	Ocean Grove, Victoria	$2,018	423	$288	33.7%	Low
73	Wagga Wagga City Council, New South Wales	$2,017	256	$279	40.4%	High
74	Bathurst, New South Wales	$2,014	269	$294	36.1%	High
75	Port Fairy, Victoria	$1,984	329	$279	31.6%	Low
76	Albury, New South Wales	$1,936	197	$172	45.8%	High
77	Port Macquarie, New South Wales	$1,929	410	$212	42.6%	High
78	Surf Coast Shire, Victoria	$1,929	209	$315	30.6%	Low
79	Robe, South Australia	$1,918	291	$232	37.2%	Low
80	Southbank, Victoria	$1,901	401	$207	48.1%	Low
81	North Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	$1,884	374	$153	48.0%	Low
82	Mid-Coast Council, New South Wales	$1,877	283	$253	33.1%	High
83	Hervey Bay, Queensland	$1,869	307	$178	46.8%	Low
84	Eurobodalla Shire Council, New South Wales	$1,869	416	$267	33.0%	High
85	Bendigo, Victoria	$1,818	283	$192	41.5%	Low
86	Townsville, Queensland	$1,802	388	$200	44.4%	Low
87	Lakes Entrance, Victoria	$1,793	192	$233	32.6%	Low
88	Shire of South Gippsland, Victoria	$1,785	318	$230	31.8%	Low
89	Ballarat, Victoria	$1,751	370	$165	42.9%	Low
90	Anglesea, Victoria	$1,740	279	$322	28.6%	Low
91	Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	$1,709	292	$170	45.3%	Low
92	Livingstone Shire, Queensland	$1,686	206	$199	35.6%	Low
93	Forster, New South Wales	$1,680	462	$278	30.9%	High
94	Geelong, Victoria	$1,671	454	$180	39.0%	Low
95	Crescent Head, New South Wales	$1,668	210	$230	32.9%	High
96	Rainbow Beach, Queensland	$1,634	207	$229	35.4%	Low
97	Shire of East Gippsland, Victoria	$1,524	196	$220	30.8%	Low
98	Townsville City, Queensland	$1,507	343	$216	33.1%	Low
99	Inverloch, Victoria	$1,473	347	$263	29.4%	Low
100	South West Rocks, New South Wales	$1,346	193	$198	33.3%	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 $552/night, generating $5,959/month at 46.5% 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	$552	391	$5,959	46.5%	Low
2	Thredbo, New South Wales	$515	275	$2,892	26.8%	High
3	Byron Bay, New South Wales	$444	1,007	$4,057	41.5%	High
4	Cessnock, New South Wales	$425	482	$3,587	32.9%	High
5	Sunshine Beach, Queensland	$424	296	$3,410	41.3%	Low
6	Suffolk Park, New South Wales	$412	194	$2,955	42.1%	High
7	Port Stephens Council, New South Wales	$412	318	$2,879	30.6%	High
8	Shoalhaven City Council, New South Wales	$410	1,053	$3,068	33.1%	High
9	Noosa Heads, Queensland	$410	1,054	$4,192	46.4%	Low
10	Snowy Monaro Regional Council, New South Wales	$408	224	$3,336	34.2%	High
11	Bowral, New South Wales	$406	192	$4,193	42.9%	High
12	Shoal Bay, New South Wales	$396	257	$2,532	28.4%	High
13	Yallingup, Western Australia	$394	250	$4,333	45.5%	High
14	Jindabyne, New South Wales	$393	609	$2,350	32.3%	High
15	Lorne, Victoria	$386	416	$2,360	29.8%	Low
16	Kiama, New South Wales	$383	230	$3,127	38.2%	High
17	Kingscliff, New South Wales	$380	377	$2,905	36.0%	High
18	Terrigal, New South Wales	$380	221	$2,499	34.6%	High
19	Central Coast Council, New South Wales	$376	798	$2,611	31.7%	High
20	Nelson Bay, New South Wales	$374	537	$2,292	28.9%	High
21	Gosford, New South Wales	$374	807	$2,511	33.1%	High
22	Vincentia, New South Wales	$370	459	$2,950	34.3%	High
23	Port Douglas, Queensland	$352	675	$2,918	39.2%	Low
24	Mid-Western Regional Council, New South Wales	$343	217	$2,882	33.1%	High
25	Huskisson, New South Wales	$339	259	$3,450	38.4%	High
26	Lennox Head, New South Wales	$335	263	$2,545	40.1%	High
27	City Of Busselton, Western Australia	$332	540	$3,627	42.3%	High
28	Yamba, New South Wales	$331	456	$2,426	34.2%	High
29	Dunsborough, Western Australia	$330	533	$3,576	45.1%	High
30	Mudgee, New South Wales	$327	226	$3,305	40.5%	High
31	Anglesea, Victoria	$322	279	$1,740	28.6%	Low
32	City of Greater Geelong, Victoria	$315	324	$2,196	33.7%	Low
33	Surf Coast Shire, Victoria	$315	209	$1,929	30.6%	Low
34	Shire of Hepburn, Victoria	$315	255	$2,776	35.4%	Low
35	Torquay, Victoria	$314	501	$2,331	35.6%	Low
36	Cairns Regional, Queensland	$310	648	$3,309	41.8%	Low
37	Airlie Beach, Queensland	$300	415	$3,461	49.0%	Low
38	Daylesford, Victoria	$298	461	$2,791	35.6%	Low
39	Shire of Colac Otway, Victoria	$297	366	$2,422	34.2%	Low
40	Bathurst, New South Wales	$294	269	$2,014	36.1%	High
41	Blackheath, New South Wales	$289	249	$3,085	41.8%	High
42	Ocean Grove, Victoria	$288	423	$2,018	33.7%	Low
43	Bright, Victoria	$284	509	$2,843	37.8%	Low
44	Cowes, Victoria	$283	747	$2,077	31.3%	Low
45	Gold Coast City, Queensland	$282	4,651	$3,159	46.7%	Low
46	Port Fairy, Victoria	$279	329	$1,984	31.6%	Low
47	Wagga Wagga City Council, New South Wales	$279	256	$2,017	40.4%	High
48	Forster, New South Wales	$278	462	$1,680	30.9%	High
49	Mandurah, Western Australia	$274	319	$2,591	41.8%	High
50	Apollo Bay, Victoria	$271	430	$2,219	34.2%	Low
51	Scenic Rim Regional, Queensland	$271	268	$3,268	45.4%	Low
52	Sunshine Coast Regional, Queensland	$268	2,994	$2,809	44.8%	Low
53	Surfers Paradise, Queensland	$267	670	$2,415	49.3%	Low
54	Eurobodalla Shire Council, New South Wales	$267	416	$1,869	33.0%	High
55	Merimbula, New South Wales	$264	231	$2,223	39.6%	High
56	Inverloch, Victoria	$263	347	$1,473	29.4%	Low
57	Sydney, New South Wales	$258	10,809	$2,722	48.0%	High
58	Wollongong City Council, New South Wales	$256	529	$2,554	44.2%	High
59	Agnes Water, Queensland	$254	224	$2,100	36.4%	Low
60	Mid-Coast Council, New South Wales	$253	283	$1,877	33.1%	High
61	Busselton, Western Australia	$252	232	$3,336	49.7%	High
62	Coffs Harbour, New South Wales	$252	367	$2,458	39.9%	High
63	Margaret River, Western Australia	$247	461	$3,948	58.9%	High
64	Newcastle-Maitland, New South Wales	$242	833	$2,570	43.9%	High
65	Lakes Entrance, Victoria	$233	192	$1,793	32.6%	Low
66	Robe, South Australia	$232	291	$1,918	37.2%	Low
67	Shire of South Gippsland, Victoria	$230	318	$1,785	31.8%	Low
68	Melbourne, Victoria	$230	15,729	$2,112	42.5%	Low
69	Crescent Head, New South Wales	$230	210	$1,668	32.9%	High
70	Rainbow Beach, Queensland	$229	207	$1,634	35.4%	Low
71	Dubbo, New South Wales	$228	209	$2,226	45.0%	High
72	Warrnambool, Victoria	$227	273	$2,107	39.8%	Low
73	Greater Brisbane, Queensland	$225	4,785	$2,366	46.8%	Low
74	Orange, New South Wales	$225	338	$2,405	43.3%	High
75	Albany, Western Australia	$221	239	$3,147	52.5%	High
76	Shire of East Gippsland, Victoria	$220	196	$1,524	30.8%	Low
77	Adelaide, South Australia	$219	3,333	$2,641	47.5%	Low
78	Townsville City, Queensland	$216	343	$1,507	33.1%	Low
79	Port Macquarie, New South Wales	$212	410	$1,929	42.6%	High
80	Darwin, Northern Territory	$207	618	$2,317	49.1%	Low
81	Southbank, Victoria	$207	401	$1,901	48.1%	Low
82	City of Stirling, Western Australia	$205	495	$2,861	55.3%	High
83	Townsville, Queensland	$200	388	$1,802	44.4%	Low
84	Hobart, Tasmania	$199	1,502	$2,750	52.4%	High
85	Livingstone Shire, Queensland	$199	206	$1,686	35.6%	Low
86	South West Rocks, New South Wales	$198	193	$1,346	33.3%	High
87	Halls Gap, Victoria	$198	213	$2,333	42.3%	Low
88	Brisbane City, Queensland	$197	556	$2,087	49.5%	Low
89	Bendigo, Victoria	$192	283	$1,818	41.5%	Low
90	Fremantle, Western Australia	$188	329	$2,777	59.7%	High
91	Cairns, Queensland	$183	896	$2,366	51.2%	Low
92	Launceston, Tasmania	$181	547	$2,281	48.3%	High
93	Geelong, Victoria	$180	454	$1,671	39.0%	Low
94	Hervey Bay, Queensland	$178	307	$1,869	46.8%	Low
95	Perth, Western Australia	$177	432	$2,469	56.5%	High
96	Albury, New South Wales	$172	197	$1,936	45.8%	High
97	Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	$170	292	$1,709	45.3%	Low
98	Ballarat, Victoria	$165	370	$1,751	42.9%	Low
99	Toowoomba, Queensland	$163	249	$2,406	53.2%	Low
100	North Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	$153	374	$1,884	48.0%	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 59.7% occupancy, $2,777/month revenue, and 329 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	59.7%	329	$2,777	$188	High
2	Margaret River, Western Australia	58.9%	461	$3,948	$247	High
3	Perth, Western Australia	56.5%	432	$2,469	$177	High
4	City of Stirling, Western Australia	55.3%	495	$2,861	$205	High
5	Hobart, Tasmania	52.4%	1,502	$2,750	$199	High
6	Cairns, Queensland	51.2%	896	$2,366	$183	Low
7	Brisbane City, Queensland	49.5%	556	$2,087	$197	Low
8	Surfers Paradise, Queensland	49.3%	670	$2,415	$267	Low
9	Darwin, Northern Territory	49.1%	618	$2,317	$207	Low
10	Airlie Beach, Queensland	49.0%	415	$3,461	$300	Low
11	Launceston, Tasmania	48.3%	547	$2,281	$181	High
12	Southbank, Victoria	48.1%	401	$1,901	$207	Low
13	Sydney, New South Wales	48.0%	10,809	$2,722	$258	High
14	North Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	48.0%	374	$1,884	$153	Low
15	Adelaide, South Australia	47.5%	3,333	$2,641	$219	Low
16	Greater Brisbane, Queensland	46.8%	4,785	$2,366	$225	Low
17	Hervey Bay, Queensland	46.8%	307	$1,869	$178	Low
18	Gold Coast City, Queensland	46.7%	4,651	$3,159	$282	Low
19	Whitsunday Regional, Queensland	46.5%	391	$5,959	$552	Low
20	Noosa Heads, Queensland	46.4%	1,054	$4,192	$410	Low
21	Dunsborough, Western Australia	45.1%	533	$3,576	$330	High
22	Sunshine Coast Regional, Queensland	44.8%	2,994	$2,809	$268	Low
23	Townsville, Queensland	44.4%	388	$1,802	$200	Low
24	Wollongong City Council, New South Wales	44.2%	529	$2,554	$256	High
25	Newcastle-Maitland, New South Wales	43.9%	833	$2,570	$242	High
26	Orange, New South Wales	43.3%	338	$2,405	$225	High
27	Ballarat, Victoria	42.9%	370	$1,751	$165	Low
28	Port Macquarie, New South Wales	42.6%	410	$1,929	$212	High
29	Melbourne, Victoria	42.5%	15,729	$2,112	$230	Low
30	City Of Busselton, Western Australia	42.3%	540	$3,627	$332	High
31	Mandurah, Western Australia	41.8%	319	$2,591	$274	High
32	Cairns Regional, Queensland	41.8%	648	$3,309	$310	Low
33	Byron Bay, New South Wales	41.5%	1,007	$4,057	$444	High
34	Coffs Harbour, New South Wales	39.9%	367	$2,458	$252	High
35	Port Douglas, Queensland	39.2%	675	$2,918	$352	Low
36	Geelong, Victoria	39.0%	454	$1,671	$180	Low
37	Bright, Victoria	37.8%	509	$2,843	$284	Low
38	Kingscliff, New South Wales	36.0%	377	$2,905	$380	High
39	Daylesford, Victoria	35.6%	461	$2,791	$298	Low
40	Torquay, Victoria	35.6%	501	$2,331	$314	Low
41	Vincentia, New South Wales	34.3%	459	$2,950	$370	High
42	Yamba, New South Wales	34.2%	456	$2,426	$331	High
43	Apollo Bay, Victoria	34.2%	430	$2,219	$271	Low
44	Shire of Colac Otway, Victoria	34.2%	366	$2,422	$297	Low
45	City of Greater Geelong, Victoria	33.7%	324	$2,196	$315	Low
46	Ocean Grove, Victoria	33.7%	423	$2,018	$288	Low
47	Townsville City, Queensland	33.1%	343	$1,507	$216	Low
48	Shoalhaven City Council, New South Wales	33.1%	1,053	$3,068	$410	High
49	Gosford, New South Wales	33.1%	807	$2,511	$374	High
50	Eurobodalla Shire Council, New South Wales	33.0%	416	$1,869	$267	High
51	Cessnock, New South Wales	32.9%	482	$3,587	$425	High
52	Jindabyne, New South Wales	32.3%	609	$2,350	$393	High
53	Shire of South Gippsland, Victoria	31.8%	318	$1,785	$230	Low
54	Central Coast Council, New South Wales	31.7%	798	$2,611	$376	High
55	Port Fairy, Victoria	31.6%	329	$1,984	$279	Low
56	Cowes, Victoria	31.3%	747	$2,077	$283	Low
57	Forster, New South Wales	30.9%	462	$1,680	$278	High
58	Port Stephens Council, New South Wales	30.6%	318	$2,879	$412	High
59	Lorne, Victoria	29.8%	416	$2,360	$386	Low
60	Inverloch, Victoria	29.4%	347	$1,473	$263	Low
61	Nelson Bay, New South Wales	28.9%	537	$2,292	$374	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: 49 have a low regulation profile (generally operator-friendly with minimal licensing requirements), 0 have medium regulation (some permit or registration requirements), and 51 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 15,729 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 $5,959. 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 59.7%. 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 40.1% occupancy, and the top performer posts $5,959 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 40.1%. 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, 49 of 100 ranked markets have low regulation, 0 have medium, and 51 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 367 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 2026-07-06. 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