How Much Do You Actually Earn on Airbnb? Real Short-Term Rental Income by City (2026)

Published on: July 8, 2026

Quick answer: Among these four markets in 2026, Dubai and prime Bali villas have the highest earning power, Lisbon is solid, and Bangkok is the lowest. But regulation, not the nightly rate, decides viability: Lisbon reversed its restrictions in January 2026, Bali began delisting unlicensed properties from 31 March 2026, sub-30-day lets in Bangkok are illegal without a hotel licence, and Dubai's first-half-2026 figures are distorted by regional conflict. Always pull two or three data providers and check whether a property can legally operate before you budget on any revenue number.

"How much will my Airbnb make?" is the question every prospective buyer asks, and it's the one the internet answers worst. Headline figures are often cherry-picked, and importantly, different data providers measure the same market and get very different numbers because of how they count listings, seasons and "active" versus dormant properties. So this guide does two things differently. First, for each city it gives a range across multiple providers (AirROI, Airbtics, AirDNA and others) rather than a single false-precise figure. Second, it puts the regulation front and centre, because in 2026 the rules, not the nightly rate, are what decide whether a market is even viable.

Two definitions to keep straight throughout:

  • ADR (Average Daily Rate): the average price per booked night.
  • Occupancy: the share of available nights that were actually booked.
  • Multiply the two (and adjust for available nights) and you get realised revenue, which is why a high ADR with low occupancy can earn less than a modest ADR with high occupancy.

A word on the numbers below. Ranges reflect genuine disagreement between data providers, largely driven by methodology. Aggregators that count every listing (including barely-active ones) tend to show lower average occupancy; ground-level operators managing real portfolios often report higher occupancy on well-run properties. Use the ranges to frame expectations, then verify current data for the specific building and unit type before you buy, and never budget on the optimistic end.

Lisbon: solid demand, and the rules just loosened

Lisbon is one of Europe's largest and most bookable short-term rental markets, with well over 13,000 active listings. Estimates for a typical listing cluster like this in 2026:

  • ADR: roughly US
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