Curious about the performance of short-term rentals in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia? Over the last year, the average occupancy rate was 53% with an average nightly price (ADR) of 101€. Hosts earned on average 1535€ per month.
90-day occupancy forecast for Cartagena de Indias so you can update rates and stay ahead of competitors.
Key metrics to optimize your pricing strategy
Avg. monthly earnings
1535€
$1397 USD
YoY Revenue Change
-15%
vs. previous year
Occupancy Rate
53%
~16 days/month
Average Daily Rate
101€
$92 USD
Seasonality Index
45%
demand variation
Best Months
January, March
peak season
Worst Months
October, June
low season
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For the analysis period 2025-06 to 2026-05, Cartagena listings averaged 54% occupancy and an ADR of 101€ ($92), producing about 1,552€ ($1,411) in average monthly revenue across roughly 193 booked nights. Occupancy sits marginally below the four-city Colombian average of about 55% and trails Medellín's 64%, but the ADR is by far the highest in the country, around 60% above the national average near 63€ and more than triple Cali's 31€. That beach premium is what makes Cartagena the country's top revenue market per listing.
The trade-off is volatility: at 44% seasonality, the steepest of the four cities, earnings concentrate in the dry-season peak rather than spreading evenly like Medellín's 25%. Revenue was down 16% year on year, the sharpest decline of any tracked Colombian city, pointing to new supply and softer leisure demand compressing rates even as the headline ADR stays high. The lesson for operators is that Cartagena rewards rate discipline and tight peak-season pricing far more than chasing year-round fill.
Average occupancy rate by month in Cartagena de Indias, compared with the same month a year earlier.
| Month | Occupancy | Prior year |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 2025 | 59.3% | 57.1% |
| Aug 2025 | 58.3% | 60.2% |
| Sep 2025 | 49.9% | 52.2% |
| Oct 2025 | 46.6% | 49.3% |
| Nov 2025 | 52.2% | 54.8% |
| Dec 2025 | 59% | 59.6% |
| Jan 2026 | 59.9% | 61% |
| Feb 2026 | 54.9% | 59.4% |
| Mar 2026 | 54.1% | 58.1% |
| Apr 2026 | 47% | 53.1% |
| May 2026 | 47.2% | 44.8% |
| Jun 2026 | 53.3% | 59.1% |
📌 Historical trends reveal seasonal highs – plan accordingly.
These figures reflect real-time demand in Cartagena de Indias, helping you plan and price strategically.
Cartagena de Indias is Colombia's premier Caribbean leisure destination, and its short-term rental demand is overwhelmingly experience-driven holiday travel rather than the digital-nomad or medical-tourism base that sustains Medellín. Guests come for the walled colonial Centro Histórico, the beaches of Bocagrande and the day-trip boats to the Islas del Rosario, with a heavy share of weddings, bachelor and bachelorette weekends, and US, European and domestic Colombian holidaymakers booking two-to-five-night stays around long weekends.
That profile makes Cartagena a high-rate, event-and-holiday market. With roughly 360 active listings tracked here and a city-wide inventory in the thousands, the wedding and group-travel segment rewards larger furnished apartments and casas with rooftop terraces, pools and proximity to the walled city; pure beach demand favours high-rise Bocagrande condos. Because almost everything revolves around tourism, occupancy and pricing swing sharply with the holiday calendar.
Cartagena carries 44% seasonality, the steepest demand curve of Colombia's four tracked cities, because it is a beach destination tied to the Caribbean dry season. The peak months are January and March: January runs hot on the back of the New Year holiday and the late-January Hay Festival literary gathering (held 29 January to 1 February in 2026), while March benefits from the tail of the December-to-April dry window and Northern-Hemisphere spring breaks.
The softest months are October and May, both wet-season months that bracket the May-to-November rains and sit outside the main event calendar. Demand also lifts around the FICCI international film festival in mid-April (14-19 April in 2026) and the Fiestas de Independencia each 11 November, the city's patrimonial carnival of parades and music. Managers should price aggressively for the dry-season peak and the November fiestas, then discount through the October and May troughs.
The walled Centro Histórico and adjacent Getsemaní are the highest-yielding short-term rental areas: the historic centre commands premium nightly rates for boutique colonial apartments and group casas, while Getsemaní, once rough and now the city's most fashionable barrio, draws younger travellers to its plazas, street art and nightlife. Both sit inside or beside the UNESCO walls, so walkability and address drive the rate.
Bocagrande and neighbouring Castillogrande are the high-rise beach strip, favoured by families and beach-first guests who want sand below the building and Avenida San Martín dining; rates are solid but compete with hotels. Manga, on its island just east of the old city, is more residential and cheaper, suiting value and longer stays, while La Boquilla and the northern beaches serve a quieter, lower-density market. The Islas del Rosario are day-trip excursions rather than a meaningful overnight rental base.
Short-term rentals in Cartagena operate under Colombia's national tourism framework, not ordinary residential leasing. Any host renting for stays under 30 days must register the property in the Registro Nacional de Turismo (RNT) and classify it as a vivienda turística, under Decree 1074 of 2015 and Decree 1836 of 2021; registration is online, renewed annually, and since late 2025 Airbnb verifies a valid RNT number before a Cartagena listing can go live, so operating unregistered is no longer practical.
The sharper local constraint is building-level. Under Colombia's propiedad horizontal regime, a building's bylaws can prohibit rentals under 30 days regardless of the national licence, and this is a common block even inside prime areas like the Centro Histórico and Bocagrande, so confirm the building permits tourist stays before buying or listing. Hosts must also document each guest, charge applicable tourism and accommodation taxes, and watch for tighter municipal daily-rental rules being debated through 2026.
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* Calculations based on 30 days/month. Actual results may vary depending on market, season, property type, and implemented strategy.
Over the 2025-06 to 2026-05 period tracked by ListingOK, Cartagena listings averaged 54% occupancy, about 193 booked nights a year. That is marginally below the four-city Colombian average of around 55% and behind Medellín, but Cartagena leads the country on rate: at a 101€ ADR, average monthly revenue is roughly 1,552€, the highest of any tracked Colombian city.
January and March are the strongest months, riding the Caribbean dry season (December to April), the New Year holiday and the late-January Hay Festival (29 January to 1 February in 2026). The FICCI film festival in mid-April and the 11 November Fiestas de Independencia add demand spikes. October and May are the softest, wet-season months and usually need discounting.
Yes. For stays under 30 days you must register the property in the Registro Nacional de Turismo (RNT) as a vivienda turística under Decrees 1074 of 2015 and 1836 of 2021, renewed yearly, and since late 2025 Airbnb verifies a valid RNT number before publishing. Just as important, check your building's propiedad horizontal bylaws, as many condominiums prohibit stays under 30 days.
The walled Centro Histórico and trendy Getsemaní earn the highest rates, suiting boutique colonial apartments, group casas and nightlife-led travellers. Bocagrande and Castillogrande are the high-rise beach strip favoured by families. Manga offers cheaper, residential value for longer stays, while La Boquilla serves a quieter northern market; the Islas del Rosario are day-trip excursions rather than an overnight base.