No two European countries are alike, and the same goes for the price of a holiday rental. A new data analysis by AirDNA shows the cheapest and most expensive countries to book a stay in 2026.
Generally speaking, booking a holiday is no cheap affair. Transportation can cost a lot, meals can add up, and the average price of a holiday rental varies widely depending on where one chooses to go.
In order to identify where travellers are paying the highest premiums, where budget-conscious guests can still find strong value, and what the data reveals about the markets generating the strongest revenue opportunities for hosts, short-term rental data and analytics platform AirDNA has made a handy overview of Europe’s cheapest and most expensive countries for holiday rentals in 2026. Average daily rates, booking lead times, occupancy, and length-of-stay trends across Europe were taken into account to make the ranking as clear as possible.
Europe’s most expensive countries for holiday rentals in 2026:
- Monaco (€417 per night on average)
- Iceland (€213)
- Andorra (€189)
- Switzerland (€184)
- United Kingdom (€176)
Rather unsurprisingly, Monaco proved to be the most expensive destination concerning holiday rentals in 2026, with travellers having to pay €417 per night on average. That price can partly be explained through the small amount of listings available – 269 to be precise – and by the fact that major events such as the Monaco Grand Prix tend to drive up the prices during a specific period of time. According to AirDNA, the average booking lead time amounts to 63 days, and the average reservation runs for 3.8 nights.
Although the top three most expensive countries are completed by Iceland and Andorra, their average prices fall far behind Monaco’s. Iceland has 6,900 available listings throughout the country, 2,500 of which are located in its capital, Reykjavik. Although its median lead time of 73 days is the highest in Europe, guests tend to only stay in one place for 2.6 days on average, preferring to travel between accommodations while exploring the country.
Wedged between France and Spain, the Pyrenean principality of Andorra was able to conquer the third spot in the ranking. Mountain getaways are the most popular option, with an average daily rate of €188.57 across 1,020 available listings, and an average length of stay is 3.9 days.
Europe’s cheapest countries for holiday rentals in 2026:
- Ukraine (€37)
- North Macedonia (€40)
- Kosovo (€42)
- Moldova (€45)
- Serbia (€51)
“These regions consistently top ‘best value’ lists, making them prime spots for travellers looking to stretch their euros. With fewer crowds than major hotspots, you can explore medieval fortresses, UNESCO sites, and vibrant local customs on a modest budget — and find genuine STR availability without competing against the wave of inbound tourism that defines Western European peak seasons,” AirDNA writes.
At the other end of the list, AirDNA’s map mentions Ukraine as Europe’s cheapest country for holiday rentals in 2026. Given the ongoing war with Russia, however, North Macedonia is put forward as the platform’s best budget choice for 2026. Counting some 5,250 active listings, the country has a median lead time of 13 days, while guests spend approximately 4.4 nights on average in their holiday rental. Kosovo and Moldova follow closely, with travellers spending respectively 4.9 and 5.4 nights on average in the same place, turning them into some of the destinations with the longest stays in Europe.
