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This article breaks down the real numbers behind owning an Airbnb rental property in Santa Marta, Colombia, including current nightly rates, occupancy levels, and what you can realistically expect to earn.
We cover everything from legal requirements and licensing to neighborhood-by-neighborhood pricing differences so you can make an informed decision.
We constantly update this blog post with the latest data on Airbnb profitability and housing prices in Santa Marta.
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 Santa Marta.
Insights
- Santa Marta has roughly 11,600 active Airbnb listings as of early 2026, making it one of the most competitive short-term rental markets on Colombia's Caribbean coast.
- The typical Airbnb in Santa Marta earns around $980 per month in gross revenue, but top-performing beachfront properties in Bello Horizonte can pull in over $2,000 during peak season.
- Occupancy rates in Santa Marta average 43% annually, which means your property will likely sit empty more than half the year unless you optimize pricing and guest experience.
- One-bedroom apartments make up 52% of all Santa Marta Airbnb listings, creating fierce competition in this segment while two-bedroom units often deliver better returns per listing.
- Colombia's 2026 minimum wage increase of nearly 23% has pushed cleaning and staffing costs higher, making expense management more important than ever for Santa Marta hosts.
- The Fiesta del Mar festival in late July can spike nightly rates by 30 to 50% in Santa Marta, and savvy hosts adjust their pricing weeks in advance to capture this demand.
- Building bylaws, not city-wide regulations, are the main barrier to Airbnb legality in Santa Marta, so checking your condo's propiedad horizontal rules matters more than zoning maps.
- Top-performing hosts in Santa Marta achieve occupancy rates between 55% and 65%, which is 10 to 20 percentage points higher than the market average.
- The "white space" for new Santa Marta hosts lies in family-friendly two-bedroom units with reliable air conditioning, pool access, and parking, rather than competing in the crowded budget segment.
- Monthly stays of 30 nights or more are a growing niche in Santa Marta, driven by remote workers seeking stable internet and quiet buildings away from party zones.
Can I legally run an Airbnb in Santa Marta in 2026?
Is short-term renting allowed in Santa Marta in 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, short-term renting is generally allowed in Santa Marta, but it operates under Colombia's national tourism framework rather than a simple free-for-all system.
The main legal framework is the "vivienda turistica" (tourist housing) regulation established by Decree 2590 of 2009, which requires hosts to register their properties as tourism providers through the Registro Nacional de Turismo (RNT).
The single most important condition hosts must comply with in Santa Marta is obtaining building authorization if their property is part of a condominium under propiedad horizontal rules, meaning your condo's bylaws must explicitly allow tourist rentals.
On top of registration requirements, hosts operating at scale may also face local tax obligations like the ICA (industry and commerce tax) and the national tourism parafiscal contribution administered by FONTUR.
Penalties for operating without proper registration can include suspension from tourism registries, fines, and inability to legally advertise on platforms, though enforcement intensity varies.
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 Santa Marta as of 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, Santa Marta does not have a clear city-wide minimum-stay requirement or a "90-night" or "120-night" annual cap like you might find in some European or North American cities.
These rules do not differ by property type or residency status in Santa Marta because the framework simply does not include such caps, and market data shows many listings available 271 to 365 nights per year without restriction.
Instead of tracking rental nights against a cap, hosts in Santa Marta focus on maintaining proper RNT registration and ensuring their building's bylaws permit tourist use.
Do I have to live there, or can I Airbnb a secondary home in Santa Marta right now?
Santa Marta does not have a primary residence requirement for operating an Airbnb, so you can rent out a secondary home or investment property without living there yourself.
Owners of secondary homes and investment properties can legally operate short-term rentals in Santa Marta as long as the property is properly registered through the RNT and the building allows tourist use.
There are no additional permits specifically required for non-primary residence rentals beyond the standard RNT registration and building authorization requirements.
The main difference between renting a primary residence versus a secondary home in Santa Marta is practical rather than legal, as managing a property remotely typically requires hiring a local co-host or property manager.
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Can I run multiple Airbnbs under one name in Santa Marta right now?
Running multiple Airbnb listings under one name is legally possible in Santa Marta, and many hosts do operate several properties simultaneously.
There is no official maximum number of properties that one person or entity can list for short-term rental in Santa Marta under current regulations.
Hosts with multiple listings face the same registration requirements per property, meaning each unit needs its own building authorization and RNT compliance, plus multi-unit operators become more visible to tax authorities for ICA and income tax purposes.
Recent discussions in Colombia about tightening RNT verification could affect multi-property operators more than single-unit hosts, as proposed changes aim to increase scrutiny of tourism provider registrations.
Do I need a short-term rental license or a business registration to host in Santa Marta as of 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, hosts in Santa Marta need to register with the Registro Nacional de Turismo (RNT), which functions as Colombia's core tourism provider license for anyone offering tourist accommodations.
The RNT registration process is handled through the centralized Confecámaras portal, where you submit your property details and documentation, with processing typically taking a few weeks depending on your paperwork.
Required documents usually include proof of property ownership or authorization to rent, identification, and documentation showing your building permits tourist use if it falls under propiedad horizontal.
RNT registration itself does not have a high direct fee, but hosts scaling their operations often also register for a RUT (tax ID), and some formalize under Régimen Simple for tax purposes, which involves additional administrative costs.
Are there neighborhood bans or restricted zones for Airbnb in Santa Marta as of 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, Santa Marta does not publish a simple "Airbnb banned here" neighborhood map, and restrictions are more about building rules than geographic zones.
The city's Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial (POT) includes land-use categories and tourist-interest zones, but these function more as zoning guidelines than outright bans on short-term rentals in specific areas.
In practice, the biggest "restricted zone" for Airbnb in Santa Marta is your own building, as condos in popular areas like El Rodadero, Bello Horizonte, and Centro Histórico vary widely, with some explicitly welcoming tourists and others prohibiting short-term rentals in their bylaws.
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How much can an Airbnb earn in Santa Marta in 2026?
What's the average and median nightly price on Airbnb in Santa Marta in 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, the average nightly price (ADR) for an Airbnb in Santa Marta is approximately $76 USD (around 285,000 COP or 70 EUR), while the median sits closer to $65 USD (245,000 COP or 60 EUR) because a smaller number of premium beachfront properties pull the average upward.
The typical nightly price range covering roughly 80% of Santa Marta Airbnb listings falls between $45 and $120 USD (170,000 to 450,000 COP, or 42 to 110 EUR), with most listings clustering in the lower half of this range.
The single biggest factor affecting nightly pricing in Santa Marta is location relative to the beach, as beachfront condos in Bello Horizonte and Pozos Colorados command significantly higher rates than inland or historic center properties.
By the way, you will find much more detailed profitability rent ranges in our property pack covering the real estate market in Santa Marta.
How much do nightly prices vary by neighborhood in Santa Marta in 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, nightly prices in Santa Marta range from around $40 USD (150,000 COP, 37 EUR) in budget-friendly areas like Taganga to over $140 USD (525,000 COP, 129 EUR) in premium beachfront zones like Pozos Colorados, representing more than a 3x difference.
The three neighborhoods with the highest average nightly prices in Santa Marta are Bello Horizonte at $80 to $140 USD (300,000 to 525,000 COP, 74 to 129 EUR), Pozos Colorados at similar premium rates, and El Rodadero at $60 to $110 USD (225,000 to 415,000 COP, 55 to 101 EUR).
The three neighborhoods with the lowest average nightly prices are Taganga at $40 to $75 USD (150,000 to 280,000 COP, 37 to 69 EUR), Centro Histórico at $45 to $80 USD (170,000 to 300,000 COP, 42 to 74 EUR), and parts of Minca at $50 to $95 USD (190,000 to 355,000 COP, 46 to 87 EUR), though all three still attract steady bookings from budget travelers, backpackers, and nature seekers.
What's the typical occupancy rate in Santa Marta in 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, the typical occupancy rate for Airbnb listings in Santa Marta is around 43% annually, which translates to approximately 13 booked nights per month on average.
The realistic occupancy range covering most Santa Marta listings falls between 30% and 55%, with newer listings and those in less desirable locations often sitting at the lower end.
Santa Marta's 43% occupancy is fairly typical for Caribbean coastal destinations in Colombia, though it lags behind major urban markets like Bogotá or Medellín where business travel provides more consistent year-round demand.
The single biggest factor for achieving above-average occupancy in Santa Marta is a combination of professional photos, dynamic pricing, instant booking enabled, and fast response times, which together can add 10 to 15 occupancy points.
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What's the average monthly revenue per listing in Santa Marta in 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, the average monthly revenue per Airbnb listing in Santa Marta is approximately $950 to $1,050 USD (3.6 to 3.9 million COP, or 875 to 970 EUR), calculated from the typical ADR of $76 multiplied by 43% occupancy over 30 days.
The realistic monthly revenue range covering roughly 80% of Santa Marta listings falls between $550 and $1,400 USD (2.1 to 5.3 million COP, or 510 to 1,290 EUR), with significant variation based on location, property quality, and seasonality.
Top-performing Airbnb listings in Santa Marta, particularly beachfront two-bedroom condos in Bello Horizonte with strong reviews, can achieve $1,800 to $2,500 USD (6.8 to 9.4 million COP, or 1,660 to 2,300 EUR) monthly during peak season. That means a well-optimized property earning $2,000 per month generates roughly $24,000 USD in annual gross revenue.
Finally, note that we give here all the information you need to buy and rent out a property in Santa Marta.
What's the typical low-season vs high-season monthly revenue in Santa Marta in 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, typical monthly revenue during low season in Santa Marta runs around $550 to $800 USD (2.1 to 3.0 million COP, or 510 to 740 EUR), while high season months can generate $1,300 to $2,200 USD (4.9 to 8.3 million COP, or 1,200 to 2,030 EUR), representing a swing of 2x to 3x between the slowest and busiest periods.
Low season in Santa Marta typically falls in May, September, and October when rain is more frequent and holiday travel drops off, while high season peaks during late December through January, Semana Santa (Easter week), and late July around the Fiesta del Mar festival.
What's a realistic Airbnb monthly expense range in Santa Marta in 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, realistic monthly expenses for operating an Airbnb in Santa Marta range from $350 to $650 USD (1.3 to 2.4 million COP, or 320 to 600 EUR) for a typical one to two-bedroom entire-place listing.
The single largest expense category for Santa Marta Airbnb hosts is typically cleaning and turnover costs, followed closely by utilities (especially air conditioning in the coastal heat) and HOA or building administration fees in beachfront condos.
Hosts in Santa Marta should typically expect to spend 35% to 55% of gross revenue on operating expenses, with the percentage higher for properties with frequent turnovers and lower for those targeting monthly stays.
If you want to go into more details, we also have a blog article detailing all the property taxes and fees in Santa Marta.
What's realistic monthly net profit and profit per available night for Airbnb in Santa Marta in 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, realistic monthly net profit for a typical Airbnb in Santa Marta falls between $250 and $650 USD (940,000 to 2.4 million COP, or 230 to 600 EUR), which translates to roughly $8 to $22 USD (30,000 to 83,000 COP, or 7 to 20 EUR) in profit per available night.
The realistic monthly net profit range covering most Santa Marta listings spans from near break-even for poorly optimized properties to around $800 USD for well-run beachfront units in premium locations during shoulder season months.
Hosts in Santa Marta typically achieve net profit margins between 25% and 45% of gross revenue, with the higher end reserved for owners who keep expenses tight and maintain strong occupancy through dynamic pricing.
The break-even occupancy rate for a typical Santa Marta Airbnb listing sits around 25% to 35%, meaning you need roughly 8 to 10 booked nights per month just to cover your operating costs before seeing any profit.
In our property pack covering the real estate market in Santa Marta, we explain the best strategies to improve your cashflows.
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How competitive is Airbnb in Santa Marta as of 2026?
How many active Airbnb listings are in Santa Marta as of 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, Santa Marta has approximately 11,645 active Airbnb listings, making it one of the most supply-dense short-term rental markets on Colombia's Caribbean coast.
This number has grown steadily over recent years as Colombia's tourism sector expanded, with national visitor arrivals hitting record highs in 2024, and the long-term trend points toward continued supply growth as more investors enter the market.
Which neighborhoods are most saturated in Santa Marta as of 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, the most saturated neighborhoods for Airbnb in Santa Marta are El Rodadero, Bello Horizonte, Pozos Colorados, and Centro Histórico, where dense condo stock meets high tourist foot traffic.
These areas became saturated because they combine beach access with a large supply of "vacation-ready" apartment buildings, many of which were specifically designed for tourist use, creating a situation where new listings compete directly against dozens of similar properties within walking distance.
Relatively undersaturated neighborhoods offering better opportunities for new hosts include the Minca mountain corridor (where nature-focused stays face less competition), quieter residential zones away from the main beach strip, and properties optimized for 30-plus night stays rather than weekend tourists.
If you want to know more, we have a blog article listing all the top property areas in Santa Marta.
What local events spike demand in Santa Marta in 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, the main events that spike Airbnb demand in Santa Marta are the late December through early January holiday season, Semana Santa (Easter week), and the Fiesta del Mar festival in late July, which the city officially recognizes through special decrees.
During these peak events, bookings typically increase by 40% to 60% compared to normal weeks, and nightly rates can jump 30% to 50% as supply tightens across the city's most desirable neighborhoods.
Hosts should adjust their pricing and availability at least three to four weeks before major events in Santa Marta, as travelers booking beach holidays often plan ahead and early price adjustments capture more of the demand surge.
What occupancy differences exist between top and average hosts in Santa Marta in 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, top-performing Airbnb hosts in Santa Marta achieve annual occupancy rates between 55% and 65%, significantly outperforming the market.
This compares with the average host who sits around 43% occupancy, meaning top performers book 10 to 20 more nights per month through better pricing strategies, superior photos, faster response times, and consistently high review scores.
New hosts in Santa Marta typically need 6 to 12 months to reach top-performer occupancy levels, as building up reviews, optimizing listings, and learning local demand patterns takes time.
We give more details about the different Airbnb strategies to adopt in our property pack covering the real estate market in Santa Marta.
Which price points are most crowded, and where's the "white space" for new hosts in Santa Marta right now?
The nightly price range with the highest concentration of listings in Santa Marta falls between $45 and $90 USD (170,000 to 340,000 COP, or 42 to 83 EUR), where the massive supply of one-bedroom and two-bedroom condos creates intense competition.
The "white space" opportunities for new hosts exist at the premium end above $120 USD per night (450,000 COP, 110 EUR) for genuinely differentiated family properties, and in the monthly-stay segment where listings optimized for remote workers face less direct competition.
To successfully compete in the underserved price segments in Santa Marta, new hosts should focus on family-friendly two-bedroom units with reliable air conditioning in every room, pool access, secure parking, a dedicated workspace, and a check-in process that works flawlessly every time.
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 Santa Marta right now?
What bedroom count gets the most bookings in Santa Marta as of 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, one-bedroom apartments get the most bookings in Santa Marta by volume because they represent the largest share of supply and attract the biggest guest segment of couples and solo travelers.
The estimated booking rate breakdown by bedroom count in Santa Marta shows one-bedroom units at roughly 52% of inventory, two-bedroom at 27%, three-bedroom and larger at 15%, with studios making up the remainder.
One-bedroom units dominate bookings in Santa Marta because the city's core tourism market consists of couples and small groups seeking affordable beach getaways, though two-bedroom properties often deliver better revenue per listing because they can charge higher rates while maintaining similar occupancy.
What property type performs best in Santa Marta in 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, apartments and condos in tourism-friendly buildings near the beach are the best-performing property type for Airbnb in Santa Marta, combining strong demand with manageable operations and reasonable price points.
Occupancy rates across property types in Santa Marta show apartments and condos averaging around 43%, houses slightly lower at 38% to 42% due to higher price points, and villas varying widely from 30% to 50% depending on location and amenities.
Apartments outperform other property types in Santa Marta because they offer the amenities guests expect (pool, security, elevator) at accessible prices, they cluster in the highest-demand beach zones, and their building infrastructure handles the wear and tear of tourist turnover better than standalone houses.
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 Santa Marta, 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 it's authoritative | How we used it |
|---|---|---|
| AirDNA | AirDNA is a widely used short-term rental data provider with a consistent methodology across global markets. | We used it as the backbone for supply counts, ADR, occupancy, and RevPAR in Santa Marta. We then calculated monthly revenue ranges and validated them against seasonality patterns. |
| MINCIT | This is the Colombian tourism ministry explaining the official RNT registry requirement in plain language. | We used it to define what the RNT is and why it matters for legal operation. We also used it to frame compliance expectations in an accessible way. |
| RNT Portal (Confecámaras) | It's the official portal where tourism providers register for the RNT in Colombia. | We used it to confirm that registration is centralized and operational. We also used it to guide what "being registered" practically means for a host. |
| Función Pública (Decree 2590) | Función Pública hosts official legal texts, so you can verify the vivienda turistica rule itself. | We used it for the core tourist housing framework and the rule requiring condo authorization. We also used it to explain why some buildings allow Airbnb and others don't. |
| Cancillería | This is another official government publication of the same decree text for cross-verification. | We used it as a cross-check so we're not relying on a single source for legal wording. We also used it for specific language about propiedad horizontal authorization. |
| Función Pública (Law 2068) | It's the official consolidated view of Colombia's tourism law updates from 2020. | We used it to anchor formalization requirements in current tourism policy. We also used it to contextualize why compliance has been tightening nationally. |
| Santa Marta POT | This is the city's official planning portal for land-use rules and zoning documents. | We used it to explain how property location can matter due to zoning. We also used it to frame "restricted areas" realistically as zoning plus building rules. |
| Curaduría Urbana Santa Marta | It's a primary-source PDF of the city's tax statute used for local enforcement. | We used it to flag that operating a rental can trigger local tax obligations like ICA. We also used it to explain why hosts formalize with RUT when scaling. |
| Santa Marta ICA Document | It's published by the city and describes ICA tariff handling in practice. | We used it to support the idea that ICA is a real, administered tax. We then translated it into a compliance plan for small hosts. |
| FONTUR | FONTUR administers Colombia's tourism parafiscal contribution and explains who pays and why. | We used it to highlight an often-missed obligation for tourism providers. We also used it to show how formalization ties into national funding and enforcement. |
| MINCIT Tourism Records | MINCIT cites Migración Colombia, which is one of the strongest official demand-side datasets. | We used it to support the macro demand tailwind for Colombia's tourism through 2026. We then connected national growth to why Santa Marta keeps seeing STR demand. |
| DANE CPI | DANE is Colombia's official statistics agency, and CPI drives real operating costs over time. | We used it to justify why cleaning, staff, and utility costs rose into 2026. We also used it to avoid made-up cost inflation assumptions. |
| DANE Housing Price Index | It's an official housing-price index that helps ground property-price trends beyond anecdotes. | We used it to frame buy price vs cashflow risk in a way non-professionals can understand. We also used it to avoid cherry-picking listing prices from ads. |
| Banco de la República | Banco de la República is the central bank, so it's the reference point for financing conditions. | We used it to frame mortgage and credit cost reality in Colombia. We also used it to explain why cash buyers can outcompete leveraged buyers in 2026. |
| Superfinanciera TRM | Superfinanciera is the official certifier of the TRM exchange rate in Colombia. | We used it to justify converting USD-style Airbnb metrics into COP using official rates. We also used it to keep currency assumptions transparent throughout. |
| El Tiempo | El Tiempo is a major Colombian newspaper reporting on proposed regulatory changes. | We used it to flag discussions about tightening RNT verification requirements. We also used it to contextualize regulatory risk for multi-property operators. |
| Santa Marta City Decrees | Official city decrees confirm major events and their municipal recognition. | We used it to validate the Fiesta del Mar as a real demand driver. We also used it to explain why hosts should adjust pricing around officially recognized events. |
| Reuters | Reuters provides reliable international reporting on Colombia's economic policy changes. | We used it to explain why labor costs like cleaning increased significantly in 2026. We also used it to ground expense estimates in real policy changes. |
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