Rental Arbitrage in San Antonio, TX
We have not published a sourced legal page for this city yet. Check the city's official short-term rental rules and your lease before relying on the numbers below.
- Average daily rate
- $188.10
- Occupancy
- 56%
- Annual revenue potential
- $32,300
How Much Rent Can a Unit Here Carry?
- Most rent that breaks even
- $2,668
- Rent that leaves a 20% margin
- $1,932
At the market's average rate and occupancy, a unit books about 17.0 nights and $3,685 a month. The ceiling assumes 3-night stays, an $85 cleaning fee against a $75 clean, a 3% platform fee and $480 a month for bills, insurance, supplies and software. Market averages include every listing size, so a one-bedroom usually earns less. Treat these as upper limits for a lease negotiation, not targets.
Run the Numbers for San Antonio, TX
Pre-filled with the market's rate and occupancy, and a rent at the 20% margin ceiling. Replace the rent with the real asking rent of the unit you're considering.
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The San Antonio, TX Market
AirDNA's San Antonio market averaged a $188.10 daily rate at 56% occupancy over the last 12 months, about 17.0 booked nights and $3,700 of booking income a month for an average listing.
San Antonio is one of the few large Texas cities where a tenant can hold a permit, with the owner's notarized authorization. The catch is density: a Type 2 permit, for a unit nobody lives in, is capped at 12.5% of units on a blockface, with one allowed by right per blockface, and multifamily buildings of 5 or more units are capped at 12.5% of units. Check the blockface before you sign.
What a Unit Can Earn
At the market averages, a unit breaks even at about $2,670 a month in rent and keeps a 20% margin at about $1,930.
Startup Costs
At a $1,900 rent, expect roughly $12,200 before the first booking: a one-month deposit, the first month's rent, about $7,500 of furnishing and $900 of setup. Add a cushion of a few months of costs. Work it out properly with the startup cost calculator.
Risks to Weigh
- Type 2 permits are capped at 12.5% of units per blockface and per multifamily building
- A $1,000 permit fee (plus 8%) for Type 2, lost if the lease ends, because permits can't be transferred
- The owner must sign a notarized authorization
- The permit number must be on every listing
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can a Renter Do Rental Arbitrage in San Antonio?
- Yes, with a notarized authorization from the owner. The main limit is the Type 2 density cap of 12.5% of units on a blockface.
- What Rent Can a San Antonio Unit Carry?
- At market averages, about $1,930 a month keeps a 20% margin and about $2,670 breaks even.
- How Much Does an Average San Antonio Short-Term Rental Earn?
- AirDNA's San Antonio market averaged a $188.10 daily rate at 56% occupancy over the last 12 months, with annual revenue of about $32,300.
- How Much Does the Permit Cost?
- $450 for Type 1 and $1,000 for Type 2, plus an 8% surcharge, valid three years.
- What Should I Check First?
- Whether the blockface or building is already at its 12.5% cap, since a unit over the cap needs a special exception.