Upgraded Points, a leading provider of travel insights, has released a comprehensive study revealing the true cost of U.S. ocean-view vacations. The study analyzed data from various popular coastal destinations across the country to find the most and least expensive destinations for beachfront rentals.

The research indicates that the cost of an ocean-view vacation can vary significantly depending on the destination, as well as your choice between a hotel or Airbnb: beachfront hotels are $120 cheaper a night, on average.

However, savings increase even more with a non-beachfront accommodation. Rentals in the costal cities analyzed without an ocean view are $130 cheaper, on average. Across all 75 destinations in the study, an ocean-view rental costs $3,353.28 per week.

The beach towns where you'll spend the most and least for an ocean view / Photo: Upgraded Points

Methodology

The researchers compiled a list of 75 of the most popular beach towns in the U.S., then turned to Airbnb listings to gather information on the average nightly prices for both entire houses and hotels in each town. To ensure the analysis focused on accommodations with an ocean view, they applied the "beachfront" filter on Airbnb.

By averaging the nightly prices of houses and hotels in each town, the researchers determined the average cost of beachfront accommodations per night. To estimate the average cost of a one-week stay in beachfront accommodations, the team multiplied this price by 7.

Key Insights

Beach towns with the largest differential between ocean and non-ocean view rentals / Photo: Upgraded Points

On average, you'll pay about 27% more for a beachfront vacation home with an ocean view than a non-beachfront vacation home. The average weekly cost savings of renting a non-beachfront accommodation is $909, but there are interesting outliers. In Malibu, there's a whopping $5,383 weekly price difference between beachfront and non-beachfront stays. In Myrtle Beach, that margin drops to just $35.

Booking an ocean-view Airbnb is 25% more expensive than renting an ocean-view hotel room, on average. The typical nightly price to stay at a beachfront home (entire house) on Airbnb is $538.69 (and $3,771 for a week). The typical nightly price to stay at a beachfront hotel on Airbnb is $419.39 (and $2,936 for a week).

In some destinations, staying in an ocean-view hotel over a beachfront home can save you considerably more. North Carolina's outer banks are a clear example. In Corolla, NC, the average price to stay at a beachfront home is $668 a night, but the average price to stay at a beachfront hotel is only $255 a night –– a $413 nightly price difference. Cape Cod and the Islands also experienced the phenomenon, as well as the Hamptons and Southern California.

A non-beachfront rental can save you thousands per week in some destinations, but not all: In Malibu, there's a whopping $769 average price difference per night between beachfront and non-beachfront stays—That equals an over $5,300 weekly price differential. But in places like Cedar Key, FL, and Rehoboth Beach, DE, savings amount to less than $50 weekly.

The Most and Least Expensive Destinations for Beachfront Vacation Rentals

The most expensive beach towns for a 1-week beachfront stay are (#1) Montauk, NY, (#2) Southampton, NY, (#3) East Hampton, NY, (#4) Malibu, CA, and (#5) Folly Beach, SC.

The least expensive beach towns for a 1-week beachfront stay are (#1) Cedar Key, FL, (#2) Ocean Springs, MS, (#3) Ocean Shores, WA, (#4) Port Aransas, TX, and (#5) Galveston, TX.

To view the findings in detail, including an interactive table and complete list, please visit the full study HERE.