How much to charge per night for your holiday let
Published on · 5-minute read
There is no magic number. The right price for your property doesn’t come from a table or from what you charged last year: it depends on what similar properties are charging now, for the same nights, and on what you keep after fees. These six steps help you work it out.
1. Start with your minimum price
Before looking at anyone else, work out the price below which letting isn’t worth it. Add up what each occupied night costs you:
- Cleaning and laundry, spread across the nights of a typical stay.
- Utilities (electricity, water, gas, internet) and welcome products.
- The platform’s cut (check the percentage in your Booking or Airbnb account).
- The minimum you want to earn for your time.
Example with made-up numbers: 36 € cleaning for 3-night stays (12 €/night) + 6 € utilities + 3 € products = 21 € of costs per night. If the platform took 15 % and you want to earn at least 40 € net, your minimum price would be around (21 + 40) ÷ 0.85 ≈ 72 €.
That number isn’t your price: it’s your floor. Don’t go below it, even when others do.
2. Compare yourself with truly similar listings
A common mistake is comparing yourself with “the area” in general. A 30 m² studio doesn’t compete with a three-bedroom penthouse on the same street. Look at properties close to yours, with the same bedrooms and capacity, and a similar rating and amenities (parking, pool, air conditioning, terrace).
3. Look at the same dates
Today’s price is no use for two months from now. Always compare the same nights and the same number of guests you want to sell, and keep weekends separate from weekdays. Then ask yourself where you sit: if you’re among the cheapest with a listing just as good as the others, you probably have room to move.
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4. Plan for special dates
Long weekends, local festivals, trade fairs, conferences and concerts change demand in your area for a few days. Put them in your calendar early and review your price for those nights before they fill up.
5. Work out what you keep on each platform
The same price on Booking and Airbnb doesn’t leave the same in your pocket: each charges different fees, and some discount programmes (such as Booking’s Genius) come out of your price. Before copying a number from one platform to the other, work out your net income per night on each, using the percentages in your own account.
6. Review it often
A fixed price all year tends to fall short on the best dates and leave empty nights in quiet ones. The market moves every week: your price should be reviewed too.
Common mistakes
- Copying the cheapest. If you have something they don’t, you don’t need to.
- Looking at one platform only. Your guests compare both.
- Turning on discounts without doing the maths. 10 % off a date that fills up anyway is money lost.
- Forgetting your minimum price when everyone drops in low season.
In short
- Work out your minimum price and stay above it.
- Compare yourself with truly similar listings.
- Always look at the same nights.
- Get ahead of long weekends and events.
- Work out your net on each platform.
- Review it often.
This guide is for information only. The example numbers are made up and guarantee no result: every property and every area is different.