The price difference between hotels and Airbnbs is often debated, but the reality varies by country, city, property type and booking timing.
Analysing more than 10,000 listings across 20 major European destinations, this article compares average prices, median prices, bedroom costs and listing types, alongside the best time to book each platform. The result is a clear picture of when Airbnb is cheaper, when hotels offer better value and how travellers can save the most.
Key stats
- Airbnb is more expensive than hotels across 20 European cities, with average nightly prices at €284 versus €244 for hotels, while median prices are far closer at €235 versus €230.
- Price gaps vary widely between destinations, with Palma showing a €547 premium for Airbnb stays and London showing a €285 premium for hotel stays.
- Airbnb costs increase with the number of bedrooms, rising from €244 for one-bedroom listings to €1,107 for properties with five or more bedrooms.
- Property type significantly influences Airbnb pricing, ranging from €461.50 for farm stays at the top end to €51 for earthen homes at the lowest point.
- Hotel prices are lowest five to six weeks before travel, with average rates falling by around 20 percent compared with booking one week in advance.
- Airbnb stays are cheapest when booked four weeks in advance, with median prices reaching €270.80, compared with €319.25 for last-minute bookings.
Is an Airbnb cheaper than a hotel?
Airbnb proved more expensive than hotels in 20 of the most-visited European cities, averaging €284, compared to €244 for hotels. This means an Airbnb stay typically costs €40 more per night, or 16.5% higher overall.
Factors such as luxury listings on Airbnb could contribute significantly more to this cost than Booking.com does. After removing the potential for skewed data from outliers (really expensive or cheap listings), the median average shows a smaller difference between Airbnb and hotel prices: Airbnb averages €230, and hotels €235, a €5 difference between the two accommodation platforms, with Airbnb being the cheaper option.
Airbnb vs hotel costs in European cities
Airbnb has the highest overall average price, with Palma at €732, compared to €185 for hotels in the same area, highlighting a potential price discrepancy between the two accommodation types.
Despite that, there are many areas where hotels cost more than Airbnb. The most expensive average hotel price among the top 20 most visited cities is London, at €503, compared to an average of €218 for Airbnb rentals.
Alongside the most expensive destinations, the dataset also reveals the lowest average prices across both platforms. Athens offers the cheapest Airbnb stays at €87 per night, while Frankfurt has the lowest average hotel rate at €89, showing that more affordable options remain common across several major European cities. These lower-price markets contrast sharply with the premium destinations, demonstrating just how wide the range can be depending on visitor demand, local housing supply and seasonality.
There are also locations where Airbnb and hotel prices sit much closer together. Stockholm (Airbnb: €192, hotel: €182) and Venice (Airbnb: €242, hotel: €249) show almost no difference between the two platforms.
Most expensive Airbnb cities
Palma tops the Airbnb rankings by a wide margin, reflecting its resort-driven market and high demand for entire homes. Madrid, Vienna and Prague also sit at the upper end, driven by strong year-round tourism and limited central supply. Northern capitals such as Copenhagen and Amsterdam remain consistently expensive, while cities like Hamburg and Berlin round out the top ten with solid but comparatively moderate pricing.
| Cities ranked by average Airbnb price | ||
|---|---|---|
| Country | City | Average price (€) |
| Spain | Palma | €732 |
| Spain | Madrid | €489 |
| Austria | Vienna | €479 |
| Czech Republic | Prague | €461 |
| Spain | Benidorm | €338 |
| Denmark | Copenhagen | €309 |
| Spain | Barcelona | €300 |
| Netherlands | Amsterdam | €297 |
| Germany | Hamburg | €260 |
| Germany | Berlin | €245 |
Most expensive hotel cities
London leads the hotel rankings with a substantial gap, driven by high occupancy and strong international demand. Prague, Copenhagen and Vienna follow closely, all known for busy city-break markets that push hotel rates upwards. Across the rest of the list, major hubs such as Madrid, Paris, Amsterdam and Barcelona maintain premium pricing, while Palma remains one of the costliest leisure destinations despite more variation in Airbnb rates.
| Cities ranked by average hotel price | ||
|---|---|---|
| Country | City | Avg Price (Hotel) |
| England | London | €503 |
| Czech Republic | Prague | €463 |
| Denmark | Copenhagen | €377 |
| Austria | Vienna | €351 |
| Spain | Madrid | €323 |
| France | Paris | €294 |
| Italy | Rome | €260 |
| Netherlands | Amsterdam | €239 |
| Italy | Venice | €249 |
| Italy | Milan | €216 |
Airbnb vs hotel costs in European cities by median price
When using median prices, the difference between Airbnb and hotels becomes much smaller. The median Airbnb stay costs €235, while the median hotel stay is €230, leaving only a €5 gap between the two. This contrasts with the wider difference in average prices and shows how a small number of high-priced listings can pull Airbnb’s mean upwards.
The median figures may give a clearer view of what most travellers actually pay. Without the influence of premium stays or outliers, Airbnb and hotel prices sit much closer together, suggesting that in many cities, the typical cost of a night’s stay is broadly similar across both platforms.
Where Airbnb is cheaper than hotels
These locations show the clearest examples of Airbnb undercutting average hotel prices.
Where hotels are cheaper than Airbnb
Hotels are cheaper in most of the cities analysed, reflecting more consistent pricing and lower listing-level fees than Airbnb. These locations show where hotels provide better average value across major European destinations.
- Amsterdam
- Barcelona
- Benidorm
- Berlin
- Frankfurt
- Hamburg
- Lisbon
- Madrid
- Munich
- Palma
- Stockholm
- Vienna
Airbnb price by number of bedrooms
Airbnb prices increase sharply as bedroom count rises, but the cost per person becomes significantly more affordable when larger properties are shared across groups. In the 20 cities analysed, 1-bedroom listings average €244 per night, while 5-bedroom or more homes average €1,107 per night. When divided by group size, the picture shifts. A 5-bedroom stay for five people would cost an average of €221 per person. A 6-bedroom stay for six people works out at around €184.50 per guest, and even less when two people share each bedroom. This demonstrates how larger Airbnb properties can offer greater value to larger groups despite higher overall prices.
This cost-sharing dynamic aligns with broader travel behaviour, where families and groups can choose entire homes for more space, communal areas and better per-person value. When viewed through the lens of group occupancy rather than total nightly price, many higher-bedroom properties across the dataset may be more competitively priced, making Airbnb a practical choice for multi-person trips.[1]
Airbnb prices by accommodation type
Airbnb prices vary by property type, with unique or larger stays often commanding higher nightly rates. In the dataset, farms at €461.50, homes at €368.40 and barns at €381.30 are among the most expensive options, reflecting both space and niche appeal. At the lower end, earthen homes at €51, domes at €101 and caves at €106 offer the most affordable prices.
More traditional property types fall in the middle of the price range. Apartments at €279.20, bungalows at €279.80, cottages at €179.30 and condos at €196.30 provide more predictable pricing. Speciality stays such as boats at €316.20 and chalets at €327.30 sit above the mid-range. This variation shows that property style clearly influences Airbnb prices, alongside bedroom count and location.
| Listing type | Price |
|---|---|
| Farm | €461.50 |
| Barn | €381.30 |
| Home | €368.40 |
| Chalet | €327.30 |
| Boat | €316.20 |
| Loft | €313.40 |
| Bungalow | €279.80 |
| Apartment | €279.20 |
| Condo | €196.30 |
| Hut | €182.50 |
| Guesthouse | €180.10 |
| Cottage | €179.30 |
| Cabin | €133.20 |
| Camper/RV | €128.70 |
| Cave | €106.00 |
| Dome | €101.00 |
| Earthen home | €51.00 |
Airbnb fees vs hotel fees
There are fees attached to both hotel and Airbnb bookings, from service and cleaning fees to local tourist tax deductions.
Airbnb fees
Airbnb applies several additional charges on top of the nightly rate, and these vary by listing, location and host settings. According to Airbnb’s published fee structure, most reservations include a guest service fee, cleaning fee and any applicable local taxes, all of which can affect the final price more than travellers expect.
- Host service fee (Split-Fee model): Airbnb’s fee is deducted from the host’s payout; typically 3% for most hosts.
- Guest service fee (Split-Fee model) – Charged on top of the booking subtotal and paid by the guest; usually 14.1%–16.5% of the subtotal.
- Service hosts: typically 15% of the service price, with a minimum fee equivalent to €5.50.
- Experience hosts: Airbnb takes a 20% service fee on Experiences.VAT / local taxes on service fees – VAT may apply to Airbnb’s service fees depending on the jurisdiction.
Source: [2]
Hotel fees
Hotels also apply additional charges, mainly through mandatory local taxes and optional add-on fees. City taxes are often excluded from the displayed room rate, while flexible check-in or check-out options typically incur an extra charge.
- Local taxes: Typically 5–15% of the room rate, and in some destinations, charged per person per night. These taxes are often not included in the advertised price and are required by local law.
- Early check-in / late check-out fees: Usually €15–€60 per occurrence. Hotels are increasingly monetising flexible check-in and check-out options, with Mews data showing an average upsell of €25.
Source:[3],[4]
When is the best time to book accommodation?
Booking accommodation at the right time has a clear impact on price, with both hotels and Airbnbs showing distinct patterns in how costs change as the travel date approaches. Across all datasets, the strongest savings occur in the four- to six-week window, where both platforms offer the most consistent value. Last-minute bookings are the most expensive overall, although the exact timing differs depending on whether travellers are booking a hotel or an Airbnb.
Best time to book a hotel
Hotel prices fall steadily when booked earlier, with the lowest average rates appearing around five to six weeks before the stay. Across all hotels analysed, the average nightly cost drops from €128.17 when booked one week in advance to €101.93 at six weeks, a total saving of roughly 20%. This pattern reflects how hotels reduce prices once their near-term occupancy becomes clearer, while last-minute rooms remain in the highest demand.[X]
Best time to book an Airbnb
Airbnb pricing moves differently from hotels. Based on median prices, the lowest rates appear four weeks before the stay, averaging €249.14. Booking very close to the date increases costs to €293.71, the highest point in the dataset. Booking almost a year ahead also does not produce the cheapest rate, with prices averaging €276.21 at forty-seven weeks.
This suggests that Airbnb hosts set more competitive prices once their immediate calendar is confirmed, while last-minute demand drives up costs as availability tightens.
Booking an Airbnb four weeks before the stay offers the strongest value, saving about 15% compared with last-minute prices and about 10% compared with booking nearly a year in advance.[5]
When to book a hotel by company
The timing of a hotel booking makes a clear and measurable difference across all three chains analysed. Travelodge, Premier Inn and Holiday Inn all show a steady fall in price as the booking date moves further from the stay, with each brand reaching its lowest rates between weeks five and six. Travelodge shows the largest overall reduction, falling from €108.56 when booked one week out to €80.24 at six weeks, a saving of more than 26.50%. Premier Inn follows a similar pattern, with prices dropping from €107.38 at one week ahead to €84.96 at six weeks, a reduction of 20.80%. Holiday Inn reaches its lowest point slightly earlier, falling from €167.56 at one week out to €136.88 at week five before rising modestly at week six.
Despite minor differences in the exact week each chain hits its lowest price, the overall trend remains the same. None of the brands reward last-minute booking, and all three deliver their strongest value between weeks five and six, providing a reliable guideline for travellers seeking the best rates across budget and mid-range hotels.[6]
Sources
- Airbnb Newsroom. “Families Find Value and More Space When Traveling on Airbnb,” https://news.airbnb.com/families-find-value-more-space-when-traveling-on-airbnb/
- Airbnb Help Centre. “How Airbnb Service Fees Work,” https://www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/1857
- Secret Stays. “Hotel Bills Explained: The Real Cost Behind Your Room Rate,” https://secretstays.co.uk/secret-stays-guides/hotel-bills-explained-the-real-cost-behind-your-room-rate/
- Travolution. “Mews Reveals Hotels Embraced Ancillary Revenue in 2023,” https://www.travolution.com/news/travel-sectors/accommodation/mews-reveals-hotels-embraced-ancillary-revenue-in-2023/
- NerdWallet. “Best Time to Book an Airbnb,” https://www.nerdwallet.com/travel/learn/best-time-to-book-airbnb
- Vouchercloud. “Cheapest Time to Book Hotels,” https://www.vouchercloud.com/better-living/cheapest-time-to-book-hotels
Methodology
This analysis compares Airbnb and hotel prices across 20 of Europe’s most visited cities. We scraped a total of 11,925 listings from Airbnb (5,925) and Booking.com (5,794) for 6–7 December 2025, filtering for two adults.
The Airbnb dataset includes a variety of listing types, with bedroom counts and other property details taken directly from the category and attributes provided in the Outscraper data. This enables a consistent comparison of different property types and their associated prices across the dataset. Our data is also supplemented by other sources such as Airbnb and ONS.
All hotel prices, originally collected in GBP, and all Airbnb prices, initially listed in USD, were converted to euros using the European Central Bank reference rates on 2 December 2025, with the conversion applied consistently throughout.
Our data is also supplemented by other sources such as Investors, Airbnb and ONS.
