London Airbnb profit & linen calculator
Built on 47,053 active London Airbnbs: what similar places in your borough charge and book, your profit after every cost, the 90-night rule, the best minimum stay, what earns more — and the linen you need.
- Booking income£161 × 55 nights£8,855
- Airbnb fee3% split fee−£266
- Cleaning£30 × 18 changeovers−£550
- Linen with LPLaundry£15 × 18 changeovers−£275
Price typical for this areaBookings typical for this areaTypical figures adjusted for sleeping 2
90-night rule: 55 of the 90 nights a year allowed for a whole home in London without planning permission.
You vs the area
| You | Typical here | Top 25% here | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price a night | £161 | £161 | £214 |
| Nights a year | 55 | 55 | 136 |
| Income | £8,855 | £8,855 | £29,104 |
| Profit | £7,764 | £7,764 | £26,191 |
Same costs in all three columns. Typical = middle of similar active listings; top 25% = the price and nights the busiest quarter reach.
Boost your income
- Superhost status — similar London 1-bed flats with it earn about £11,215 more a year (£19,610 vs £8,395).
- Self check-in — similar London 1-bed flats with it earn about £4,718 more a year (£13,040 vs £8,322).
- Air conditioning — similar London 1-bed flats with it earn about £3,951 more a year (£14,720 vs £10,769).
- Dishwasher — similar London 1-bed flats with it earn about £2,421 more a year (£12,523 vs £10,102).
Medians from 14,986 active London listings of this type and size. A pattern in the data, not a promise — busier hosts also tend to add these.
Best minimum stay
Best for your numbers: 1-night minimum — about £9,035 profit a year.
| Minimum stay | Nights a year | Changeovers | LPLaundry linen | Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 night | 64 | 21 | £320 | £9,035 |
| 2 nights now | 55 | 18 | £275 | £7,764 |
| 3 nights | 40 | 13 | £200 | £5,647 |
| 5 nights | 32 | 6 | £96 | £4,709 |
| 7 nights | 48 | 7 | £103 | £7,188 |
Nights scaled from how similar London listings with each minimum stay book. Shorter minimums bring more bookings but more changeovers — cleaning and linen are counted.
Income by month
Busiest month here: May; quietest: February. Price up ahead of May and use discounts or longer minimum stays in February.
Your LPLaundry linen plan
About 2 changeovers a month, up to 2 in May. Keep three sets per bed:
- 3 Duvet covers
- 3 Bed sheets
- 6 Pillowcases
- 6 Bath towels
- 6 Hand towels
- 3 Bath mats
- 6 Tea towels
A 1-bed flat short-let in London sleeping 2, at £161 a night and booked 55 nights a year, brings in about £8,855 and leaves about £7,764 after the costs entered, before rent or mortgage (88% margin). That is about 18 changeovers a year; linen with LPLaundry costs £15 per changeover, £275 a year.
Keep your linen plan: Add to your calendar One-page plan (PDF)
Estimates only, not financial advice. Typical prices, nights, monthly pattern, feature patterns and minimum-stay patterns: Inside Airbnb, London snapshot 19 Jun 2026 (CC BY 4.0), active listings of the same type and size. Costs are your own figures. Airbnb fee levels are approximate. Linen: LPLaundry changeover set prices; 4+ bedrooms are quoted, shown as "from".
Airbnb income by borough — one-bed flats
Typical price, nights booked and yearly income for active one-bed Airbnb flats in each London borough, highest earning first. Pick your borough in the calculator above to run your own numbers.
| Borough | Typical price | Nights a year | Typical income | Top 25% earn | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westminster | £238 | 74 | £18,144 | £39,794+ | 2,554 |
| Camden | £205 | 74 | £14,882 | £32,017+ | 1,299 |
| City of London | £240 | 64 | £14,548 | £33,200+ | 152 |
| Kensington and Chelsea | £219 | 64 | £14,160 | £34,500+ | 1,416 |
| Southwark | £169 | 60 | £11,990 | £24,970+ | 690 |
| Haringey | £143 | 70 | £11,963 | £22,844+ | 318 |
| Islington | £180 | 64 | £11,908 | £27,390+ | 1,011 |
| Richmond upon Thames | £154 | 70 | £11,010 | £21,684+ | 170 |
| Lambeth | £171 | 55 | £10,703 | £24,840+ | 668 |
| Brent | £148 | 64 | £10,624 | £22,946+ | 393 |
| Harrow | £118 | 74 | £9,960 | £22,550+ | 82 |
| Tower Hamlets | £175 | 55 | £9,509 | £22,330+ | 1,032 |
| Hackney | £167 | 55 | £9,361 | £21,513+ | 955 |
| Wandsworth | £190 | 46 | £9,280 | £19,684+ | 548 |
| Waltham Forest | £133 | 55 | £8,960 | £19,140+ | 218 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | £180 | 46 | £8,920 | £21,150+ | 794 |
| Barnet | £132 | 60 | £8,694 | £19,665+ | 375 |
| Kingston upon Thames | £132 | 74 | £8,547 | £20,942+ | 79 |
| Newham | £167 | 46 | £8,223 | £18,180+ | 279 |
| Enfield | £138 | 64 | £7,622 | £15,766+ | 95 |
| Merton | £159 | 46 | £7,112 | £17,388+ | 144 |
| Lewisham | £140 | 55 | £6,720 | £16,434+ | 322 |
| Ealing | £113 | 55 | £6,486 | £14,594+ | 353 |
| Redbridge | £111 | 55 | £6,474 | £11,550+ | 74 |
| Greenwich | £155 | 37 | £6,426 | £16,523+ | 205 |
| Hounslow | £144 | 37 | £5,952 | £13,612+ | 161 |
| Bromley | £135 | 55 | £5,535 | £15,272+ | 109 |
| Havering | £110 | 46 | £5,060 | £11,565+ | 39 |
| Bexley | £112 | 46 | £5,033 | £10,896+ | 52 |
| Croydon | £105 | 46 | £4,969 | £12,303+ | 207 |
| Sutton | £97 | 46 | £4,907 | £11,778+ | 66 |
| Barking and Dagenham | £126 | 28 | £4,283 | £6,440+ | 45 |
| Hillingdon | £111 | 37 | £4,156 | £14,255+ | 81 |
Inside Airbnb, London snapshot 19 Jun 2026, active listings (reviewed in the last 12 months), whole one-bedroom flats. Estimates.
What higher-earning London Airbnbs have in common
Median yearly income of active one-bed London flats with and without each feature. Patterns in the data, not promises — but they show where guests spend.
-
Superhost status
£19,610 with · £8,395 without
+£11,215 a year
-
Self check-in
£13,040 with · £8,322 without
+£4,718 a year
-
Air conditioning
£14,720 with · £10,769 without
+£3,951 a year
-
Dishwasher
£12,523 with · £10,102 without
+£2,421 a year
-
Pets allowed
£11,470 with · £11,000 without
+£470 a year
-
Balcony, patio or garden
£11,321 with · £10,948 without
+£373 a year
-
Washing machine
£11,106 with · £10,897 without
+£209 a year
-
Dedicated workspace
£10,956 with · £11,194 without
−£238 a year
-
Free parking
£8,216 with · £11,573 without
−£3,357 a year
Airbnb profit in London: questions hosts ask
How much does an Airbnb make in London?
A typical active one-bed Airbnb flat in London is listed at about £179 a night and books about 56 nights a year, earning about £11,074; a two-bed flat earns about £17,940. The top 25% of one-bed flats earn over £25,530. Inside Airbnb estimates for listings reviewed in the 12 months to 19 Jun 2026.
What is the 90-night rule for Airbnb in London?
In Greater London a whole home can be let short-term for up to 90 nights in a calendar year without planning permission; above that you need permission from your council. It does not apply in the same way to renting a room in a home you live in. The calculator shows your income and profit capped at 90 nights.
What minimum stay should I set for my Airbnb?
London one-bed flats with a 1-night minimum book a median 74 nights a year, against 46 with a 3-night minimum. Shorter minimums mean more changeovers, so the calculator counts cleaning and linen for each option and shows which earns you most.
Which London borough earns the most from Airbnb?
For one-bed flats, Westminster has the highest typical income at about £18,144 a year, followed by Camden (£14,882) and City of London (£14,548). The full borough table is on this page.
What makes an Airbnb in London earn more?
Across 14,986 active one-bed flats, listings run by Superhosts earn a median £19,610 a year against £8,395, and listings with self check-in or air conditioning also earn more. These are patterns in the data, not guarantees.
How much linen does an Airbnb need?
Keep three full sets per bed: one on the bed, one being laundered and one on the shelf. LPLaundry changeover sets are £15 for a studio or one-bed, £20 for a two-bed and £25 for a three-bed, collected and delivered. The calculator works out your stock and yearly linen cost.