This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclosures for more info.
Have you wanted to start an Airbnb but wondering what your Airbnb startup cost will be? I have the full breakdown here on my 7th property and can give you all the details that went into getting it set up.
Now, my husband is amazing and he fully converted this detached garage on one of our properties into an ADU. Fully permitted and built out from an old 1940s garage. I will not be including the breakdown of costs there, that could be a completely different post. Rather, we’ll breakdown the cost of taking the unit from unfurnished to furnished and ready to host.
This post is all about Airbnb startup cost.
Airbnb Startup Cost: The Full Breakdown
What do I need?
Answering this question is really going to vary listing by listing but I will breakdown everything here I purchased for my 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom ADU listing that went live July 2024 (aka just a couple months ago). This listing will do $19k annually and is just under 400 square feet. So very small space but there are some sunk costs that will will be big no matter the listing size, like appliances.
I have put together a spreadsheet that goes room by room in any Airbnb and shows you what furniture you will need. The full breakdown is here below in this spreadsheet. Waste no time and input your email for the checklist now!
Appliances
Appliances totally SUCK to have to buy. Generally, I would advise buying new, durable appliances and nothing second hand. But I made this mistake in my first Airbnb listing and that refrigerator is still running 5 years later. So totally up to you.
If the listing you’re furnishing didn’t come with a refrigerator, washer and dryer, microwave, etc. You will need to purchase these for your guests. Even if you’re just renting out a room, you will want to purchase a mini-fridge for leftovers and drinks. In my opinion, Lowes has the best appliance delivery experience. If you order through them, they will deliver and install any appliance for $29 per trip! So if you order 3 different appliances, it’s still just $29 for all 3 to be installed, crazy.
Thinking of starting your own Airbnb? Use my referral link for $40 from Airbnb for hosting your first guest!
Room by room breakdown
Now here’s a room by room breakdown of exactly what I purchased to furnish this Airbnb listing. I’ll give the total down below for everything for this Airbnb startup cost example.
Living Room
Like I said above, this unit is small, just under 400 square feet! So I needed every space to work hard for me. I would LOVE to mount this TV but can’t because the breaker box is right behind the TV and needs to be accessible.
In the living room I have:
- A couch
- Rug
- Coffee table
- End table
- TV stand with storage
- Smart TV
- Two throw blankets
- Light decor
Kitchen
The kitchen is perfectly equipped for our guests to cook full meals and has a full size oven. We opted for an apartment size refrigerator and small dishwasher. Everything else is set up for 4. We only allow 2 guests to stay at a time but having a set of 4 of everything allows the guests to use a set of dishes and have a clean set ready to use.
In this kitchen I have:
- Brita for filtered water
- Ice trays in the freezer
- Dishes for 4 people
- 4 tall water glasses
- 4 short water glasses
- 4 wine glasses
- Silverware for 4
- Full pots & pans set
- Baking set
- 3 cutting boards
- Mixing bowls
- Knife set
- Utensil set
- Trash can
- Toaster
- Coffee pot
- Dish soap, sponge, hand soap, trash bags, dishwasher pods, drying mat
Bedroom
The bedroom is super cozy but big enough for a queen size bed, dresser, two side tables and still room to walk around the edge. I have the breakdown below.
In the bedroom I have:
- Queen size bed, mattress, bedding, frame
- Bedding with a comfy throw and cute thrifted pillow
- Rug
- Dresser
- Hangars in the closet
- Side tables
- Mounted lights
- Full length mirror
- Decor
Bathroom
I always keep my bathrooms simple, but functional. This bathroom is simply decorated with greenery, good wall art and a towel rack to display the clean towels.
In this bathroom I have:
- Towels under the sink
- Room spray
- Hand soap
- Shampoo, conditioner, body wash
- Trash can
- 4 towel sets under the sink
- Decor
Airbnb startup cost total
All of these items I listed above add up to $5,500. Now, if I didn’t need to buy a refrigerator/stove/washer and dryer set up, then that would bring the total down to $2,800. The general rule of thumb is to spend $10-$15 per square foot on furnishings and I hit the high end with this one because I had to purchase appliances. Usually, I would do a little more decor and some fun paint on the walls but this unit is specifically targeting 30+ day stays or corporate travelers. I have found that these kinds of travelers want a well designed space but don’t need it to be perfectly decorated.
What do you think you would purchase in addition to what I have listed above? Let me know in the comments!
This post was all about Airbnb startup cost.
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclosures for more info.
