Best Gold Coast Suburbs for Airbnb (2026 Data)

Compare the top 10 suburbs

Twelve months of AirDNA data for entire homes and apartments, ranked by rental demand. Changes are year on year.

Suburb

Rental demand

Annual revenue

Nightly rate

Occupancy

Active listings

Seasonality

Best for

Broadbeach

92/100

$54,781

+3.5%

$248

+4.6%

68%

−1.1%

731

+11.6%

82/100

Holiday + business travel

Mermaid Beach

92/100

$49,752

+2.0%

$236

+3.7%

66%

−1.8%

211

+33.5%

70/100

Families, high demand

Surfers Paradise

91/100

$56,598

+1.9%

$251

+3.2%

70%

−1.5%

2,312

−4.5%

77/100

Highest occupancy, year-round demand

Coolangatta

89/100

$52,566

+15.7%

$288

+21.5%

61%

−5.3%

289

+19.4%

85/100

Fastest revenue growth

Burleigh Heads

85/100

$55,119

+11.8%

$277

+10.2%

64%

−0.3%

337

+12.0%

80/100

Growth, owner use

Miami

84/100

$48,210

+7.3%

$254

+11.8%

62%

−2.6%

+17.1%

81/100

Value, families and pets

Currumbin

83/100

$56,769

+15.3%

$300

+14.2%

62%

+1.7%

+15.3%

83/100

Growth, little competition

Palm Beach

80/100

$60,365

+11.5%

$301

+11.2%

66%

+0.5%

194

+7.8%

83/100

Highest income per listing

Southport

80/100

$39,754

+12.3%

$209

+12.3%

62%

+0.5%

111

+52.0%

81/100

Mid-term stays, entry price

Main Beach

77/100

$48,843

+8.0%

$273

+3.4%

59%

+4.8%

+40.7%

68/100

Premium stays, owner use

Gold Coast (all)

89/100

$55,480

+4.5%

$266

+5.4%

66%

−1.3%

5,233

+5.6%

84/100

Whole market

Source: AirDNA, entire-place listings in the economy, midscale, upscale and luxury price tiers (budget excluded), 12 months to September 2026, accessed 22 October 2026. Rental demand and seasonality are AirDNA scores out of 100; a higher seasonality score means bookings are steadier through the year. Hauz-managed results may differ.

What the data says: 4 things owners and investors should know

Demand is strongest in the centre

Broadbeach and Mermaid Beach (both 92 out of 100) and Surfers Paradise (91) have the highest rental demand on the coast. Surfers Paradise also has the highest occupancy of the ten suburbs, at 70%, thanks to year-round tourism and the beach, shops and restaurants all within walking distance.

Palm Beach earns the most per listing

Palm Beach leads on annual revenue ($60,365) and nightly rate ($301), ahead of Currumbin ($56,769) and Surfers Paradise ($56,598). The southern suburbs are also growing fastest: revenue rose 15.7% in Coolangatta and 15.3% in Currumbin over the last year.

Watch where supply is surging

New listings jumped in Southport (+52%), Main Beach (+40.7%) and Mermaid Beach (+33.5%). More competition can pull occupancy down: in Coolangatta, occupancy fell 5.3% as listings grew 19.4%. Surfers Paradise went the other way, with 4.5% fewer listings than a year ago.

Rates are rising, occupancy isn’t

Across the Gold Coast, nightly rates rose 5.4% while occupancy dipped 1.3%. January is the busiest month and May the quietest. Smart pricing, plus mid-term stays to fill the quiet weeks, is what separates a good year from an average one. At Hauz Management, that's exactly what we do.

Suburb by suburb: pros and cons

What the numbers don't show: who books, what works, and what to watch out for.

Broadbeach

Dining, the casino and the convention centre

Holiday hotspot

Rental demand

92/100

Revenue

$54,781

Nightly

$248

Occupancy

68%

Pros

+ Highest rental demand of the ten: 92

+ Business travellers fill mid-week nights

+ 68% occupancy, second-highest

Watch out for

– Listings up 11.6%

– Revenue growth below the Gold Coast average

Guests love the beach, dining and shopping on the doorstep, and complain about construction and rubbish-truck noise.

Works best: 2-bed apartments near the convention centre and beach

Full Broadbeach guide

Mermaid Beach

Beach houses and Nobby Beach dining

Lifestyle & family

Rental demand

92/100

Revenue

$49,752

Nightly

$236

Occupancy

66%

Pros

+ Rental demand 92, tied highest

+ 66% occupancy

+ Popular with families and event-goers

Watch out for

– Listings up 33.5% in a year

– Revenue growth just 2%

Guests love being a short walk from the beach, and complain about construction noise and parking.

Works best: Approved houses and family apartments near the beach

Surfers Paradise

The coast’s biggest and busiest market

Holiday hotspot

Rental demand

91/100

Revenue

$56,598

Nightly

$251

Occupancy

70%

Pros

+ Highest occupancy of the ten: 70%

+ Third-highest revenue: $56,598

+ Listings down 4.5%: less new competition

Watch out for

– 44% of Gold Coast listings are here

– Slowest revenue growth: +1.9%

Guests love walking to the beach, shops and restaurants, and complain about nightlife noise.

Works best: 1–2 bed apartments in towers without letting pool leases

Full Surfers Paradise guide

Coolangatta

Airport, surf breaks and the border

Holiday hotspot

Rental demand

89/100

Revenue

$52,566

Nightly

$288

Occupancy

61%

Pros

+ Fastest revenue growth: +15.7%

+ Nightly rates up 21.5% to $288

+ Highest AirDNA score (87) and steadiest bookings

Watch out for

– Occupancy down 5.3% to 61%

– Listings up 19.4%

Guests love the beach and walking to shops and restaurants, and complain about check-in and key pick-up hassles.

Works best: Beachfront 1–2 bed apartments

Burleigh Heads

The coast’s strongest lifestyle brand

Lifestyle & family

Rental demand

85/100

Revenue

$55,119

Nightly

$277

Occupancy

64%

Pros

+ Revenue up 11.8% to $55,119

+ Nightly rates up 10.2% to $277

+ AirDNA score 86, second-highest

Watch out for

– Listings up 12%

– Older schemes: check by-laws and approval

Guests love the beach, cafés and national park walks, and complain about crowding and parking in peak season.

Works best: 2-bed apartments near the headland and James Street

Miami

Local, laid-back and better value

Mid-term & value

Rental demand

84/100

Revenue

$48,210

Nightly

$254

Occupancy

62%

Pros

+ Nightly rates up 11.8%

+ Steady demand: seasonality score 81

+ Only 82 listings

Watch out for

– Occupancy down 2.6% to 62%

– Listings up 17.1%

Guests love the beaches, local cafés and community feel, and complain about traffic noise and parking.

Works best: Low-rise 2-bed apartments and pet-friendly townhouses

Currumbin

Creek, beach and wildlife sanctuary

Lifestyle & family

Rental demand

83/100

Revenue

$56,769

Nightly

$300

Occupancy

62%

Pros

+ Second-highest revenue: $56,769, up 15.3%

+ Nightly rates of $300

+ Only 68 listings

Watch out for

– Small market with few apartments for sale

– Occupancy 62%, below average

Guests love Currumbin Beach and the quiet, peaceful feel, and complain about basic amenities in some listings.

Works best: Family homes and larger apartments

Palm Beach

Our home suburb, and the top earner

Lifestyle & family

Rental demand

80/100

Revenue

$60,365

Nightly

$301

Occupancy

66%

Pros

+ Highest revenue of the ten: $60,365

+ Highest nightly rate: $301, up 11.2%

+ Listings growing slowly: +7.8%

Watch out for

– Rental demand 80, below the central suburbs

– Approval varies building to building

Guests love the beach, cafés and parks, and complain about parking.

Works best: Boutique 2–3 bed apartments and townhouses

Southport

Hospital, university and CBD

Mid-term & value

Rental demand

80/100

Revenue

$39,754

Nightly

$209

Occupancy

62%

Pros

+ Revenue up 12.3% on last year

+ Occupancy steady at 62%

+ Hospital, university and light rail drive longer stays

Watch out for

– Lowest revenue and nightly rate of the ten

– Listings up 52%: the fastest supply growth

Guests love tram and bus access, and complain about street traffic noise.

Works best: 2-bed apartments for furnished stays of 1–3+ months

Main Beach

Quiet, premium and close to the Spit

Lifestyle & family

Rental demand

77/100

Revenue

$48,843

Nightly

$273

Occupancy

59%

Pros

+ Nightly rates of $273, well above average

+ Occupancy up 4.8%, the biggest rise of the ten

+ Only 76 listings in total

Watch out for

– Lowest rental demand (77) and occupancy (59%) of the ten

– Listings up 40.7% in a year

Guests love the relaxed village feel and Main Beach itself, and complain about construction noise.

Works best: Larger 2–3 bed apartments with views

See how much you can earn

Own a property or considering an investment? We can provide you with an accurate quote for rental income through short-term rentals.

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Common Questions

What owners and investors ask us most about short-term rentals on the Gold Coast.

Which Gold Coast suburb is best for Airbnb?

It depends on your goal. Rental demand is strongest in Broadbeach, Mermaid Beach (both 92) and Surfers Paradise (91). Palm Beach earns the most per home ($60,365), and Coolangatta and Currumbin are growing fastest. Compare them above to match your budget and strategy.

How much does an Airbnb earn on the Gold Coast?

An average entire home or apartment earned $55,480 over the 12 months to September 2026, up 4.5%, according to AirDNA (economy to luxury price tiers). Your result depends on suburb, size, presentation and management.

Is the Gold Coast short-term rental market oversupplied?

Not overall: entire-home listings grew 5.6% in a year, and fell 4.5% in Surfers Paradise. But some suburbs are filling fast, such as Southport (+52%), Main Beach (+40.7%) and Mermaid Beach (+33.5%), so check local supply before you buy.

Do I need approval to run a short-term rental on the Gold Coast?

Often, yes. Stays under 3 months count as short-term accommodation, and many residential zones need council approval. Building by-laws can also restrict short stays. We check this for every property before we take it on.

How should I read these numbers?

Nightly rate is the average price per booked night. Occupancy is the share of available nights that were booked. Annual revenue is nightly rate × booked nights over a year, before fees and costs, and is the best single number for comparing suburbs. Rental demand and seasonality are AirDNA scores out of 100; a higher seasonality score means bookings are steadier through the year.

Where does this data come from?

Short-stay figures come from AirDNA, which tracks listings on Airbnb and Vrbo. We use entire-place listings in the economy, midscale, upscale and luxury price tiers over the 12 months to September 2026, and add what we see managing properties on the coast every day. Hauz-managed results may differ.

Still have questions?

We’re here to provide answers and ensure you feel supported and informed through each step of the process.

Best Gold Coast Suburbs for Airbnb & Short-Term Rentals