10 Cities Where Booking a Hotel is Cheaper Than Airbnb

U.K. price comparison site comparethemarket.com has analyzed the average cost of a three-star hotel compared to an Airbnb in 52 major cities around the world (using data from AirDNA and Kayak for the month of May 2019). Perhaps unsurprisingly, hotels proved cheaper in fewer than one-fifth of those places, netting average savings anywhere from just over $3 to nearly $200 per night. Here are the 10 cities where a hotel is a more wallet-friendly option.

Oakland is one of six American cities where hotels outperformed short-term home rentals in terms of cost and one of four in Airbnb's home state of California. However, travelers shouldn't anticipate significant savings when choosing a hotel over the home-sharing platform in Oakland as the discount amounts to a mere $3.31 per night.

Three-star hotel rates also narrowly edge Airbnb in Boston but not by a sizable margin as guests can expect to save about $4.60 on average, based on comparethemarket's research. Those seeking out a four- or five-star hotel will more than likely wind up paying more than they would for an Airbnb.

Choosing a three-star hotel over an Airbnb rental in Germany's capital city might save you a decent amount depending on the length of your stay as the average savings are just $6.87 per night. However, that money could wind up buying you a cold beer after a day spent exploring the city.

Naples is one of two Italian cities where hotels prevail in the cost battle with Airbnb. Still, the savings won't exactly have short-term renters kicking themselves as the average nightly difference amounts to just $9.72.

Austin ranks sixth in terms of the cities where hotels outshine Airbnb when it comes to nightly rates with an average savings of just over $25 per day. Travelers seeking a one-of-a-kind luxury hotel stay in Texas Hill Country should look no further than the revamped Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa.

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, San Jose is no stranger to the sharing economy and Airbnb in particular. But hotels have the edge here in terms of affordability. The average nightly rate of a hotel in San Jose came in at $142 while the average cost of one night in an Airbnb was about $182.

San Diego is not a cheap city by any means so travelers might be surprised to learn that a hotel here is actually more affordable than an Airbnb rental on average, with hotel guests saving just under $60 per night compared to their Airbnb counterparts.

Despite battling with overtourism and recent efforts to curb cruise ships from sailing into its historic city center, Venice is one of the 10 cities that comparethemarket looked at where a hotel is a better budget play than an Airbnb as average nightly savings exceed $67.

Luxury beach hotels and resorts are plentiful in beautiful Mallorca and opting for one of those accommodations instead of an Airbnb could net you some serious savings. Comparethemarket determined visitors to this sun-soaked Spanish island in the Mediterranean could benefit from a discount as high as $75 per night.

Visitors to Santa Cruz on California's central coast can save almost $200 per night on average by booking a hotel room rather than an Airbnb rental. According to comparethemarket, the average nightly rate for a hotel room here is just $132 compared to $324 for one night in an Airbnb. While those numbers are based on this past May the disparity speaks for itself.