What expenses can I write off for my Airbnb?

That is a tax question and the answer depends on your country, region and situation. This guide only lists categories worth recording. A qualified tax professional can tell you what applies to you.

Do I need receipts for small purchases?

Keeping a receipt, photo or bank line for every purchase makes any later review easier. Rules about what you must keep differ by location, so check your local requirements.

Should I track personal and rental spending separately?

Yes. A separate card or account for the rental makes the log far simpler and avoids guesswork about what belonged to the property.

How often should I log expenses?

Weekly is a good rhythm. Photograph receipts the same day and enter them in batches so nothing is lost.

Airbnb Expenses to Track: A Checklist of Categories

By Master Modules Hosting editorial team · Updated October 25, 2026

Monthly income and expense summary for a short-term rental

The simplest way to be ready at tax time is to log every cost of running the rental into a fixed set of categories as it happens. This page lists the categories most hosts use. It is a recording checklist, not tax advice: what you can claim depends on where you live and on your situation, so check your local rules or ask a qualified professional.

Why categories matter

A single list of "things I bought" is hard to use. The same list sorted into categories answers real questions: how much did cleaning cost across the year, what did software cost per property, which month had the repairs. It also helps your accountant, if you have one, because the work is already done.

The checklist

Running the stays

Cleaning and turnover: cleaner invoices, laundry service, your own supplies if you clean yourself.
Consumables and restocking: toilet paper, soap, coffee, trash bags, light bulbs, batteries.
Linens and towels: replacements, extras, mattress protectors.
Utilities: electricity, gas, water, internet, streaming subscriptions provided to guests.
Platform and payment fees: keep the fee line from each payout.

The property

Rent or mortgage-related costs: log what applies to you and ask a professional how it is treated.
Insurance: short-term rental or landlord policies, and any add-ons.
Property taxes and local permits or licenses.
Repairs and maintenance: plumber, handyman, HVAC service, pest control.
Furniture, appliances and decor: larger purchases are often treated differently from small ones, so record the date, item and price.
Safety equipment: smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguisher, first-aid kit, locks.

Running the business

Software and subscriptions: channel managers, pricing tools, smart lock apps, spreadsheets.
Marketing: photography, signage, printing, business cards.
Professional services: accountant, bookkeeper, legal fees, co-host or property manager payments.
Travel and mileage: trips to the property, supply runs. Keep a mileage log with date, purpose and distance.
Training and subscriptions: courses, books or memberships related to hosting.
Bank and card fees.

Guest-facing extras

Welcome gifts and amenities.
Printed welcome books, signs and cards.
Replacement items after damage, and anything you recover from a deposit or claim (record the recovery as income or a reduction, as your accountant advises).

What to record for each expense

For every line, capture:

Date
Property (if you have more than one)
Category (one from a fixed list)
Vendor
Amount
Receipt: a photo or file name, so you can find it later.

Add a note when the purchase is unusual. A year later "bought dehumidifier after the damp in the basement" is far more useful than "hardware store".

Shared costs across properties

If one bill covers several properties (a software subscription, a cleaner who does two units), choose a splitting rule and use it every month: equal split, by nights, or by number of bedrooms. Writing the rule in your log prevents arguments with yourself later.

Habits that make this easy

Use one card or account only for the rental.
Photograph receipts the day you buy.
Review the log on the first of every month and see the totals by category.
Keep your category list short. Twelve to eighteen categories is plenty; more makes entry slower and totals less useful.
Keep income and expenses in one place so you can see the monthly result. The guide to what you keep after fees shows how.

A ready-made log

The Stayworks Host Kit includes a Host Profit Tracker (Google Sheets and Excel) with an expenses log that uses a category list you can edit in Settings, plus a monthly profit and loss by property. For receipts, mileage and recurring bills, there is an optional separate organizer sold as an add-on at checkout. The kit is $19.00 one time. Everything is a template for organizing your records: it does not give legal, tax or accounting advice, so check your local rules.

Quick checklist

Pick a fixed category list.
Separate rental and personal spending.
Log date, property, category, vendor, amount and receipt.
Photograph receipts the same day.
Ask a qualified professional what applies where you live.