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Thinking about running an Airbnb in Daegu, South Korea's fourth-largest city?
This guide covers everything you need to know about short-term rental legality, realistic earnings, and what actually works in Daegu's unique market as of early 2026.
We constantly update this blog post with fresh data on Airbnb profitability in Daegu, including current nightly prices and occupancy rates.
And if you're planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Daegu.
Insights
- Nearly 90% of Airbnb listings in Daegu require a 30-night minimum stay, which is far higher than typical tourist cities and signals that most hosts operate as monthly furnished rentals rather than nightly vacation stays.
- The average Airbnb in Daegu earns roughly $567 per month (about 825,000 won), which is significantly lower than major Korean cities like Seoul because Daegu's demand comes mainly from business travelers and conventions rather than leisure tourists.
- Only 17% of Daegu listings have two bedrooms, creating a clear opportunity for hosts who offer family-sized units near Suseong-gu or transit hubs where visiting relatives and relocating professionals need more space.
- Daegu's typical occupancy rate sits around 45%, but top-performing hosts near Dongdaegu Station or downtown Dongseong-ro can reach 55% to 65% by targeting repeat business travelers and convention attendees.
- Officetels in Daegu face extra compliance scrutiny from South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, so hosts using this property type should verify their registration eligibility before listing.
- The most crowded price band in Daegu is $55 to $85 per night, meaning new hosts can differentiate by offering premium work-friendly amenities or targeting the underserved two-bedroom family segment.
- Daegu's high seasonality score means monthly revenue can swing from $350 during slow months to over $1,000 during major EXCO conventions and local festivals.
- Air conditioning appears in 99% of Daegu listings and WiFi in 98%, so these amenities are not differentiators but absolute requirements to compete in this market.
Can I legally run an Airbnb in Daegu in 2026?
Is short-term renting allowed in Daegu in 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, short-term renting in Daegu is allowed but only under specific legal categories within South Korea's tourism framework, so you cannot simply rent any residential apartment to guests for one or two nights without proper registration.
The main legal framework governing short-term rentals in Daegu is the Tourism Promotion Act, which defines eligible accommodation categories including urban homestays for foreign tourists.
The most important condition hosts must comply with in Daegu is registering under an approved accommodation category, which typically means the urban homestay framework designed for hosting international visitors in residential spaces.
Beyond registration, hosts should expect platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com to increasingly request license or registration numbers, and the government has tightened enforcement against unlicensed operators, particularly those using officetels as short-term rentals.
Penalties for operating an illegal short-term rental in South Korea can include fines and delisting from major booking platforms, with recent enforcement actions specifically targeting properties that lack proper tourism accommodation registration.
For a more general view, you can read our article detailing what exactly foreigners can own and buy in South Korea.
If you are an American, you might want to read our blog article detailing the property rights of US citizens in South Korea.
Are there minimum-stay rules and maximum nights-per-year caps for Airbnbs in Daegu as of 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, there is no single universal minimum-stay rule for all Daegu Airbnbs, but the reality is that 89% of listings already require 30-night minimums, suggesting most hosts operate as monthly rentals to stay within residential leasing norms rather than nightly tourism stays.
These rules differ significantly depending on your registration category and property type, with homestay-style frameworks often having day-count limits that vary by local administration, while longer-stay furnished rentals face fewer restrictions.
Hosts typically track their rental nights through platform booking records and should maintain documentation for tax purposes, though the specific reporting requirements depend on which accommodation category they register under with local authorities.
If a host exceeds applicable caps or operates outside their registered category, they risk fines, loss of registration eligibility, and potential delisting from major booking platforms that increasingly verify compliance.
Do I have to live there, or can I Airbnb a secondary home in Daegu right now?
For homestay-style tourism categories in Daegu, the general expectation is that the host uses the property as a residence or is at least present, meaning pure "ghost hotel" operations in residential buildings face significant compliance challenges.
Owners of secondary homes or investment properties can still operate legally, but the most realistic compliant path is either positioning as a longer-stay furnished rental with 30-night minimums or obtaining proper registration under an accommodation category that allows the building type.
Non-primary residence rentals typically require additional documentation proving the property meets safety standards and falls within an eligible building category, which can be more difficult for standard residential apartments or officetels.
The main difference is that primary residence hosts can more easily fit the urban homestay model, while secondary home owners often find it simpler to operate as monthly furnished rentals, which aligns with what the vast majority of Daegu hosts already do.
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Can I run multiple Airbnbs under one name in Daegu right now?
Running multiple Airbnb listings under one name in Daegu is possible, but it moves you from casual host territory into professional operator status, which means higher compliance expectations and more formal business requirements.
There is no hard cap on how many properties one person can list, but AirDNA data shows that large property managers with dozens of listings do exist in Daegu, operating as established hospitality businesses rather than individual hosts.
Hosts with multiple listings should expect to need proper business registration, consistent tax compliance including income tax and potentially VAT, and registration numbers for each property under appropriate accommodation categories.
Do I need a short-term rental license or a business registration to host in Daegu as of 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, if you are doing true short-term stays in a residential property in Daegu, you should assume you need some form of registration under Korea's tourism or accommodation framework, plus standard tax registration for reporting your rental income.
The typical process involves contacting your local district office (gu office) to understand which accommodation category fits your property, then submitting documentation that proves the building type and safety compliance meet the requirements.
Documents commonly required include proof of property ownership or lease rights, building safety certificates, and personal identification, though exact requirements vary by accommodation category and district.
Costs for registration are generally modest in terms of government fees, but you may need to invest in safety equipment or building modifications to meet eligibility standards, and ongoing tax compliance adds administrative overhead.
Are there neighborhood bans or restricted zones for Airbnb in Daegu as of 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, Daegu does not have famous tourist-neighborhood bans like some global cities, but restrictions are more about building eligibility and property type compliance than geographic zones.
The property types facing the most scrutiny are officetels, which have been specifically mentioned in national enforcement discussions as frequently implicated in unlicensed accommodation cases, meaning officetel owners in any Daegu neighborhood should verify their eligibility before listing.
The main reason for building-level restrictions is that Korea's framework ties short-term rental legality to accommodation categories and building classifications, so a property in a great neighborhood can still be ineligible if its building type does not qualify.
We made this infographic to show you how property prices in South Korea compare to other big cities across the region. It breaks down the average price per square meter in city centers, so you can see how cities stack up. It’s an easy way to spot where you might get the best value for your money. We hope you like it.
How much can an Airbnb earn in Daegu in 2026?
What's the average and median nightly price on Airbnb in Daegu in 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, the average nightly price for an Airbnb listing in Daegu is approximately $71 (about 103,000 won or 65 euros), with the median sitting slightly lower around $65 to $70 due to the market's heavy concentration of long-stay listings that compress price outliers.
The typical nightly price range covering roughly 80% of Daegu listings falls between $45 and $110 (65,000 to 160,000 won, or 40 to 100 euros), with most properties clustering in the $55 to $85 range.
The single biggest factor affecting nightly pricing in Daegu is proximity to major transit hubs like Dongdaegu Station or downtown Dongseong-ro, where convenient access for business travelers and convention attendees commands a clear premium.
By the way, you will find much more detailed profitability rent ranges in our property pack covering the real estate market in Daegu.
How much do nightly prices vary by neighborhood in Daegu in 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, nightly prices in Daegu can vary by roughly $40 to $50 (60,000 to 75,000 won, or 35 to 45 euros) between the most expensive areas like Suseong-gu's Beomeo-dong and more affordable outer neighborhoods, with premium locations near Dongdaegu Station reaching $80 to $110 while peripheral areas sit around $45 to $60.
The three neighborhoods with the highest average nightly prices in Daegu are Suseong-gu (especially Beomeo-dong), the Dongdaegu Station corridor, and downtown Jung-gu around Dongseong-ro and Banwoldang, where rates typically range from $80 to $110 (115,000 to 160,000 won, or 75 to 100 euros).
The three neighborhoods with the lowest average nightly prices in Daegu are outer areas in Dalseong-gun, parts of Buk-gu, and less connected zones of Dalseo-gu, where rates range from $45 to $60 (65,000 to 85,000 won, or 40 to 55 euros), though these areas still attract budget-conscious longer-stay guests and relocating professionals.
What's the typical occupancy rate in Daegu in 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, the typical occupancy rate for Airbnb listings in Daegu is approximately 45%, which reflects the city's nature as a business and convention destination rather than a high-volume leisure tourism market.
The realistic occupancy range covering most Daegu listings falls between 35% and 55%, with properties in prime locations near transit hubs and downtown achieving the higher end of this spectrum.
Daegu's 45% average occupancy is somewhat lower than major Korean tourism destinations like Seoul or Jeju, but this is partly offset by the market's orientation toward longer stays that provide more stable, predictable booking patterns.
The single biggest factor for achieving above-average occupancy in Daegu is targeting the business traveler and convention attendee segment with work-friendly amenities like fast WiFi, a proper desk, and flexible check-in, since this demand is more consistent than leisure tourism.
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What's the average monthly revenue per listing in Daegu in 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, the average monthly revenue per Airbnb listing in Daegu is approximately $567 (about 825,000 won or 520 euros), derived from an annual average of roughly $6,800 per listing.
The realistic monthly revenue range covering roughly 80% of Daegu listings falls between $350 and $900 (500,000 to 1,300,000 won, or 320 to 825 euros), with location and property quality being the main differentiators.
Top Airbnb listings in Daegu, particularly well-positioned two-bedroom properties near Dongdaegu Station or in Suseong-gu, can achieve $1,000 to $1,500 per month (1,450,000 to 2,200,000 won, or 920 to 1,375 euros). At a $100 nightly rate and 50% occupancy, that works out to about 15 booked nights generating $1,500 in gross revenue.
Finally, note that we give here all the information you need to buy and rent out a property in Daegu.
What's the typical low-season vs high-season monthly revenue in Daegu in 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, typical monthly revenue in Daegu swings from approximately $350 to $500 (500,000 to 725,000 won, or 320 to 460 euros) during low season to $700 to $1,000 (1,000,000 to 1,450,000 won, or 640 to 920 euros) during high season and major event periods.
Low season in Daegu typically includes the slower winter months of January through March and mid-summer July through August when business travel drops, while high season aligns with major EXCO conventions, spring cherry blossom season in April, and autumn festival periods in September through November.
What's a realistic Airbnb monthly expense range in Daegu in 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, a realistic monthly expense range for operating an Airbnb in Daegu is $250 to $450 (360,000 to 650,000 won, or 230 to 410 euros) for lean self-managed properties, and $450 to $900 (650,000 to 1,300,000 won, or 410 to 825 euros) for more hands-off or higher-standard operations.
The single largest expense category for most Daegu Airbnb hosts is cleaning and turnover costs, especially for properties accepting shorter stays, followed by building management fees which are standard in Korean apartments and officetels, typically running $80 to $150 (115,000 to 220,000 won, or 75 to 140 euros) monthly.
Hosts in Daegu should typically expect to spend 45% to 75% of gross revenue on operating expenses, with leaner operators at the lower end and those using professional cleaning services or property management at the higher end.
If you want to go into more details, we also have a blog article detailing all the property taxes and fees in Daegu.
What's realistic monthly net profit and profit per available night for Airbnb in Daegu in 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, realistic monthly net profit for an average Airbnb in Daegu ranges from break-even to about $270 (390,000 won or 250 euros), which translates to a profit per available night of roughly $4 to $9 (5,800 to 13,000 won, or 3.50 to 8 euros).
The realistic monthly net profit range covering most Daegu listings is negative $130 to positive $300 (negative 190,000 to positive 435,000 won, or negative 120 to positive 275 euros), with many average listings effectively breaking even while well-positioned properties generate modest returns.
Hosts in Daegu typically achieve net profit margins between 15% and 35% of gross revenue, with efficient self-managing operators at the higher end and those with higher cleaning or management costs at the lower end.
The break-even occupancy rate for a typical Airbnb listing in Daegu is approximately 30% to 35%, meaning hosts need to book roughly 9 to 11 nights per month at average rates just to cover their operating expenses before generating any profit.
In our property pack covering the real estate market in Daegu, we explain the best strategies to improve your cashflows.
We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in South Korea versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.
How competitive is Airbnb in Daegu as of 2026?
How many active Airbnb listings are in Daegu as of 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, there are approximately 1,835 active Airbnb listings in Daegu, making it a mid-sized market compared to Seoul's much larger inventory but still substantial for South Korea's fourth-largest city.
The number of listings in Daegu has grown modestly over recent years as the city positions itself as a convention and business destination, though growth has been tempered by compliance requirements and the market's natural orientation toward longer-stay rentals rather than high-turnover tourist accommodation.
Which neighborhoods are most saturated in Daegu as of 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, the most saturated neighborhoods for Airbnb in Daegu are Jung-gu (including Dongseong-ro and Banwoldang), the Dongdaegu Station corridor, and the central Daegu Station area, where listings cluster around transit access and walkable commercial districts.
These neighborhoods became saturated because they combine the key factors Daegu guests prioritize: KTX connectivity for business travelers at Dongdaegu Station, walkable shopping and dining in Dongseong-ro, and metro access that makes the central stations convenient hubs for both work and leisure visitors.
Relatively undersaturated neighborhoods that may offer better opportunities for new hosts include parts of Suseong-gu beyond the immediate Beomeo-dong core, areas near Daegu's universities like Kyungpook National University, and neighborhoods along newer metro extensions where competition is lighter but connectivity remains solid.
What local events spike demand in Daegu in 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, the main local events that spike Airbnb demand in Daegu are major EXCO convention center exhibitions, the Daegu International Bodypainting Festival, Chimac Festival (chicken and beer), and university-related events like graduations and entrance exam periods that bring visiting families.
During peak events, hosts in well-positioned Daegu neighborhoods can see bookings increase by 30% to 50% and nightly rates rise by 20% to 40% compared to regular periods, with the largest spikes occurring during multi-day conventions that fill nearby accommodation.
Hosts should typically adjust their pricing and open availability 4 to 8 weeks before major Daegu events, as convention attendees and event visitors often book in advance, and waiting too long means missing the window when demand-driven pricing works best.
What occupancy differences exist between top and average hosts in Daegu in 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, top-performing Airbnb hosts in Daegu achieve occupancy rates of approximately 55% to 65%, significantly outperforming the market by capturing repeat business travelers and maintaining excellent reviews for work-friendly amenities.
By comparison, average hosts in Daegu see occupancy around 45%, meaning top performers book roughly 3 to 6 additional nights per month through better positioning, faster response times, and amenities tailored to Daegu's business-oriented guest profile.
New hosts in Daegu typically need 6 to 12 months to build enough reviews and optimize their listing to reach top-performer occupancy levels, with the learning curve being steeper for those unfamiliar with the city's convention calendar and business traveler expectations.
We give more details about the different Airbnb strategies to adopt in our property pack covering the real estate market in Daegu.
Which price points are most crowded, and where's the "white space" for new hosts in Daegu right now?
The nightly price range with the highest concentration of listings in Daegu is $55 to $85 (80,000 to 125,000 won, or 50 to 78 euros), where most one-bedroom apartments and studio officetels compete directly for the same practical, budget-conscious business travelers.
White space opportunities for new hosts in Daegu exist above $90 per night (130,000 won or 82 euros) for premium work-friendly units near Dongdaegu Station, and in the two-bedroom segment at $100 to $130 (145,000 to 190,000 won, or 92 to 120 euros) where only 17% of current supply competes.
To successfully compete in these underserved segments, a new host in Daegu should offer a well-designed two-bedroom layout near transit or in Suseong-gu, with reliable high-speed WiFi, a proper workspace, self-check-in, and flexible monthly discounts that appeal to relocating professionals and visiting families.
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What property works best for Airbnb demand in Daegu right now?
What bedroom count gets the most bookings in Daegu as of 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, one-bedroom properties get the most bookings in Daegu, making up 73% of all listings and capturing the bulk of solo business travelers, couples, and short-term corporate visitors who dominate the city's guest profile.
The estimated booking rate breakdown by bedroom count in Daegu shows one-bedrooms at roughly 70% of total bookings, two-bedrooms at around 20%, and studios plus three-bedroom-plus units splitting the remaining 10%.
One-bedroom properties perform best in Daegu because the city's demand is heavily driven by individual business travelers attending EXCO conventions, corporate meetings, and university-related visits, who typically travel alone or as couples and do not need larger family-sized accommodations.
What property type performs best in Daegu in 2026?
As of the first half of 2026, the best-performing property type for Airbnb in Daegu is modern apartments (아파트), which offer the climate control, safety features, and consistent guest experience that business travelers expect, and which fit most easily into Korea's accommodation compliance framework.
Occupancy rates across property types in Daegu show apartments achieving 45% to 50%, villas and low-rise multi-family units at 40% to 45%, officetels at 42% to 48% (though with compliance caveats), and detached houses at 35% to 42% due to less alignment with Daegu's dominant guest profile.
Apartments outperform in Daegu because they combine reliable building management, modern amenities like elevators and climate control, and the kind of standardized, hassle-free experience that business travelers booking through platforms have come to expect in Korean cities.
What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it's in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Daegu, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can … and we don't throw out numbers at random.
We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we've listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.
| Source | Why It's Authoritative | How We Used It |
|---|---|---|
| National Law Information Center | This is Korea's official government portal for the actual text of laws including the Tourism Promotion Act. | We used it to anchor what tourism and accommodation businesses are defined as in Korean law. We used it as the baseline before interpreting any media summaries of regulations. |
| KLRI Statutes of the Republic of Korea | This is produced by a public research institute that publishes official-style statute translations and references. | We used it to cross-check terminology and legal category descriptions in English. We used it as a consistency check against the National Law Information Center. |
| Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism | This is the responsible central ministry for tourism policy and tourism accommodation categories in South Korea. | We used it to triangulate who regulates tourism accommodation categories nationally. We used it to keep the legal section aligned with the correct regulator. |
| Korea Herald | This is a major national English-language newspaper that clearly attributes regulatory changes to MCST announcements. | We used it to confirm that the government tightened enforcement and that officetels are a focus in delistings and enforcement context. We used it to time-stamp the January 2026 regulatory reality. |
| Korea Times | This is a major national newspaper that cites ministry statements and government briefings. | We used it to triangulate the specific direction of reform and understand how compliance is being steered into licensed categories. We used it to reinforce the regulatory landscape. |
| Chosun Biz | This is a large national outlet that references ministry guidelines explicitly in its reporting. | We used it to cross-check what exactly changed in the October 2025 guidelines. We used it as a third confirmation of the policy shift allowing older buildings with safety verification. |
| Booking.com Partner Help | This is a large global platform that maintains jurisdiction-specific compliance checklists for hosts. | We used it as a practical compliance cross-check for what platforms commonly ask for. We used it to validate that category plus registration is the operating norm. |
| Airbnb Help Center | This is Airbnb's own official documentation of their fee structure for hosts. | We used it to estimate platform fees in the expense model. We used it to compute net profit per available night consistently. |
| Airbnb Korea Tax Guide | This is an Airbnb-issued compliance guide tailored to Korea that points readers toward the National Tax Service. | We used it to structure the tax and filing part of expenses and compliance. We used it to keep tax language conservative and aligned to official filing concepts. |
| National Tax Service | This is the Korean national tax authority's own official website. | We used it to anchor where tax registration and filing information ultimately lives. We used it as the authoritative destination when mentioning VAT and income tax responsibilities. |
| Korea Real Estate Board | This is the official public institution that monitors and publishes real estate market indicators in Korea. | We used it to ground the real estate context around official institutions. We used it as the authoritative housing market data owner reference for Daegu context. |
| Statistics Korea Census Portal | This is the official Statistics Korea portal for census and population and housing statistics. | We used it to ground the residential city and household framing. We used it as a sanity check for how residential the market is and what property types dominate. |
| Statistics Korea Household Expenditure | This is an official Statistics Korea release with consumption categories relevant to utilities and housekeeping costs. | We used it to justify why utilities and housekeeping are non-trivial operating costs. We used it to keep expense assumptions consistent with household cost reality. |
| AirDNA Daegu Dashboard | AirDNA is a widely used short-term rental data provider with transparent methodology used by major media and investors. | We used it for the core quantitative STR metrics including active listings, ADR, occupancy, and annual revenue. We also used its distribution charts for minimum stays, bedroom mix, and amenities to tailor strategy to Daegu specifically. |
| Yanolja Research | Yanolja is a major travel and hospitality player in Korea whose research unit publishes data-driven market briefs. | We used it to triangulate that Airbnb supply is material in Korea and regionally distributed. We used it as a macro check on platform presence beyond AirDNA's city slice. |
| Daegu Metropolitan City | This is the city government's own official website with local administrative information. | We used it to ground the article in Daegu-specific official context. We used it to point readers to the city as the first stop for local administrative guidance. |
We created this infographic to give you a simple idea of how much it costs to buy property in different parts of South Korea. As you can see, it breaks down price ranges and property types for popular cities in the country. We hope this makes it easier to explore your options and understand the market.
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