Key Takeaways
- Kansas City averages $539.95 per night on Airbnb — nearly six times Guadalajara’s $89.06, the cheapest host city.
- The tournament-wide average across all 16 host cities is $228.21 per night, with U.S. and Canadian cities pulling well above that benchmark.
- A significant gap between listed asking rates and actual booked rates signals overpricing risk for operators who haven’t yet filled their World Cup calendars.
Kansas City is currently ranked the most expensive city in the world to book an Airbnb during this summer’s FIFA World Cup, according to a new study that ranks the average cost across all 16 host cities.
The Rustic Pathways study reported that KC short-term rentals are charging an average of $539.95 per night, nearly six times what fans will pay in the most “affordable” host city, Guadalajara, Mexico.
Mexico’s three host cities wound up ranking as the three lowest-priced cities overall.
Meanwhile, Vancouver sits second at $461.52 per night, followed by Boston at $292.99, Dallas at $251.19, and Seattle at $247.96.
The tournament-wide average across all 16 cities lands at $228.21 per night.
Here are the ranking’s for the 16 host cities:
| Ranking | Host City | Average cost per night |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas City | $539.95 |
| 2 | Vancouver | $461.52 |
| 3 | Boston | $292.99 |
| 4 | Dallas | $251.19 |
| 5 | Seattle | $247.96 |
| 6 | Atlanta | $233.46 |
| 7 | Miami | $230.00 |
| 8 | San Francisco Bay Area | $220.93 |
| 9 | New York / New Jersey | $175.78 |
| 10 | Philadelphia | $168.56 |
| 11 | Houston | $163.16 |
| 12 | Los Angeles | $155.81 |
| 13 | Toronto | $154.51 |
| 14 | Monterrey | $134.80 |
| 15 | Mexico City | $131.66 |
| 16 | Guadalajara | $89.06 |
What the pricing spread means for STR operators in host cities
The Mexican city of Guadalajara holds the cheapest average at $89.06 per night, with Mexico City coming in second at $131.66.
Igor Batista via Unsplash)
Rustic CEO Shayne Fitz-Coy noted that Mexico’s host cities run far below the tournament average, while Canada’s host cities run well above it — and U.S. host cities, on average, also exceed the $228.21 benchmark.
That three-country divide tells operators exactly where pricing power is concentrated and where it is not.
Related: World Cup cities see Airbnb price crash
Operators holding out for top-of-market rates may find themselves cutting prices in the final weeks before kickoff.
A significant gap between listed asking rates and actual booked rates signals overpricing risk for some operators who haven’t yet filled their World Cup calendars.
Hosts using dynamic pricing software to align asking rates with what comparable booked nights are actually clearing will have a clear structural edge over those who set and forget.
