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Airbnb in Medellín in 2026 is still possible, but it is now a regulated, competitive and enforcement-heavy market.
In this blog post, we look at Airbnb laws, short-term rental returns, current housing prices in Medellín and the neighborhoods where the numbers still make sense.
We constantly update this blog post so the Medellín Airbnb figures stay as close as possible to the real market.
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 Medellín.
Insights
- A typical Airbnb listing in Medellín in 2026 earns around US$900 per month before expenses, which is useful, but not enough to ignore management, tax and building-rule risk.
- The best Medellín Airbnb opportunity is not a cheap studio in El Poblado, because that is exactly where many new hosts are already competing.
- Medellín short-term rental rules are less about a citywide night cap and more about RNT registration, building permission and local urban-control checks.
- El Poblado still gets the highest Airbnb nightly prices in Medellín, but Laureles, Conquistadores and Belén can offer better balance between price, demand and competition.
- Medellín Airbnb occupancy in 2026 is probably around 45% to 55% for average hosts, while top hosts can reach 65% to 75% with strong reviews and pricing.
- Airbnb demand in Medellín is event-driven as much as tourist-driven, especially around Colombiamoda, Expoartesano, Feria de las Flores and major Atanasio Girardot concerts.
- The most crowded Medellín Airbnb price band is roughly US$40 to US$90 per night, especially for studios and 1-bedroom apartments in El Poblado and Laureles.
- A legal 2-bedroom apartment in a quiet, walkable part of Medellín can be more defensible than another generic short-stay studio near nightlife.
- Medellín’s mild climate helps hosts save on air conditioning, but guests still expect fast Wi-Fi, self check-in, hot water, workspace and good building security.
- For a mortgage-free Medellín Airbnb, a realistic net profit is often US$250 to US$600 per month after normal operating costs, before income tax and major repairs.
Can I legally run an Airbnb in Medellín in 2026?
Is short-term renting allowed in Medellín in 2026?
As of early 2026, short-term renting is allowed in Medellín, but an Airbnb-style home is treated as tourist accommodation when it is rented to visitors for short stays.
The main legal framework is Colombia’s national tourism system, especially the Registro Nacional de Turismo, Decreto 2590 de 2009, Decreto 4933 de 2009 and Ley 2068 de 2020.
The most important condition is simple: a Medellín Airbnb must have the correct Registro Nacional de Turismo before operating as vivienda turística.
If the Medellín Airbnb is inside a propiedad horizontal building, the building rules must also allow tourist housing, which is a very important check for apartments and condos.
If a host operates an illegal short-term rental in Medellín, the likely consequences are fines, temporary closure, suspension of tourism registration or cancellation of the ability to operate.
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 Medellín as of 2026?
As of early 2026, Medellín does not appear to have a simple citywide 90-night, 120-night or annual Airbnb cap, but stays under 30 days are treated as short-rent tourist accommodation.
These rules do not appear to change because of the host’s residency status, and there is no clear annual night limit for zero property type and nowhere in Medellín.
Because the main issue is registration rather than a yearly night cap, Medellín hosts usually focus on RNT compliance, guest registration records, platform records and building administration records.
Do I have to live there, or can I Airbnb a secondary home in Medellín right now?
You generally do not have to live in the property to operate a legal Airbnb in Medellín.
A secondary home or investment apartment in Medellín can be used as a short-term rental if it has RNT, building permission and compatible local use.
For a non-primary residence Airbnb in Medellín, the main extra checks are still the same practical checks: RNT, tax formalities, guest records and building authorization.
The main difference is that a primary residence may feel simpler socially, while a dedicated investment Airbnb faces more building scrutiny because neighbors and administrators can notice constant guest turnover.
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Can I run multiple Airbnbs under one name in Medellín right now?
A host can generally operate multiple Airbnb listings under one personal or company name in Medellín, provided each property is formalized correctly.
There does not appear to be a simple Medellín-wide maximum number of Airbnb properties that one person can list.
However, each Medellín short-term rental should have the correct RNT-linked details, building authorization where needed, tax handling and guest-registration process.
The regulatory reason is not to stop scale by itself, but to stop informal tourist housing from operating without registration, safety controls and building permission.
Do I need a short-term rental license or a business registration to host in Medellín as of 2026?
As of early 2026, a Medellín Airbnb host needs the Registro Nacional de Turismo, and may also need Cámara de Comercio and tax formalities depending on how the activity is structured.
The typical process is to prepare the property details, confirm building permission, register through the RNT system and renew the RNT during the annual renewal period.
Typical documents include owner or operator identification, property details, tax information, evidence of the tourism activity and, for apartment buildings, proof that tourist housing is allowed by the building rules.
The RNT itself is usually not the expensive part, but hosts should budget for accounting, legal checks, building documents and annual renewal time.
Are there neighborhood bans or restricted zones for Airbnb in Medellín as of 2026?
As of early 2026, Medellín does not appear to have a simple citywide rule saying Airbnb is banned in El Poblado, Laureles or another whole neighborhood.
The strictest Airbnb risk areas in Medellín are more granular, with controls reported in Laureles, San Cristóbal, El Poblado and La Candelaria, plus sensitive buildings in residential zones.
The main reason is that Medellín enforcement focuses on illegal tourist housing, land-use conflicts, neighborhood complaints, protected areas, ladera risk zones and buildings where the rules do not allow tourist use.
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How much can an Airbnb earn in Medellín in 2026?
What's the average and median nightly price on Airbnb in Medellín in 2026?
As of early 2026, the average nightly price for an Airbnb listing in Medellín is roughly COP 300,000 to COP 330,000, or about US$85 to US$95, or about €79 to €88.
A practical range that covers most Medellín Airbnb listings is roughly COP 125,000 to COP 630,000 per night, or about US$35 to US$180, or about €33 to €167.
The biggest factor is micro-location, because guests pay much more for safe-feeling, walkable areas near Provenza, Manila, Laureles, Estadio, Conquistadores and Milla de Oro.
By the way, you will find much more detailed rent ranges in our property pack covering the real estate market in Medellín.
How much do nightly prices vary by neighborhood in Medellín in 2026?
As of early 2026, nightly prices vary from about COP 90,000 to COP 190,000 in La Candelaria or parts of Belén to about COP 270,000 to COP 470,000 in Provenza, Manila and Milla de Oro.
The three highest-priced Medellín Airbnb areas are usually Provenza, Manila and Milla de Oro, where good apartments often reach COP 270,000 to COP 470,000 per night, or US$75 to US$130, or €70 to €120.
The three lower-priced areas are usually La Candelaria, parts of Belén and some edge areas of San Cristóbal, where guests still stay for budget, transport or local reasons, but reviews are more sensitive to safety and noise.
What's the typical occupancy rate in Medellín in 2026?
As of early 2026, a realistic Airbnb occupancy rate in Medellín is about 45% to 55% for the average active listing.
Most Medellín Airbnb listings probably sit between 35% and 65% occupancy, depending on reviews, price, legality, photos, check-in quality and exact location.
Compared with Colombia’s broader accommodation market, Medellín still has strong visitor demand, but DANE’s early-2026 Antioquia data suggests hosts should not assume a boom year.
The biggest factor behind above-average occupancy in Medellín is a strong micro-location with quiet sleep, easy transport, good Wi-Fi and a price that moves with demand.
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What's the average monthly revenue per listing in Medellín in 2026?
As of early 2026, the average monthly revenue per Airbnb listing in Medellín is about COP 3.2 million, or about US$900, or about €840 before expenses.
A realistic range covering most Medellín Airbnb listings is roughly COP 2.1 million to COP 5.3 million per month, or about US$600 to US$1,500, or about €560 to €1,390.
Top Medellín Airbnb listings can reach COP 5.3 million to COP 8.8 million per month, or about US$1,500 to US$2,500, or about €1,390 to €2,320. For example, 22 booked nights at US$95 per night is about US$2,100 monthly revenue.
Finally, note that we give here all the information you need to buy and rent out a property in Medellín.
What's the typical low-season vs high-season monthly revenue in Medellín in 2026?
As of early 2026, a typical Medellín Airbnb can earn about COP 1.9 million to COP 2.8 million in low season and COP 3.9 million to COP 6 million in high season, or about US$550 to US$1,700.
Low season is usually weaker outside major events, while high-demand periods include January to March, late July, early August, Feria de las Flores, Colombiamoda, Expoartesano and parts of December.
What's a realistic Airbnb monthly expense range in Medellín in 2026?
As of early 2026, a realistic monthly expense range for operating an Airbnb in Medellín is about COP 1.2 million to COP 2.5 million, or about US$350 to US$700, or about €325 to €650 before mortgage.
The largest cost is often property management, which can be around 15% to 25% of gross revenue, so a Medellín Airbnb earning US$900 may pay US$135 to US$225 for management alone.
Most Medellín Airbnb hosts should expect normal operating expenses to take about 35% to 60% of gross revenue before financing, taxes and major repairs.
If you want to go into more details, we also have a blog article detailing all the property taxes and fees in Medellín.
What's realistic monthly net profit and profit per available night for Airbnb in Medellín in 2026?
As of early 2026, a realistic Medellín Airbnb can make COP 900,000 to COP 2.1 million in monthly net profit, or about US$250 to US$600, or about €230 to €560, equal to about US$8 to US$20 per available night.
Most Medellín Airbnb listings probably land between COP 500,000 and COP 2.8 million in monthly net profit, or about US$150 to US$800, or about €140 to €740 before mortgage, tax and major repairs.
A realistic net profit margin for a Medellín Airbnb is often around 25% to 45% after operating costs but before mortgage payments.
The break-even occupancy rate for a typical Medellín Airbnb is often around 35% to 45%, assuming an average nightly price near US$85 to US$95 and monthly expenses near US$350 to US$700.
In our property pack covering the real estate market in Medellín, we explain the best strategies to improve your cashflows.
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How competitive is Airbnb in Medellín as of 2026?
How many active Airbnb listings are in Medellín as of 2026?
As of early 2026, Medellín has roughly 13,000 to 15,000 active Airbnb-style listings, with broader available-property datasets showing more than 20,000 units.
Compared with the previous year, Medellín Airbnb supply appears to remain high and professionalized, and the long trend is toward more competition, more enforcement and less tolerance for informal hosting.
Which neighborhoods are most saturated in Medellín as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the most saturated Airbnb neighborhoods in Medellín are El Poblado, especially Provenza, Manila, Astorga, Parque Lleras and Milla de Oro, plus Laureles, Estadio, Conquistadores and parts of La Candelaria.
These areas are saturated because guests already know the names, platforms reward existing review density, restaurants and nightlife are close, and many buildings were bought or furnished specifically for short stays.
Relatively less saturated opportunities may exist in Belén, Los Colores, Conquistadores, quieter parts of Laureles, parts of Estadio and practical zones near daily services rather than nightlife.
What local events spike demand in Medellín in 2026?
As of early 2026, the main events that spike Airbnb demand in Medellín are Feria de las Flores, Colombiamoda, Expoartesano, major Plaza Mayor fairs, concerts at Atanasio Girardot and December events.
During these peak events, good Medellín Airbnb listings can often raise nightly rates by about 20% to 50%, while the best-located units may do better if supply tightens.
Hosts should usually adjust pricing and minimum stays 60 to 120 days before major Medellín events, because serious visitors often book before the final rush.
What occupancy differences exist between top and average hosts in Medellín in 2026?
As of early 2026, top-performing Airbnb hosts in Medellín can reach roughly 65% to 75% occupancy.
An average Medellín Airbnb host is more likely to be around 45% to 55% occupancy, which means top hosts can be 15 to 25 percentage points higher.
A new host in Medellín often needs 6 to 12 months to reach top-performer occupancy, because reviews, ranking and pricing history 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 Medellín.
Which price points are most crowded, and where's the "white space" for new hosts in Medellín right now?
The most crowded nightly price range for Airbnb in Medellín is about COP 140,000 to COP 315,000, or US$40 to US$90, or €37 to €84.
The best white space is usually above the generic studio band, around COP 315,000 to COP 630,000 per night, or US$90 to US$180, or €84 to €167, for better 2-bedroom units and strong mid-stay apartments.
A new Medellín host can compete in that underserved segment with legal building permission, quiet bedrooms, workspace, fast Wi-Fi, strong design, laundry, easy check-in and a location near daily services.
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 Medellín right now?
What bedroom count gets the most bookings in Medellín as of 2026?
As of early 2026, 1-bedroom Airbnb units likely get the most total bookings in Medellín because they match solo travelers, couples, digital nomads, medical visitors and business travelers.
A realistic booking-share estimate is about 20% to 25% for studios, 40% to 45% for 1-bedroom units, 20% to 25% for 2-bedroom units and 10% to 15% for 3-bedroom or larger homes.
One-bedroom apartments perform best in Medellín because they are affordable enough for long stays, private enough for couples and easy to find in walkable areas like El Poblado, Laureles, Manila and Belén.
What property type performs best in Medellín in 2026?
As of early 2026, apartments and condos are the best-performing Airbnb property types in Medellín because the city’s tourist demand is urban, vertical and concentrated in apartment-heavy neighborhoods.
Apartments and condos usually have the strongest occupancy, while houses, penthouses and villas can earn more per booking but face more noise, party, maintenance and vacancy risk.
Apartments outperform in Medellín because guests want walkability, security, elevators, reliable internet, easy transport and access to restaurants more than a resort-style vacation home.
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 Medellín, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Registro Nacional de Turismo, Confecámaras | It is Colombia’s official public registry for tourism service providers. | We used it to confirm that tourist housing providers must be registered before operating. We also used it to explain annual RNT renewal and compliance risk. |
| MinCIT, Ley 2068 de 2020 | It is a national tourism-law source from Colombia’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism. | We used it to frame the national legal environment for tourism providers. We cross-checked it with RNT and tourism decrees. |
| Decreto 2590 de 2009, Función Pública | It is an official Colombian legal source for tourist housing rules. | We used it to confirm that tourist housing must be registered in the RNT. We also used it to understand guest records and building administration duties. |
| Decreto 4933 de 2009, Función Pública | It is an official legal source for the decree that amended tourist-housing rules. | We used it to confirm that propiedad horizontal buildings must authorize tourist housing in their rules. We treated this as one of the biggest checks for Medellín apartments. |
| MinCIT 2026 RNT renewal notice | It gives current 2026 guidance from the national tourism authority. | We used it to confirm the 2026 renewal window for the Registro Nacional de Turismo. We also used it to explain why hosts should not delay compliance. |
| Alcaldía de Medellín, 2026 control action | It is a local government source from the authority responsible for urban control in Medellín. | We used it to identify the city’s 2026 enforcement priorities. We also used its named areas, including Laureles, San Cristóbal, Poblado and La Candelaria. |
| Alcaldía de Medellín, illegal tourist housing | It is a direct city-government source on illegal tourist-housing enforcement. | We used it to confirm that Medellín is actively targeting informal short-term rentals. We also used it to understand penalties and closure risk. |
| Medellín Sistema de Inteligencia Turística, Observatorio | It is Medellín’s official tourism data hub. | We used it to triangulate tourism demand, visitor behavior, events and accommodation indicators. We treated it as the main local public tourism source. |
| Medellín SIT, RNT dashboard | It is Medellín’s official dashboard for formal tourism supply. | We used it to understand the formal accommodation and tourism-provider base. We compared it with private STR datasets because informal platform supply is not fully captured by RNT. |
| Medellín SIT, accommodation dashboard | It is Medellín’s official monitoring page for the accommodation market. | We used it to benchmark Airbnb estimates against the wider accommodation market. We also used it to keep neighborhood analysis connected to local tourism zones. |
| DANE, Encuesta Mensual de Alojamiento | DANE is Colombia’s official statistics agency. | We used it as a downside check against private STR data. We paid special attention to Antioquia’s weak early-2026 accommodation trend. |
| AirDNA Medellín market data | AirDNA is one of the best-known private STR analytics providers. | We used it for ADR, occupancy, available-property count, annual revenue and bedroom mix. We did not use it alone because available-property definitions can differ from active Airbnb supply. |
| AirROI Medellín 2026 market report | AirROI gives recent city-level Airbnb data for Medellín. | We used it for 2026 active listings, occupancy, ADR and annual revenue. We cross-checked it against AirDNA and Airbtics to avoid relying on one private source. |
| Airbtics Medellín report | Airbtics is a recognized STR analytics provider used by hosts and investors. | We used it as a second benchmark for revenue, occupancy and active listings. We treated it as directional because private datasets often use different scraping windows. |
| Banco de la República, TRM | Colombia’s central bank is the strongest source for official exchange-rate context. | We used it to translate Colombian peso figures into US dollars. We rounded currency figures because this article is for non-professional readers. |
| Plaza Mayor, Expoartesano 2026 | Plaza Mayor is Medellín’s main convention and event venue. | We used it to identify event-driven Airbnb demand near Plaza Mayor. We connected that demand to Laureles, Estadio, Conquistadores and Centro. |
| Plaza Mayor, Colombiamoda 2026 | It is the venue source for one of Medellín’s largest business and fashion events. | We used it to confirm July demand pressure around Medellín hotels and serviced apartments. We used it for timing, not for revenue estimates. |
| Colombiamoda 2026 | It is the official site for Colombia’s major fashion event in Medellín. | We used it to confirm the July 28 to July 30, 2026 event window. We linked it to short-term rental demand near Plaza Mayor and central-west Medellín. |
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