What European Cities Have Cheaper Airbnbs Than Hotels?

After tallying the total price of airfare, tours, tickets and accommodations, a family trip becomes less fun when thinking about how expensive everything is. In a time where average hotel prices in Europe have risen above inflation, finding affordable and comfortable accommodations seems less of a reality.

But according to a recent study by financial experts at Moneyzine, some European cities on average have cheaper Airbnb accommodations of superior value compared to hotels in the same location.

This study brought data together from Airbnb.com and Trivago to discover the average cost per night for both Airbnbs and hotels across 35 European cities, and the results might come as a relief (and surprise) to family travelers planning a European trip.

The top 15 European cities with the best value for money for Airbnbs compared to hotels are:

1. Istanbul, Türkiye
2. Athens, Greece
3. Lisbon, Portugal
4. Berlin, Germany
5. Paris, France
6. Barcelona, Spain
7. Dubrovnik, Croatia
8. Helsinki, Finland
9. Chisinau, Moldova
10. Kotor, Montenegro
11. Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
12. Budapest, Hungary
13. Stockholm, Sweden
14. Tallinn, Estonia
15. Brussels, Belgium

Istanbul takes the top spot where Airbnbs provide the best value for money compared to hotels. An average nightly Airbnb rate of $45.37 is vastly cheaper than the average nightly rate for hotels in the city at $118.69. The study revealed, on average, Istanbul’s Airbnbs are almost 62 percent cheaper.

Athens, Greece, also offers better value for Airbnbs than hotels, with a whopping 49.53 percent price drop from a standard hotel room fare to an Airbnb rental.

What about European cities with hotels cheaper than Airbnbs?

Oslo, Norway, and Tirana, Albania, rank high as European cities where a single hotel room for a one-night stay is around $8 cheaper, on average, than an Airbnb.