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Cartagena is one of Colombia’s clearest Airbnb markets because the city combines beach tourism, colonial tourism, weddings, cruises, festivals and international visitors in one compact place.
In this article, we look at Airbnb legality, Airbnb revenue, Airbnb occupancy, current housing prices in Cartagena and the kind of residential property that can still work in 2026.
We constantly update this blog post, because Cartagena Airbnb rules, tourism demand and property prices can change quickly from one season to another.
And if you’re planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Cartagena.
Insights
- A typical Airbnb listing in Cartagena in 2026 earns about $1,400 to $1,500 per month before expenses, but many average beach condos are much less profitable after HOA, cleaning and air conditioning costs.
- The most useful Cartagena Airbnb number is not the citywide ADR, but the spread between a generic $110 beach condo and a differentiated $200 apartment near Centro or Getsemaní.
- Cartagena does not have a simple citywide Airbnb ban in 2026, but the building’s propiedad horizontal rules can matter more than the neighborhood itself.
- The safest beginner Airbnb property in Cartagena in 2026 is usually a 1 or 2 bedroom condo in a building that already allows short-term rentals.
- Centro Histórico, San Diego and Getsemaní can produce the strongest nightly rates in Cartagena, but these areas also bring more heritage, noise, maintenance and legal due diligence risk.
- Bocagrande and El Laguito are easier to understand for first-time investors, but Airbnb competition in these Cartagena beach zones is heavy and many units look too similar online.
- Cartagena Airbnb occupancy is usually around 45% for the whole market, which means a buyer should not model the property as if it will be booked most nights of the year.
- Air conditioning is not a bonus in Cartagena Airbnb hosting; for most international guests, a residential Airbnb without strong cooling is almost commercially unusable.
- The biggest Airbnb revenue window in Cartagena is late December to January, when New Year, school holidays and international visitors can push strong listings far above normal rates.
- A secondary home can usually be used as an Airbnb in Cartagena, but only if the RNT is active, tax setup is clean and the building allows tourist accommodation.
Can I legally run an Airbnb in Cartagena in 2026?
Is short-term renting allowed in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, short-term renting is allowed in Cartagena, but a residential Airbnb in Cartagena is treated as a formal tourist accommodation activity, not as a casual private rental.
The main legal framework is Colombia’s tourism accommodation system, especially Decreto 2119 de 2018, Decreto 1836 de 2021, Ley 2068 de 2020 and the Registro Nacional de Turismo, usually called RNT.
The single most important condition is that a Cartagena Airbnb host needs an active RNT and must publish the RNT number in the listing before operating legally.
In practice, the host must also check that the building rules allow tourist accommodation, because many Cartagena condos use propiedad horizontal rules to limit or ban short stays.
If a host operates an illegal Airbnb in Cartagena, the main consequence is that the listing can become commercially unusable, because inactive or missing RNT status can block legal advertising and expose the host to tourism penalties.
For a more general view, you can read our article detailing what exactly foreigners can own and buy in Colombia.
If you are an American, you might want to read our blog article detailing the property rights of US citizens in Colombia.
Are there minimum-stay rules and maximum nights-per-year caps for Airbnbs in Cartagena as of 2026?
As of early 2026, Cartagena has no clear citywide minimum-stay rule and no clear annual Airbnb night cap for ordinary residential short-term rentals.
This means there is no 90-night cap, no primary-residence-only rule, and no property-type cap that applies everywhere in Cartagena, although a specific building can still set its own limits.
Because there is no citywide night cap, Cartagena Airbnb hosts usually track bookings for tax, guest records, cleaning schedules and RNT compliance rather than for a municipal annual-night limit.
The practical operating limit is therefore close to 365 available nights per year, but a realistic Cartagena Airbnb listing is usually booked about 140 to 210 nights per year.
Do I have to live there, or can I Airbnb a secondary home in Cartagena right now?
You do not have to live in a property to operate an Airbnb in Cartagena, because Colombia’s tourist accommodation rules are not built around a primary-residence-only model.
A secondary home or investment apartment can legally operate as a Cartagena Airbnb if the RNT, tax setup, building permission and guest-registration process are all in order.
There is no special secondary-home Airbnb license in Cartagena, but the owner still needs the same RNT and building approval that apply to a primary residence.
The main difference is practical, not legal, because an investor-owned Cartagena Airbnb usually needs stronger local management, clearer building authorization and more reliable maintenance than a home where the owner lives.
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Can I run multiple Airbnbs under one name in Cartagena right now?
In general, one person or one company can operate multiple Airbnb listings in Cartagena if each property is properly registered and allowed by its building.
There is no clear national rule that sets a simple maximum number of Cartagena Airbnb properties that one owner can list.
However, each unit still needs its own compliant setup, including RNT evidence, tax registration, building permission, guest records and correct advertising information.
The main regulatory concern is not the number of units itself, but whether a multi-unit host is really operating a small accommodation business without the right tourism and tax compliance.
Do I need a short-term rental license or a business registration to host in Cartagena as of 2026?
As of early 2026, a Cartagena Airbnb host needs an active Registro Nacional de Turismo and should also have the right DIAN tax setup before taking guests.
The typical process is to confirm building permission, prepare ownership and tax information, register through the RNT system, and allow roughly 2 to 6 weeks if the case is clean.
The usual documents include owner or company identification, property information, building authorization where needed, tax registration details and the information required by the local chamber of commerce process.
The RNT registration itself is not the biggest cost for most Cartagena hosts, because the real cost usually comes from accounting, legal checks, building documents, tax setup and renewal discipline.
Are there neighborhood bans or restricted zones for Airbnb in Cartagena as of 2026?
As of early 2026, Cartagena does not have a simple published citywide list of neighborhoods where residential Airbnb is banned across the board.
The strictest checks are usually needed in Centro Histórico, San Diego and Getsemaní because of heritage sensitivity, and in Bocagrande, El Laguito, Castillogrande and Morros because condo bylaws can be restrictive.
The main reason is that Cartagena Airbnb pressure is very local, so the real conflict often happens inside a building or heritage block rather than across a whole district.
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How much can an Airbnb earn in Cartagena in 2026?
What's the average and median nightly price on Airbnb in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, the average nightly price for an Airbnb listing in Cartagena in 2026 is about COP 600,000, or $150, or €140, while the median is closer to COP 460,000, or $115, or €105.
A realistic range that covers most residential Airbnb listings in Cartagena in 2026 is about COP 280,000 to COP 960,000 per night, or $70 to $240, or €65 to €220.
The biggest pricing factor in Cartagena is location quality, especially whether the Airbnb is walkable to Centro, Getsemaní, the beach, the convention center or a strong tourist pickup point.
By the way, you will find much more detailed rent ranges in our property pack covering the real estate market in Cartagena.
How much do nightly prices vary by neighborhood in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, Cartagena Airbnb nightly prices vary from about COP 380,000, or $95, or €90 in more affordable areas such as Crespo and Marbella to about COP 760,000, or $190, or €175 in Centro Histórico and San Diego.
The three highest average Airbnb nightly prices in Cartagena are usually Centro Histórico and San Diego at about COP 760,000, or $190, or €175, Getsemaní at about COP 660,000, or $165, or €155, and premium Morros or La Boquilla beachfront units at about COP 520,000 to COP 720,000, or $130 to $180, or €120 to €165.
The three lower-price Airbnb areas are usually Marbella, Crespo and some inland residential areas such as Torices, where guests still stay when the property offers value, airport access or a lower price than the historic core.
What's the typical occupancy rate in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, a typical Airbnb listing in Cartagena in 2026 is around 45% occupied across the year.
Most normal Cartagena Airbnb listings fall between about 35% and 60% occupancy, while weak listings can sit near 25% and strong listings can go above 65% in good months.
Cartagena performs better than many ordinary Colombian residential rental markets for tourist demand, but the Airbnb market is also more seasonal and more competitive than a simple long-term rental market.
The biggest factor behind above-average occupancy in Cartagena is having a listing that removes guest friction, especially through walkability, strong air conditioning, reliable building access and excellent reviews.
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What's the average monthly revenue per listing in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, the average monthly revenue for an Airbnb listing in Cartagena in 2026 is about COP 5.8 million, or $1,450, or €1,350 before expenses.
A realistic monthly revenue range that covers most Cartagena Airbnb listings is about COP 2.8 million to COP 10 million, or $700 to $2,500, or €650 to €2,325.
Top Airbnb listings in Cartagena can reach about COP 16 million to COP 24 million per month, or $4,000 to $6,000, or €3,700 to €5,600 in strong periods. A simple example is 20 booked nights at $250 per night, which gives $5,000 of monthly gross revenue before expenses.
Finally, note that we give here all the information you need to buy and rent out a property in Cartagena.
What's the typical low-season vs high-season monthly revenue in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, a typical Cartagena Airbnb can gross about COP 2.8 million to COP 4 million, or $700 to $1,000, or €650 to €930 in low season, and about COP 8 million to COP 13 million, or $2,000 to $3,200, or €1,850 to €3,000 in high season.
Low season in Cartagena is usually May, September and October, while high season is usually December to March, with late December and January as the most important Airbnb revenue window.
What's a realistic Airbnb monthly expense range in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, a realistic monthly expense range for operating an Airbnb in Cartagena in 2026 is about COP 2.2 million to COP 4.2 million, or $550 to $1,050, or €510 to €975 for a normal apartment before mortgage and income tax.
The largest single monthly cost in many Cartagena Airbnb condos is usually management or building-related cost, with professional management alone often taking 15% to 25% of gross revenue, or about COP 870,000 to COP 1.45 million on a COP 5.8 million month.
Most Cartagena Airbnb hosts should expect operating expenses to take about 45% to 60% of gross revenue before mortgage, income tax and major renovation reserves.
If you want to go into more details, we also have a blog article detailing all the property taxes and fees in Cartagena.
What's realistic monthly net profit and profit per available night for Airbnb in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, a realistic monthly net operating profit for an average Airbnb in Cartagena in 2026 is about COP 2.6 million, or $650, or €605, which equals about COP 84,000, or $21, or €20 per available night.
Most normal Cartagena Airbnb listings land somewhere between about COP 600,000 and COP 3.2 million per month in net operating profit, or $150 to $800, or €140 to €745, before mortgage, income tax and major capex.
A normal Cartagena Airbnb net operating margin is often about 25% to 45% of gross revenue if the owner has no mortgage and avoids excessive management or HOA costs.
The break-even occupancy rate for a typical Cartagena Airbnb is often around 30% to 35%, assuming an ADR near COP 600,000, or $150, and monthly operating costs near COP 3.2 million.
In our property pack covering the real estate market in Cartagena, we explain the best strategies to improve your cashflows.
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How competitive is Airbnb in Cartagena as of 2026?
How many active Airbnb listings are in Cartagena as of 2026?
As of early 2026, Cartagena has roughly 8,500 active Airbnb listings, while broader Airbnb and Vrbo datasets can show more than 16,000 short-term rental properties depending on the boundary.
Compared with the previous year, Cartagena Airbnb supply appears to have stayed very large and competitive, and the long trend is toward more professionalized listings, stronger reviews and less room for weak generic condos.
Which neighborhoods are most saturated in Cartagena as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the most saturated Airbnb neighborhoods in Cartagena are Bocagrande, El Laguito, Centro Histórico, San Diego and Getsemaní.
These areas are saturated because tourists understand the names, buildings are easy to compare online, and many owners have turned similar apartments into short-term rentals.
Relatively less saturated Cartagena Airbnb areas include Manga, Crespo, Marbella and some parts of Castillogrande, although these areas need a clearer reason to book because they are less obvious for first-time tourists.
If you want to know more, we have a blog article listing all the top property areas in Cartagena.
What local events spike demand in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, the main Cartagena Airbnb demand spikes come from New Year, January holidays, Hay Festival Cartagena, Cartagena International Music Festival, Semana Santa, mid-year school holidays, Independence festivities, weddings, cruises and conventions.
During the strongest Cartagena events, good Airbnb listings can often see bookings and nightly rates rise by about 40% to 80%, while New Year nights can sometimes reach 2 to 3 times a normal nightly rate.
Hosts should usually adjust Cartagena Airbnb pricing and minimum stays 3 to 6 months before major holidays and at least 6 to 10 weeks before festivals, weddings and convention peaks.
What occupancy differences exist between top and average hosts in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, top-performing Airbnb hosts in Cartagena can reach about 60% to 70% annual occupancy, with stronger months going even higher.
An average Cartagena Airbnb host is closer to 40% to 50% occupancy, which means the gap between average and strong operators can be 20 occupancy points or more.
A new Cartagena Airbnb host often needs 6 to 12 months to reach top-performer occupancy levels, because reviews, pricing history, photos and operational reliability take time to build.
We give more details about the different Airbnb strategies to adopt in our property pack covering the real estate market in Cartagena.
Which price points are most crowded, and where's the "white space" for new hosts in Cartagena right now?
The most crowded Airbnb price range in Cartagena is about COP 320,000 to COP 640,000 per night, or $80 to $160, or €75 to €150, because this includes many standard studios, 1 bedroom units and 2 bedroom beach condos.
The best white-space opportunities are not at the cheapest price points, but around COP 720,000 to COP 1.2 million per night, or $180 to $300, or €165 to €280, where a genuinely better design-led or family-friendly Cartagena Airbnb can stand out.
A new host can compete in that underserved Cartagena Airbnb segment with a 2 or 3 bedroom layout, strong air conditioning, quiet bedrooms, pool or rooftop access, excellent photos and walkability to Centro, Getsemaní or the beach.
We made this infographic to show you how property prices in Colombia compare to other big cities across the region. It breaks down the average price per square meter in city centers, so you can see how cities stack up. It’s an easy way to spot where you might get the best value for your money. We hope you like it.
What property works best for Airbnb demand in Cartagena right now?
What bedroom count gets the most bookings in Cartagena as of 2026?
As of early 2026, 2 bedroom Airbnb units in Cartagena usually offer the best balance of bookings, nightly rate and buyer risk.
A useful booking-rate breakdown for Cartagena Airbnb demand is about 15% to 20% for studios, 25% to 30% for 1 bedroom units, 30% to 35% for 2 bedroom units and 15% to 25% for 3 bedroom or larger homes.
The 2 bedroom format works especially well in Cartagena because couples, friends, small families and remote workers can all use it without paying for a large colonial house.
What property type performs best in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, the best risk-adjusted Airbnb property type in Cartagena is a 1 or 2 bedroom apartment or condo in an STR-friendly building with pool, security, elevator and strong location.
Apartments and condos usually deliver steadier occupancy than houses because they are easier to operate, while small colonial houses and townhouses can earn more but bring higher maintenance and staffing risk.
The condo format outperforms for most non-professional buyers because Cartagena guests want convenience, cooling, security, pool access and predictable check-in more than they want a complex property to manage.
What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it’s in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Cartagena, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can, and we don’t throw out numbers at random.
We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we’ve listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.
| Source | Why this source matters | How we used it |
|---|---|---|
| Función Pública, Decreto 2119 de 2018 | This is Colombia’s official legal database for national regulations. | We used it to define tourist accommodation and vivienda turística in Colombia. We also used it to explain why a Cartagena Airbnb is a formal tourism activity. |
| Función Pública, Decreto 1836 de 2021 | This source explains important RNT and platform obligations in Colombia. | We used it to check how platforms and tourism providers fit into the RNT system. We also used it to explain why inactive registration can hurt a listing. |
| Función Pública, Ley 2068 de 2020 | This is a key national tourism law for Colombia. | We used it to frame short-term rental hosting as part of Colombia’s formal tourism economy. We also used it to understand the policy direction toward formalization. |
| RNT Confecámaras | This is the public registration portal for tourism providers in Colombia. | We used it to confirm that tourism providers must register before operating. We also used it to explain annual renewal and active registration risk. |
| Cámara de Comercio de Cartagena, RNT | This is the local chamber source that helps apply the RNT process in Cartagena. | We used it to localize the national RNT requirement to Cartagena. We also used it to explain how the process feels for a local property owner. |
| Alcaldía de Cartagena, tourism statistical yearbook | This is Cartagena’s official statistical portal for tourism indicators. | We used it to cross-check tourism demand behind Airbnb demand. We also used it to avoid relying only on short-term rental platforms. |
| Cartagena en Cifras, Corpoturismo | This is an official tourism data page with recent Cartagena tourism bulletins. | We used it to check the most recent tourism indicators available for Cartagena. We also used it to support the high-season and demand discussion. |
| Alcaldía de Cartagena, 2025 to 2026 high-season balance | This is an official municipal report on Cartagena’s Christmas and New Year tourism season. | We used it to understand the peak-season demand shock. We also used it to explain why late December and January are so important for Airbnb revenue. |
| Banco de la República, Boletín Económico Regional | This is Colombia’s central bank regional economic publication. | We used it to cross-check regional tourism, air transport and economic context. We also used it to keep the Cartagena Airbnb analysis connected to the wider Caribbean region. |
| AirROI Cartagena 2026 | This is a specialist short-term rental dataset with city-level Airbnb metrics. | We used it as a main benchmark for ADR, occupancy, RevPAR, revenue and active listings. We also used it to estimate realistic average and strong-host outcomes. |
| AirDNA Cartagena MarketMinder | AirDNA is one of the most established global short-term rental data providers. | We used it as a second benchmark for occupancy, ADR, RevPAR and annual revenue. We also used it to moderate the AirROI and Airbtics estimates. |
| Airbtics Cartagena 2026 | This is a recognized short-term rental analytics provider with a city benchmark. | We used it to cross-check active listings, occupancy and annual revenue. We also used it to build a safer central estimate instead of relying on one provider. |
| Airbnb Cartagena stays | This is the marketplace itself, so it helps show live guest-facing supply. | We used it to verify common property types, amenities and location language. We also used it to see how Cartagena listings position themselves to travelers. |
| Airbnb Getsemaní stays | This is Airbnb’s neighborhood-level page for one of Cartagena’s strongest tourist zones. | We used it to check neighborhood supply and pricing signals. We also used it to confirm that Getsemaní is a deep Airbnb submarket. |
| Ciencuadras Cartagena new housing | This is a major Colombian real-estate marketplace with active new-build inventory. | We used it to check common residential property types in Cartagena. We also used it to separate normal investable housing from niche hospitality assets. |
| MinCIT, Decreto 2119 publication | MinCIT is Colombia’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism. | We used it as a ministry-level cross-check for the tourist accommodation decree. We also used it to confirm the tourism-sector framing of the rules. |
| DANE | DANE is Colombia’s official statistics agency. | We used it as background context for national and regional tourism statistics. We also used it to keep the analysis grounded beyond platform data. |
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