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Airbnb in Crete: License, Income & Investment Guide 2026

By HostPal Editorial·Updated 300 days ago·Source: Inside Airbnb

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

At a glance
Median occupancy
24%
+15.8 pts YoY
Median daily rate
$106.92
+4.2% YoY
Active listings
18,066
27,582 total
Revenue per available night
$10.37

Year-over-year performance

Compared to the closest snapshot from approximately 12 months ago, the Crete short-term rental market has shifted in measurable ways. Occupancy among active listings is up 15.8 points, while the median daily rate is up 4.2 percent.

Crete — occupancy over time 8% 3y ago 2022-09 8% 2y ago 2023-09 8% 1y ago 2024-09 24% Now 2025-09

Looking further back: three years ago, occupancy was 15.8 points lower. Two years ago, 15.8 points lower.

When Crete Airbnbs perform best

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

Crete — monthly occupancy 59% 58% 54% 45% 42% 42% 44% 44% 45% 51% 50% 57% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 100% 0%

How Crete compares to Greece

Benchmarked against 4 other Greece markets we track, Crete's metrics tell a clear story.

Occupancy vs national
-3 pts vs national
National median: 27%
Daily rate vs national
+15.1% vs national
National median: $92.9

What kind of Airbnbs are in Crete?

Of the 18,066 active operating listings, 93.2% are entire homes (vs private rooms), and 47.7% are operated by Airbnb Superhosts.

Bedroom mix among active listings
1 BR
2 BR
3 BR
4+ BR
Studio: 3.9%1 BR: 43.9%2 BR: 27%3 BR: 14.8%4+ BR: 10.4%

Top neighborhoods in Crete

The 24 neighborhoods we track range from established tourist hotspots to emerging investment zones. Here are the five strongest by revenue.

NeighborhoodListingsOccupancyRevPARYoY
Μυλοποτάμου49630%$15.01+21.8 pts YoY
Αποκορώνου1,16524%$12.64+16.3 pts YoY
Ρεθύμνης2,10429%$12.64+20.8 pts YoY
Χανίων4,22130%$12.42+18.5 pts YoY
Αγίου Βασιλείου79628%$12.1+19.8 pts YoY

Frequently asked questions

What is the average Airbnb occupancy in Crete?
Active Airbnb listings in Crete run at ~24% occupancy (up 15.8 points year over year). Source: Inside Airbnb.
What is the median daily rate for an Airbnb in Crete?
The median Airbnb daily rate (ADR) in Crete is approximately $106.92, up 4.2% year over year. Based on listings with at least one review in the last 12 months.
How many active Airbnb listings are in Crete?
There are approximately 18,066 active short-term rental listings in Crete (listings with at least one booking in the last 12 months).
Is Airbnb income growing or shrinking in Crete?
Compared to a year ago, Crete short-term rental performance has shifted: occupancy +15.8 pts, daily rate +4.2%. Underlying data comes from the latest Inside Airbnb snapshot vs the closest archive ~12 months prior.

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Going deeper?

Get the full Crete investment report

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 2025-09 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=15,949, ADR n=16,684.