The single most asked question from Penang condo owners considering MyBnB: is short-stay actually worth the hassle vs just leasing the unit out for a year? The honest answer depends on your building, your unit's bed-count and your appetite for monthly variance — but for a well-located 1- or 2-bedroom condo, professionally-managed Airbnb usually wins on net cash to the owner.
Reference unit: 1-bed sea-view condo, Tanjung Tokong
Indicative numbers for a 1-bed, ~600 sq ft, partial sea-view, modern condo at average market ADR. Replace with your own building's numbers in your own conversation with us.
| Line item | Long-term lease | MyBnB short-stay |
|---|---|---|
| Indicative gross monthly revenue | RM 2,400 | RM 5,800 |
| Occupancy assumption | 100% (12-mo lease) | 72% average |
| Platform & payment fees | — | ~ 14% of gross |
| Cleaning (passed to guest) | — | Guest pays |
| Management fee | Agent: ~½ month/yr | MyBnB: performance |
| Utilities & wifi (owner) | Tenant pays | Owner pays (~RM 350/mo) |
| Refurb sinking fund | ~2% gross | ~5% gross |
| Indicative net to owner / month | ≈ RM 2,200 | ≈ RM 3,900 |
Illustrative only. Your unit's number depends on building, view, fit-out and season.
Where long-term still wins
- Very large units (4+ bedrooms) outside the tourist corridor — long-term family tenants pay more reliably than short-stay groups.
- Buildings with a JMB that has banned or capped short-stay activity — long-term is your only legal option.
- Owners with low variance tolerance who would lose sleep over a soft month.
- Units that need significant refurbishment capex before they would photograph well for Airbnb.
Get your unit's actual ROI number — not a table
We benchmark your specific building's ADR, occupancy curve and management costs against your real long-term offer. The output is one number: expected monthly net to you under MyBnB. Free, no obligation, takes 10 minutes on WhatsApp.
Frequently asked questions
Does Airbnb actually beat long-term rental in Penang?
For well-located 1–2 bedroom condos in Tanjung Tokong, George Town, Karpal Singh Drive and Batu Ferringhi, professionally-managed Airbnb typically out-earns long-term rental by 1.5×–2.2× on a net-of-cost basis. The gap narrows in mass-supply submarkets and inverts for very large units (4+ beds) outside tourist zones.
What occupancy do I need to break even vs long-term?
Rule of thumb in Penang: a well-priced 1-bed condo needs roughly 55%–60% occupancy at market ADR to match a long-term rental net of management, cleaning and platform fees. MyBnB-managed Penang units average 70%+ occupancy, which is where the meaningful upside starts.
What about wear-and-tear and refurbishment cycles?
Short-stay units cycle through more guests, so soft furnishings, linen and white goods refresh on a 2–3 year cycle vs 5–7 for tenant-occupied long-term. We budget roughly 4–6% of gross revenue to a sinking fund for refurbishment to keep the unit performing.
Is long-term safer in a recession?
Lower variance, not necessarily higher net yield. A 12-month tenant gives predictable cash flow but caps upside during peak Penang seasons (Chinese New Year, F1, Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta, school holidays). Most owners we work with sleep fine with short-stay variance once they see 6 months of MyBnB statements.
Can I switch later if Airbnb underperforms?
Yes. MyBnB runs month-to-month — no exit fees. Many owners trial 6–12 months on short-stay, compare against their long-term offer, and choose the model that wins on their specific unit.