b>According to a January 2026 report on hotel space costs, Venice is the most expensive city based on the actual price paid. The study reviewed the world’s busiest tourist destinations to identify where the hotel space is most expensive.

• Venice is the most expensive city, charging $16.17 per square meter, the highest rate among all cities analyzed.


• Spending a night in a New York City hotel costs the most at $250.50 per night, but it offers the largest room sizes of any city in the study.


• Dublin offers some of the largest rooms in the study at 23.25 square meters, making it the best value for your money.

The research by Deluxe Holiday Homes examined the most-visited cities globally and calculated how much travelers really pay for each square meter of hotel space. They took the average hotel room price in each city and divided it by the average room size to determine the cost per square meter. This calculation established a “price per square meter” metric, creating a standardized comparison of value across different markets, regardless of the local currency or total nightly price.

Here’s how the cities compare:

You can access the complete research
here.

1. Venice

Average Hotel Room Size: 12.0 square meters
Average Hotel Room Price: $194.00
Price per Square Meter: $16.17

Venice ranks first, with hotel space priced at $16.17. Travelers staying in Venice get the smallest rooms in the study at just 12 square meters, and they pay $194 each night for that space. This combination of small rooms and high prices pushes Venice to the top of the ranking, making it the most expensive city for hotel space.

2. Paris

Paris comes next at $11.28 per square meter. The city is known for its compact, historic hotel rooms, which average 16 square meters. The nightly price of $180.50 is cheaper than in Venice, and the cost per square meter sits $4.89 below the top spot.

3. London

London is third with almost the same price as Paris, coming at $11.25. Like the French capital, London’s average room size sits at 16 square meters with a nightly rate of $180. The difference between these two cities is just 3 cents per square meter.

4. Barcelona

Barcelona is in fourth place, with a nightly rate of $179. Rooms average 18 square meters, offering more space for nearly the same cost as London and Paris.

5. New York City

New York City follows with $9.82 per square meter. While it has the highest nightly rate at $250.50, rooms average 25.5 square meters, making it a better deal for travelers seeking more space.

The spokesperson from
Deluxe Holiday Homes
commented:

“Small rooms aren’t always a bad deal, but Venice is a perfect example of what happens when space is tight and demand is huge. Staying in a 12-square-meter room is basically like living in a parking spot, and paying nearly $200 for it shows how much tourist crowds drive up prices.”