Airbnb Pumped $6.7 Billion Into São Paulo’s Economy in 2025
Business
Key Facts
—The headline. Airbnb activity moved about R$34bn ($6.7bn) through São Paulo state’s economy in 2025, the largest such footprint of any Brazilian state.
—The share. That is roughly 30 percent of the R$113bn ($22.3bn) the platform moved nationwide over the year.
—The jobs. The activity supported more than 208,000 jobs in the state and close to R$3bn ($591m) in taxes.
—The city. São Paulo city alone accounted for about R$11bn ($2.2bn), up more than 16 percent on the year.
—The source. The figures come from a study by the Getulio Vargas Foundation, a leading Brazilian research body, commissioned by Airbnb.
A new study puts a striking number on Brazil’s appetite for short-term rentals. Airbnb activity moved roughly thirty-four billion reais, about six and a half billion dollars, through São Paulo state’s economy last year.
That single state accounts for almost a third of the platform’s entire footprint in the country.
The figures come from the second edition of a study by the Getulio Vargas Foundation, one of Brazil’s most respected research bodies. Airbnb commissioned the work and shared it with reporters.
It uses an input-output method that tracks how money spent on a stay ripples out through the wider economy.
For a foreign reader weighing a move or an investment, the takeaway is clear. Vacation rentals have become a real economic engine here.
The spending does not stay in tourism. It spreads into shops, restaurants, transport and small services.
Why São Paulo leads on short-term rentals
São Paulo is Brazil’s economic heart and the main gateway for international visitors. So it naturally draws the heaviest flow of guests, and its share of the national total dwarfs every other region.
The study estimates the activity supported more than two hundred thousand jobs across the state. It also generated close to three billion reais in taxes.
In the capital city alone, income tied to the platform topped three and a half billion reais.
The researchers stress that most of this is a side activity rather than a business empire. In greater São Paulo, most hosts renting private rooms say they do it for extra income and that hosting is not their main job.
A national picture that keeps growing
Across the whole country, the platform moved more than one hundred and thirteen billion reais in 2025, up around thirteen percent on the year. The study credits it with adding close to sixty-three billion reais to national output.
Nationwide, the activity is linked to more than seven hundred thousand jobs and nearly nine billion reais in taxes. The multiplier effect is large, with each amount spent on a stay pulling several times as much through the rest of the economy.
Demand is still climbing. Nights booked by Brazilian travellers on the platform rose more than twenty percent in the first quarter of 2026, the third quarter in a row of double-digit growth.
The multiplier is what makes the numbers so large. In an earlier edition of the study, the researchers estimated that every amount a guest spends on a stay pulls roughly five times as much through other sectors such as food, transport and entertainment.
The effect is also concentrated geographically. The southeast region, anchored by São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, dominates the national total, well ahead of the south and northeast.
Inside the capital, the spending spreads across neighbourhoods in a way that is easy to picture. A booking in one district feeds a taxi ride in another, a lunch in a third and a purchase at a small corner shop somewhere else entirely.
What do these short-term rentals mean for expats and hosts?
For foreign residents, the numbers show how easy it has become to earn extra income by hosting. They also reveal how much local demand there is for flexible, furnished stays.
For anyone arriving in Brazil, they confirm short-stay platforms as a practical first foothold before signing a longer lease.
Is this good news for property investors?
It strengthens the case that vacation rentals can generate steady cash flow and support property values, especially in high-demand neighbourhoods. The caveat is regulation, since city rules and condominium bylaws can restrict short lets and change the maths on any given flat.
Who paid for the study?
Airbnb commissioned the research, which the Getulio Vargas Foundation carried out using its own established approach. That backing is worth keeping in mind, though the foundation is an independent and widely cited body.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did Airbnb activity contribute to São Paulo state's economy in 2025?
Airbnb activity moved about R$34 billion (roughly $6.7 billion) through São Paulo state's economy in 2025. That was the largest Airbnb footprint of any Brazilian state and about 30 percent of the platform's national total.
How many jobs did Airbnb activity support in São Paulo state?
The activity supported more than 208,000 jobs across São Paulo state and generated close to R$3 billion ($591 million) in taxes.
Who carried out the research behind these figures?
The Getulio Vargas Foundation, a leading and widely cited Brazilian research body, carried out the study. It used an input-output method that tracks how guest spending ripples through the wider economy, and Airbnb commissioned the work.
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