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Airbnb in Melbourne: License, Income & Investment Guide 2026

By HostPal Editorial·Updated 354 days ago·Source: Inside Airbnb

Melbourne short-term rental market data, neighbourhood breakdown, and regulation summary.

At a glance
Median occupancy
30%
+8.6 pts YoY
Median daily rate
$103.62
+1.3% YoY
Active listings
15,424
25,599 total
Revenue per available night
$19.07

Year-over-year performance

Compared to the closest snapshot from approximately 12 months ago, the Melbourne short-term rental market has shifted in measurable ways. Occupancy among active listings is up 8.6 points, while the median daily rate is up 1.3 percent.

Melbourne — occupancy over time 20% 3y ago 2022-09 18% 2y ago 2023-09 21% 1y ago 2024-09 30% Now 2025-08

Looking further back: three years ago, occupancy was 10.3 points lower. Two years ago, 11.9 points lower.

When Melbourne Airbnbs perform best

Monthly occupancy data shows the seasonal rhythm of the Melbourne short-term rental market. Use this to plan dynamic pricing, target peak demand, and avoid lulls.

Melbourne — monthly occupancy 53% 58% 60% 57% 66% 67% 67% 62% 48% 47% 53% 56% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 100% 0%

How Melbourne compares to Australia

Benchmarked against 11 other Australia markets we track, Melbourne's metrics tell a clear story.

Occupancy vs national
+0 pts vs national
National median: 30%
Daily rate vs national
-35.1% vs national
National median: $159.7

What kind of Airbnbs are in Melbourne?

Of the 15,424 active operating listings, 81% are entire homes (vs private rooms), and 42.1% are operated by Airbnb Superhosts.

Bedroom mix among active listings
1 BR
2 BR
3 BR
Studio: 2.3%1 BR: 44.8%2 BR: 32.9%3 BR: 12.3%4+ BR: 7.7%

Top neighborhoods in Melbourne

The 30 neighborhoods we track range from established tourist hotspots to emerging investment zones. Here are the five strongest by revenue.

NeighborhoodListingsOccupancyRevPARYoY
Nillumbik7230%$42.77-7 pts YoY
Yarra Ranges89936%$38.54+9.7 pts YoY
Yarra1,06936%$27.59+7.5 pts YoY
Melbourne5,40936%$24.75+9.7 pts YoY
Cardinia15030%$21.19+8.6 pts YoY

Frequently asked questions

What is the average Airbnb occupancy in Melbourne?
Active Airbnb listings in Melbourne run at ~30% occupancy (up 8.6 points year over year). Source: Inside Airbnb.
What is the median daily rate for an Airbnb in Melbourne?
The median Airbnb daily rate (ADR) in Melbourne is approximately $103.62, up 1.3% year over year. Based on listings with at least one review in the last 12 months.
How many active Airbnb listings are in Melbourne?
There are approximately 15,424 active short-term rental listings in Melbourne (listings with at least one booking in the last 12 months).
Is Airbnb income growing or shrinking in Melbourne?
Compared to a year ago, Melbourne short-term rental performance has shifted: occupancy +8.6 pts, daily rate +1.3%. Underlying data comes from the latest Inside Airbnb snapshot vs the closest archive ~12 months prior.

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Going deeper?

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Property-level financials, stress tests, neighborhood-by-neighborhood breakdowns, and an AI verdict on whether to buy.

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Methodology. Market metrics are derived from Inside Airbnb's 2025-08 snapshot, filtered to active listings (those with at least one booking in the last 12 months). Year-over-year deltas compare against the closest archived snapshot ~12 months prior. Sample sizes: occupancy n=9,898, ADR n=13,925.