Alberta is a beautiful Canadian province that offers its visitors a ton of amazing experiences. Thanks to local legislation, it has also become a great place for short-term rental businesses. There are numerous Airbnbs that are thriving in Alberta, but as all experienced entrepreneurs know, it is crucial to choose the correct location.
Read also:
- The best cities for Airbnb in Quebec
- The best places to buy Airbnb property BC
- TOP-10 cities for Airbnb in Ontario
- Best cities to buy Airbnb in Saskatchewan
- Best cities for Airbnb investment in Manitoba
- Best places to buy Airbnb property in New Brunswick
- Best cities for Airbnb business in NL
- Best places to buy Airbnb property in Nova Scotia.
Best Cities in Alberta for an Airbnb Investment
The preciousness of Alberta for aspiring entrepreneurs is in its diversity of markets. The province has large cities with intense competition and stable business environments, medium-sized cities with great opportunities for growth, and small towns with almost untapped rental markets.
The markets are very different, so it is important to evaluate the performance of the properties that are already operating there. The best approach is to compare the Average Daily Rates, Occupancy Rates, and Revenues between the cities, but it is also necessary to take the local real estate prices into account before making a decision.
| City | Revenue, $ |
|---|---|
| Wetaskiwin | $5,212 |
| Banff | $4,718 |
| Canmore | $3,692 |
| Jasper | $2,591 |
| Drumheller | $1,807 |
| Chestermere | $1,782 |
| Calgary | $1,39 |
| Edmonton | $1,119 |
| Spruce Grove | $1,349 |
| Lethbridge | $1,261 |
Wetaskiwin
The first city on the list is located south of Edmonton. The City of Wetaskiwin offers an almost untapped short-term rental market, which is caused by the very limited levels of demand from tourists. There are only three properties there that are actively being rented out, and even though the data for them is not as representative, it is clear these Airbnbs are sustainable.
All the properties currently listed in the city of Wetaskiwin are private rooms, and the performance metrics look even more impressive. The Average Daily Rate here is $210, which is so high because of the lack of other options the visitors of the city have. Even with such daily rates, the Occupancy Rates manage to remain at the level of 90% throughout the year. The data regarding the properties Revenue is insufficient, as the monthly value generated by them was bounced between $1,921 and $6,215 over the course of the previous year.
The City of Wetaskiwin is a risky investment for a short-term rental enterprise, but it has the lowest levels of competition among all the cities on this list. Considering the real estate prices there are lower than average, it might interest some entrepreneurs looking for a high-risk, high-reward investment.
Banff
Banff is also a tiny town, but unlike the City of Wetaskiwin, it has enough properties for investors to analyze the market. The city is located in the mountains west of Calgary and attracts enough tourists with its outdoor activities and natural sights. The town is home to 140 short-term rentals, 95 of which are entire homes and apartments.
The Average Daily Rates in Banff are higher than in most other cities, which are $291 here. Unlike in the previous city, this price level is stable in the town, meaning the fluctuations are not as significant throughout the year. The Occupancy Rates average 65% annually, and the demand reaches its peak in August. The average monthly Revenue generated by a property in Banff is $4,787, which is a lot higher than the same metric of many other cities in the province. It is important to remember that the data sample for Banff is rather small, so it is hard to project the performance of a new short-term vacation rental in the city.
Canmore
Canmore is a larger city located right next to Banff. It is considerably more popular among visitors and expectedly has a larger vacation rental market. The competition here is moderate, and the environment is stable. The business in Canmore is subject to seasonality, as local properties generate most of their profits during summer. The city is home to around 1,850 active rentals that are scattered around its area, implying the competition is not concentrated in specific neighborhoods of Canmore.
Out of all the properties in the city, 95% are entire homes and apartments. On average, they have 1.8 bedrooms and can host up to 5.7 guests. The ADR in Canmore averages $214 throughout the year, while the Occupancy Rates stay at a decent level of 77%. With the seasonal fluctuations taken into account, the properties averagely generate $3,666 worth of monthly Revenue throughout the year here.
Drumheller
The Town of Drumheller is situated northeast of Calgary. It is also a relatively remote location with a rather small vacation rental market. In total, 60 properties are being actively rented out in this town, 48 of which are entire homes. On average, they can host up to 6.5 guests and have 2.5 bedrooms. Many of these properties were launched in 2022, so it is not too late for new entrants to catch up with the experience of existing hosts.
The ADR in the Town of Drumheller is $148, with slight fluctuations between the seasons. The Occupancy Rates average 67% throughout the year here, while the average monthly Revenues generated by local properties are $1,781. Most of the profits are generated in summer, while in other seasons, the town is less popular in other seasons. One of its main advantages for potential investors is the very mild competition in the market. Not only are there very few rentals in the Town of Drumheller, but they also are scattered around the city area.
Jasper
Jasper is a town in the mountains west of Edmonton. It is situated between Jasper National Park and Pyramid Mountain, offering its visitors a set of attractions to visit. It is a rather remote place, so it is hard to say that tourism is thriving here. Nevertheless, it is being actively developed, and there are dozens of Airbnbs that manage to operate here.
In total, there are 65 active listings in Jasper, 50 of which are entire homes and apartments. On average, they have 1.2 bedrooms and can host up to three guests. Just like with the previous cities in this article, the business in Jasper is seasonal. Most visitors come to the town in summer, while during other seasons, the occupancy rates face a significant decline.
The Average Daily Rate of Airbnb in Jasper is $148, which is quite average for the province. The Occupancy Rates average 77% throughout the year, while the Revenues stay on the level of $2,598 per month. It is also interesting to note that 45% of properties are listed with a strict cancellation policy in the town, meaning choosing a milder approach will grant new entrepreneurs a competitive advantage.
Chestermere
Chestermere is a small town located right next to Calgary. It has a surprisingly small rental market, taking into account its proximity to a large city that is so popular among tourists. The town undoubtedly benefits from the development and growth of Calgary, attracting some of its visitors with a calmer and more peaceful environment.
In total, there are only 44 active vacation rentals in Chestermere, 36 of which are entire home listings. On average, the properties here have 3.2 bedrooms and can accommodate up to 7.6 guests. The town is a 30-minute drive from the center of Calgary. The ADR in Chestermere is $188, while the Occupancy Rates stay on the level of 56%. The average Revenue generated by an Airbnb in this town is $1,760.
Calgary
Calgary is the largest city in the province, attracting dozens of thousands of visitors every month. The city has a developed infrastructure and a large short-term vacation rental market. Expectedly, the market is extremely competitive, but it also offers entrepreneurs a stable business environment that is available only in a few other cities in the country. The majority of properties are concentrated around the city center, but other neighborhoods are populated with rentals as well.
In total, there are more than 4,000 active listings in Calgary, 78% of which are entire homes. On average, they have two bedrooms and can accept up to 4.7 guests at a time with Average Daily Rates of $107. It is lower than in many other cities on the list because of the intense competition in the area. The demand here is also rather seasonal, as most visitors come to the city in summer. The Occupancy Rates average 71% throughout the year, which is rather high for such a large market. On average, local properties generate $1,387 worth of Revenues per month.
Reasons Why Airbnb in Calgary is a Great Investment Opportunity
Spruce Grove
Spruce Grove is a small town with market conditions that are very similar to the ones of Chestermere. Spruce Grove is located right next to Edmonton, meaning the tourists of the city can stay there for the duration of their visit. The demand is rather moderate right now, but the properties will undoubtedly benefit from the growth of the province’s capital over time. Another benefit is that all the properties are evenly spread around the town’s area. There are no large clusters with high levels of competition, so the investor can choose any neighborhood for launching the enterprise.
In total, there are only 22 active listings in Spruce Grove. Seventeen of them are entire home listings. The properties are capable of accommodating up to 5.9 guests in 2.6 bedrooms on average. Even though the market is still very small, it has been facing quarterly growth of 44% this year. The real estate prices in the town are still relatively low, so it is a great time for an investment in such an untapped market.
The Average Daily Rate of properties in the town is $145. The demand is still rather unstable, as it averages 42% throughout the year, with significant fluctuations between different seasons. The Revenue generated by the properties in Spruce Grove is $1,320 per month. These performance metrics are not very representative, as the data sample is rather small.
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of Alberta and the second-largest city in the province. The vacation rental market is not as developed there as in Calgary, but it is a viable alternative option for investors who wish to launch an Airbnb in a large city. The largest cluster of properties is situated in the downtown area, but there are many rentals offered in the residential neighborhoods of Edmonton as well.
In total, there are more than 2,550 active listings in the city, 79% of which are entire homes. The properties here have 2.2 bedrooms and can accommodate up to five visitors at a time on average. The Average Daily Rate in Edmonton is even lower than in Calgary, as it is $92 here. The Occupancy Rates average 63% throughout the year, with a significant decline in winter. The average monthly Revenue in Edmonton reaches $1,120. Even though the market is very competitive, it offers stable and sustainable conditions for new entrants. It has also been facing a quarterly growth of 7% this year.
Lethbridge
Lethbridge is the last town on the list. It is situated in a rather remote location in the southern part of the province. The market here is quite similar to the one in Jasper, the only difference being that it is larger in Lethbridge. The largest cluster of properties is located in the London Road neighborhood, while most other areas of the town do not have many vacation rentals in them.
In total, there are around 190 properties that are being actively rented out in Lethbridge. The Average Daily Rate is $102 in the city, and the fluctuations between different seasons are not as significant. The Occupancy Rates average 70% throughout the year, with the peak of demand occurring in summer.
The average Revenue generated by an Airbnb in Lethbridge is $1,238 per month. The market was growing rapidly in 2022, but there were not so many new properties launched in the town this year. The fact that these freshly launched rentals managed to remain sustainable signifies that there is room for more Airbnbs in Lethbridge.