For years, Airbnb and Vrbo have been synonymous with budget-friendly travel. When it comes to booking accommodations, many travelers are torn between hotels and Airbnb options. But what do the latest findings say about Hotels vs Airbnb prices?

A recent UK consumer advocacy, “Which?” analyzed thousands of hotel prices alongside 300,000 Airbnb and Vrbo listings. The findings? In 38 out of 50 major destinations, hotels actually offered better value.

For your reference, one UK pound is approximately 1.2 US dollar.

Are Hotels More Affordable Than Airbnb? A Price Breakdown?

According to the study, the average price for a one-bedroom Airbnb or Vrbo rental was £120 per night. In comparison, a hotel room (excluding five-star hotels) cost just £101 per night—a 19% price difference in favor of hotels.

The price gap was even more dramatic in popular destinations like Santorini, Amsterdam, and Hong Kong – setting travellers back hundreds of pounds more for a rental over a week-long stay, even before accounting for service charges, which were not included in Which?’s price analysis.

City-by-City Price Comparison: Hotels vs Airbnb prices

In popular travel destinations, hotels often offer better value than Airbnb or Vrbo. In Santorini, a one-bed Airbnb costs £203 per night, 71% more than a hotel stay at £119—a week-long hotel stay could save travelers £588. Amsterdam sees similar trends, with hotels averaging £116 per night, compared to £183 for Airbnb (+58%), potentially saving £496 over seven nights.

Asian destinations also show a stark contrast. In Hong Kong, hotels cost £53 per night, while Airbnb and Vrbo listings average £98 (+85%). Similar trends emerge in Singapore and Dubai, where hotel stays often prove more cost-effective.

Hotels vs. Airbnb in the UK & France

The trend extends to the UK, where hotels remain the cheaper option in Southwold (£155 vs. £223 for Airbnb, +44%), Greater London (£102 vs. £162, +60%), and Edinburgh (£104 vs. £126, +22%). Smaller savings can still be found in Belfast (£99 vs. £104) and Cardiff (£108 vs. £119).

Despite rising hotel prices, Airbnb and Vrbo listings often remain more expensive, especially for solo travelers or couples. However, private rentals can be a better deal for larger groups. In France, Airbnb or Vrbo rentals were cheaper or the same price as hotels in five out of seven destinations, including Antibes, Biarritz, La Rochelle, and Avignon, while in Bordeaux and Paris, hotels were the more budget-friendly option.

Comparing Hotels vs Airbnb Prices in Popular Destinations

 Average price of a one-bedroom Airbnb/Vrbo*Average price of a hotel room**Price difference
Amsterdam£183£116£67
Singapore£141£81£60
Greater London£162£102£60
Dubai£127£71£56
Barcelona£139£94£45
Hong Kong£98£53£45
San Francisco£163£127£36
Sydney£121£87£34
Bath£123£89£34
Paris£141£109£32
Palma de Mallorca£115£87£28
Auckland£95£68£27
Berlin£99£77£22
Edinburgh£126£104£22
York£117£99£18
New York£173£156£17
Malaga£89£73£16
Rome£109£96£13
Porto£75£62£13
Brighton£128£115£13
Cardiff£119£108£11
Florence£108£99£9
Bordeaux£84£78£6
Belfast£104£99£5
Nice£96£96£0
Syracuse£73£78-£5
Palermo£64£77-£13
Vancouver£122£145-£23
Seville£96£126-£30
Avignon£73£109-£36

 Table notes: *Airbnb/Vrbo prices are based on AirDNA data and include cleaning fees but not service fees. **Hotel prices are based on Kayak data and exclude five-star hotels.

UK hotel prices vs Airbnb/Vrbo prices

 Average price of a one-bedroom Airbnb/Vrbo*Average price of a hotel room**Price difference
Southwold£223£155£68
Greater London£162£102£60
St Andrews£160£120£40
Bath£123£89£34
Bamburgh£135£108£27
Edinburgh£126£104£22
Llandudno£106£86£20
York£117£99£18
Brighton£128£115£13
Cardiff£119£108£11
Belfast£104£99£5
Swanage£124£123£1
Salcombe£146£160-£14

Table notes:  *Airbnb/Vrbo prices are based on AirDNA data and include cleaning fees but not service fees. **Hotel prices are based on Kayak data and exclude five-star hotels.

 Coastal hotel prices vs Airbnb/Vrbo prices

 Average price of a one-bedroom Airbnb/Vrbo*Average price of a hotel room**Price difference
Santorini, Greece£203£119£84
Almancil, Portugal£144£63£81
Alcudia, Spain£124£87£37
Sorrento, Italy£146£119£27
Zakynthos, Greece£95£79£16
Albufeira, Portugal£88£78£10
Olhao, Portugal£80£72£8
Positano, Italy£235£233£2
Lefkada, Greece£92£90£2
Corfu, Greece£74£80-£6
Antibes, France£94£103-£9
Biarritz, France£92£102-£10
Quarteira, Portugal£85£101-£16
La Rochelle, France£72£109-£37

Table notes:  *Airbnb/Vrbo prices are based on AirDNA data and include cleaning fees but not service fees. **Hotel prices are based on Kayak data and exclude five-star hotels.

Final Thoughts

When comparing Hotels vs. Airbnb prices, hotels are no longer just a luxury—they often offer better value. Before booking your next trip, compare hotel rates with Airbnb and Vrbo listings—you might be surprised by the savings!

For more travel tips, visit our TravelSecrets Blog. Would you pick a hotel over Airbnb? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Methodology:

Which? compared the average cost of a hotel room (excluding five-star hotels) with a one-bedroom holiday rental on Airbnb and Vrbo across 50 destinations.

AirDNA, a data analytics company, provided the average price of one-bedroom listings on Airbnb and Vrbo between May 2022 and May 2023, excluding service fees.

While Airbnb offers the option to book private rooms within a host’s home, Vrbo exclusively lists entire properties. Which? focused solely on these full-property listings.

Hotel price data for the same 12-month period was sourced from Kayak, excluding five-star hotels.

Rights of Reply:

Vrbo: 

“Vrbo only lists whole, private, holiday homes, which is a different experience to booking a hotel room. When you book a Vrbo, you are able to take advantage of amenities within the comfort of the property such as being able to cook and eat together in the kitchen, or relax together in shared spaces with friends and family. This also means that travellers can save money during their stay, if they don’t want to dine in a hotel or a restaurant.

Vrbo strives to be as transparent as possible about pricing. For example, an inclusive pricing feature in the search experience helps guests have a better idea of the total cost of a booking as well as the nightly rate. Each listing page and the check-out experience also includes itemised costs with details on fees and taxes. Hosts are ultimately responsible for setting their own fees, but we encourage hosts to consolidate their fees, so the guest has a better expectation of the total cost when they’re searching.”  

Airbnb: 

“This data is wrong and based on flawed methodology. It overstates prices on Airbnb, and compares standard hotel rooms to entire places listed on Airbnb, which typically include kitchens and living spaces. There is something for every budget on Airbnb and nearly half of guests say booking on Airbnb saved them money. A quarter say they specifically chose Airbnb over other types of accommodation to save money.”