Know exactly what STR costs before you commit — no surprises.
The Costs Nobody Tells You About
Short-term rental looks attractive until utilities, turnovers, laundry, consumables, and constant upkeep start hitting every month. In long-term rental, many of these costs move to the tenant. In STR, they stay with you.
All figures shown in USD using GHS 11/USD. These are the operating expenses most owners underestimate when deciding between nightly income and steady lease income.
| Cost Category | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleaning per turnover | $5-7 | $7-11 | $11-16 | $16-23 |
| Laundry per turnover | $2-3 | $3-4 | $4-6 | $6-9 |
| Monthly maintenance | $9-18 | $14-27 | $18-36 | $27-45 |
| Utilities (electricity, water, internet) | $60-100 | $80-130 | $100-170 | $130-220 |
| Consumables | $15-25 | $20-30 | $25-40 | $30-50 |
| Total monthly operating | $120-200 | $180-350 | $250-450 | $350-600 |
Before management fees, these are the recurring costs that determine whether STR revenue is actually worth the effort.
In-House vs Outsourced
Most owners who manage operations through outside vendors discover that cleaning, laundry, and maintenance bills spiral quickly. Our in-house teams keep service quality tighter and operating costs materially lower.
Faster response, tighter standards, and no markup stacking between owner and service team.
Turnover laundry stays predictable because linens are handled inside the same operational system.
Minor issues get fixed early before they become expensive guest-facing problems.
What LTR Saves You
That is the monthly operating cost range many owners eliminate when moving from STR to LTR, depending on unit size.
Next Step
If your unit needs strong occupancy, better pricing, and lower operating costs just to beat LTR, the comparison matters. We will tell you honestly when the numbers work — and when they do not.
Accra Airbnb owners typically pay for cleaning, laundry, maintenance, utilities, internet, consumables, and guest-ready resets between stays. Unlike long-term rental, these operating costs stay with the owner and can materially change the net result.
The biggest cost reductions usually come from lowering vendor markup, improving turnover efficiency, and preventing maintenance issues before they escalate. Sky Suites uses in-house teams for cleaning, laundry, and maintenance because that keeps standards high while cutting owner cost.
Yes. Sky Suites coordinates the operating side of the property, including maintenance and the ongoing systems owners need to monitor on short-term rental units. That is part of why managed properties are easier to control than self-managed ones with multiple outside vendors.
Sky Suites