Finding an affordable Airbnb can feel like a score, but once you see the service fees and cleaning rates, the price can feel shocking.
A new study by Forbes Advisor calculates the highest Airbnb fees across the country, with data showing a 45% increase in fees in some markets. That's a lot of extra cash to be paying on top of nightly rates, plus taxes.
According to the data, the worst city for Airbnb fees is Atlanta. While the average nightly rate is $192 (the study doesn't specify if this is shared or solo accommodations), with a 16% cleaning fee, 16% service fee and 17% tax rate—that's 48% in total fees! The next worst cities are Phoenix; Fort Myers Beach, Florida; Davenport, Florida; Memphis; Park City, Utah; Scottsdale, Arizona; Houston; New Orleans; Chicago; Salt Lake City; and Breckenridge Colorado, which has total fees of 43%.
On average, Forbes found that Airbnb customers pay an average of 36% in fees on top of nightly rates, with cleaning fees as 11% of the subtotal, service fees at 15% and taxes at around 10%. Nationwide, the average cleaning fee is $160, with the country's lowest cleaning fee at $95 in Cleveland and the highest at $313 in Telluride, Colorado. And if you hate paying cleaning fees, perhaps avoid booking in the Sunshine State—Florida cities have five of the top 10 highest cleaning fee percentages in the country.
The data also found the most expensive nightly rates in the U.S., unsurprisingly located in ritzy vacation destinations Nantucket, Massachusetts and Montauk, New York, which both have nightly rate averages over $1,000.