Rio de Janeiro's South Zone records record short‑term rental density and soaring rents

A study by Inside Airbnb identified 48,000 short‑term rental listings in Rio de Janeiro, an 11% increase from the previous year. Copacabana alone accounts for 13,174 properties – 30.9% of the city’s total supply – and hosts the world’s highest density of listings at 2,852 per square kilometre. The surge coincides with a tourism boom that brought 6.5 million visitors, generating R$17.2 billion in the first half of the year, while traditional long‑term rentals fell 31.8% between 2023 and 2026.

Rental prices in the South Zone have more than doubled. Between 2021 and 2026 the average monthly rent per square metre rose from R$35 to R$74 in Copacabana (111% increase), from R$55 to R$117 in Ipanema (112%), and from R$57 to R$122 in Leblon (114%). The stronger US dollar and influx of digital‑nomad tourists have spurred house‑flipping activity and prompted agencies such as Okre Imóveis to hire multilingual agents, with about 30% of transactions now involving foreign buyers or investors seeking seasonal rentals.