Thirty-two percent occupancy is the number that'll make you pause, and rightly so — for a world city of Sydney's weight, that's lean. But the trajectory matters here: twelve points of recovery over two years tells you this market was genuinely battered and has been climbing back steadily, not bouncing off a fluke weekend. At £208 AUD a night the rate's holding up, which means the drag is on fill, not pricing power. The 180-night cap on non-hosted lets is the structural ceiling you can't trade around — with 13,000-plus active listings all subject to the same constraint, your annual revenue is mathematically capped before you've even looked at a property. If you're buying to let short-term in Sydney without living there, run your numbers on 170 nights maximum and stress-
Year-over-year performance
Compared to the closest snapshot from approximately 12 months ago, the Sydney short-term rental market has shifted in measurable ways. Occupancy among active listings is up 9 points, while the median daily rate is up 3 percent.
Looking further back: three years ago, occupancy was 12.3 points lower. Two years ago, 12.3 points lower.
When Sydney Airbnbs perform best
Monthly occupancy data shows the seasonal rhythm of the Sydney short-term rental market. Use this to plan dynamic pricing, target peak demand, and avoid lulls.
How Sydney compares to Australia
Benchmarked against 11 other Australia markets we track, Sydney's metrics tell a clear story.
License & regulation
NSW STRA register mandatory for all properties. Non-hosted lets in Greater Sydney capped at 180 nights/year. Hosted (owner present) is unlimited. Strata schemes can ban STR by majority vote.
Source: https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/short-term-rental-accommodation
What kind of Airbnbs are in Sydney?
Of the 13,211 active operating listings, 81.9% are entire homes (vs private rooms), and 39% are operated by Airbnb Superhosts.
Top neighborhoods in Sydney
The 38 neighborhoods we track range from established tourist hotspots to emerging investment zones. Here are the five strongest by revenue.
| Neighborhood | Listings | Occupancy | RevPAR | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mosman | 150 | 40% | £36 | +18.4 pts YoY |
| Sydney | 3,384 | 36% | £32 | +3.1 pts YoY |
| North Sydney | 557 | 42% | £30 | +10.8 pts YoY |
| Pittwater | 516 | 30% | £29 | +16.8 pts YoY |
| Manly | 603 | 30% | £29 | +10.3 pts YoY |
Frequently asked questions
What is the average Airbnb occupancy in Sydney?
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